They formerly worked in banking, education, tourism, small business and government.
But regardless of their backgrounds, they came together Thursday with one common goal: to explore county government and find ways to make government function more efficiently.
The Cost of Government Commission, required by charter to be convened every four years, has its work cut out for it considering almost three-quarters of the county budget is tied up in county employees’ salary and benefits set statewide, in payments on bond debt made years previously and other uncontrollable costs.
But it’s ready to give it a try.
“We’ve all had to make course corrections in business because that’s what we had to do,” said Commissioner Jenipher Jones, a former pest control company manager who now owns a dog kennel. “I’d like to see progress.”
David Buehler, former Bank of Hawaii senior vice president and manager for American Samoa District, said he had to make some “gut-wrenching” management decisions during his tenure. Sometimes that’s what it takes, he said.
“Save money or make money,” Buehler described the choice. “I hope I can bring that to the table.”
Public involvement through suggestions and testimony is being encouraged. The next meeting is tentatively planned for April 26.
For many of the eight volunteer commissioners, the new board is their first stint at a government post.
One commissioner, Dayday Hopkins, was previously a longtime county employee, working as an economic development specialist in the Department of Research and Development.
“I know how to run a program with very little money,” she said.
The previous commission, in 2015, said Hawaii County needs to get a better handle on overtime, the use of county vehicles, fuel costs and excess paperwork. Many of the recommendations also were proposed by the prior Cost of Government Commission, which issued its report in 2011.
The County Council implemented recommendations by the 2011 commission to require financial documentation to qualify for agricultural property tax exemptions. A proposal to eliminate homeowners’ property tax exemption for unpermitted dwellings hasn’t progressed far, however.
The administration also has been trying to implement a countywide technology management plan and make greater use of videoconferencing and other technology instead of travel.
Feedback the 2015 commission received indicated a perception that county vehicles might be misused. To address this, the commission recommended development and implementation of a uniform computer mileage tracking system for all county-owned vehicles. That hasn’t happened.
Recommendations for regional transit hubs for the Hele-On bus system, tying in the island’s airports and other top destinations, are slowly being implemented as part of a $500,000 master plan.
Progress on many of the recommendations of both commissions has been slow. That doesn’t mean the new commission shouldn’t be bold, said Roy Takemoto, an executive assistant to Mayor Harry Kim.
“We want to do it as differently as you folks are willing to take it,” Takemoto told the commission. “All the cards are on the table as far as we’re concerned.”
Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.
