As confirmed dengue fever cases reached 88 Friday, Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung asked his colleagues to schedule a special council meeting to learn from experts how best to battle the outbreak.
Chung had originally asked for an emergency meeting for next week, but in the face of opposition from one council member and questions about scheduling experts on short notice, the council leadership has decided to hold the special meeting at 1 p.m. Dec. 2, following the regular County Council meeting in Hilo.
“I want people to know what the game plan is. How are they attacking this problem,” Chung said Friday.
“We want to beat this thing. But we want to understand the strategy and we want to be part of the strategy so we can beat it.”
Chung, in a communication to Council Chairman Dru Kanuha posted online late Thursday, requested a host of people be invited to the emergency meeting: Gov. David Ige, state Health Department Director Dr. Virginia Pressler, Maui District Health Officer Dr. Lorrin Pang, state Education Superintendent Katherine Matayoshi, Mayor Billy Kenoi, Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira, Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma, Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd, Sen. Josh Green and Rep. Richard Creagan, who are both physicians representing West Hawaii, and former Civil Defense Administrator and former Mayor Harry Kim.
Chung’s newest communication to the council chairman has downsized the list.
Kanuha said Friday that he’d like Oliveira to take the lead on the speakers’ list, as he’s the county’s point man with the state.
The county and state have coordinated community meetings around the island, but Kanuha said a council session, with its videoconferencing technology to five other sites in addition to Hilo, as well as live-streaming on the Internet, would help disseminate information widely.
“It gives better community access to explain what’s going on,” Kanuha said.
“Greater information is always better.”
Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille had objected to an emergency meeting next week, leading to Chung’s rescinding his request in favor of a special meeting instead. Wille said her concerns were Sunshine Law issues and the ability to give speakers notice that they’re invited.
An emergency meeting is acceptable when there is an urgent matter such as an earthquake closing a road and emergency funding required, for example, she said.
“I don’t think we should hold meetings without adequate public notice,” she said.
