Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth laid out his administration’s accomplishments and vision Friday at the State of the County address at the West Hawaii Civic Center.
“Everything we do is for you and serving you is a privilege of a lifetime,” he began his address. “I am a lifelong community problem solver who has spent my career planting seeds for long-term solutions to many of our island’s deep-seated problems. Our administration has taken on the same approach in tackling pressing issues facing our community over the past three and a half years.”
Roth highlighted the status of county department projects and pressing issues facing the island.
Affordable Housing
Roth touted the progress made in the number of affordable housing units in the pipeline on Hawaii Island, from 1,200 when he first took office three years ago to 8,100 presently. “To date over 300 units have been completed and more than 550 are slated to become homes for our local working class families in the coming year. When we say working class, we are talking about the teachers, the hotel workers, our county workers, waitstaff, store clerks, mechanics and many more that form the backbone of our community We have signed into law an ordinance that will ensure that all county led projects from here on out will be prioritized our working class families from Hawaii,” he said.
Groundbreaking will begin this year on a massive infrastructure project at Kamakoa Nui in Waikoloa. Upon completion, this project will open development to 600 more workforce affordable homes.
Roth also announced legislation being drafted to create housing opportunities for local families in order for them to build “accessory dwelling units” or ohana units on their property.
“They can use them to house family members or as long-term rental, helping alleviate our housing shortage,” he said, adding the bill is soon to go before County Council.
He said his administration is also drafting transient accommodation rental legislation aimed at closing loopholes. The legislation seeks to establish a registration process for various short-term rental property classifications.
“This will better enable us to manage the short-term rental market, especially on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo and ultimately increase the available housing for our local families. Our community needs must come before profit,” he emphasized.
Permits
Roth cited a study that the University of Hawaii Research Office released shortly after he took office that concluded Hawaii County had the biggest regulatory burden for the home permitting process among all counties measured nationwide.
He said the average time it used to take to obtain a permit, if there were no changes to it, was about 200 days, but that has been reduced to an average of 42 days for a single-family home with further reduction in time anticipated.
“The bottom line is people building faster is good for everyone,” he said.
Homeless
Roth said homelessness is one of the most complex humanitarian issues facing the country, state and island. To date the county has committed over $19 million to programs and social service organizations.
“With these investments, we aim to strengthen the capacity of our service providers to address critical issues such as mental health, affordable housing, shelter space, health care and more,” he said.
He announced the first phase of the Kukuiola emergency shelter and assessment center in Kona will be complete this year. The first phase, located across from the West Hawaii Civic Center, will include 16 emergency shelter units, an assessment center, shared community restroom facilities with showers, a shared kitchen, office space and open space for community activities. There will also be 46 overnight parking stalls for unsheltered individuals who live in their vehicles. The second phase will add 48 affordable permanent housing units with additional support services.
He added federal funds along with county capital improvement funds have been secured for renovations of the old Hilo Memorial Hospital and the plan to develop surrounding acreage for permanent housing. In addition, there would be a state Department of Health facility on the property.
“For our local people experiencing homelessness, we will do everything we can to get them the help they need to be successful and have a fighting chance at a healthy and just life,” he said.
For those not from here, another option has been made available.
Roth gave recognition to Regina Weller of 808 Homeless Task Force for her family reunification plan. Weller received a $300,000 county grant to buy plane tickets and make arrangements for homeless individuals who wish to reconnect with family on the mainland.
Parks and Recreation
Roth said he is committed to continuing the parks rule enforcement operations to curb violations such as setting up a residence in a park, being in a park after hours, refuse violations, sanitary violations, no camping permits, drinking and drug use.
“As long as harmful illegal activities are present, bringing dangerous situations to our keiki, kupuna and other park goers, we will continue these operations. Our parks are for everyone and will continue to be for everyone,” he said.
He said the county will complete major park projects in the coming year including Pu‘u Nui and Kamakoa Nui playground and field upgrades in Waikoloa, a new community center and park improvements at Waiakea Uka Park in Hilo, various emergency swimming pool repairs, rodeo arena resurfacing in Honoka‘a, and skateboard upgrades at Volcano Park. He said additionally there will be improvements at Billy Kenoi Park and new pickleball courts in Kailua-Kona.
“We anticipate many more projects will break ground this year,” he said.
He said maintenance at the county’s parks has been long neglected, but he is aiming to change that.
“We have taken our maintenance budget for all 302 of our parks facilities from $450,000 when we first got into office to over $4 million annually. We are proposing to increase that by $1 million in this budget,” he proclaimed.
Public Works
Roth said his administration has made investments in new and existing infrastructure.
“The last three and a half years we have concentrated on paving roads, fixing bridges, redesigning and revamping wastewater systems, and undertaking other various projects aimed at insuring our community’s ability and capacity to grow and evolve,” he said.
To illustrate the point, Roth said when he first took office, the county averaged paving 16 miles of roads per year, but in the last three yearsit has paved over 70 miles around the island.
“That just represents the work done in-house. These road improvements affect the daily lives of many of our residents, reducing commute times and easing the wear and tear on vehicles. This year, Public Works anticipates paving an additional 50 miles of roadway,” he said.
He also announced the long-awaited reconstruction of 13 miles of roadway and 9 miles of waterline in lower Puna destroyed in the 2018 Kilauea eruption has finally begun.
Environmental Management
The Department of Environmental Management will embark on several infrastructure and waste management projects this year, including completion of the full overhaul of the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant. He announced that project is expected to be going out for bid early next month.
“We will not stand by and have a Red Hill situation on this island, when we have the power and the foresight to prevent it. Overhauling the treatment plant will be the biggest single infrastructure project in county history. Our ocean and our people deserve it,” he said.
Water Supply
Roth said the Department of Water Supply, a semi-autonomous agency, continues to make improvements to the water system by installing emergency generators and electrical transfer switches at various facilities, enhancing its resilience during extended power outages.
In Waimea, work is currently underway on the Lalamilo 10-million-gallon reservoir. The $19.8 million project will provide additional potable water storage for domestic use and for fire protection. When completed in two years, it will be Hawaii’s largest potable water reservoir.
Fire and Police
Roth announced a new joint dispatch center, merging police dispatch and fire communications control center operations, will be complete in the next few months.
He also announced the investments being made in the fire department.
“We have worked to replace nearly all of our ambulances in our fleet and added lifeguards to our popular beaches and partnered with the Sayre Foundation to replace equipment such as Chopper 2, which had been in service for over 30 years,” he said. “We are working with Chief (Kazuo) Todd to make several capital improvement investments in our response fleet.
“Thanks to a combination of funding from the Sayre Foundation, on-island donors such as the Benioffs and numerous grant funding, we are set to procure 17 new brush trucks, one command vehicle, four fire engines, three off-road tankers, two on-road tankers and a twin engine airbus helicopter that will allow us to take people with a medical emergency from this island to Oahu for services.”
For police, Roth said the department is working to fill every sworn position in the department by the end of the next county fiscal year.
“Building a safe community is about more than just responding. As an administration, we have to consider ways to be proactive and preventative,” he said.
For traffic safety, Roth said the county has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in partnership with Waiakea High School and The University of Hawaii to pilot AI technology for analyzing and visualizing safety issues at intersections. In addition, the county will continue LED streetlight upgrades, traffic signal improvements, a traffic signal maintenance program, sign replacement and islandwide striping inspection and maintenance.
“Ensuring roadway safety is not solely the county’s responsibility. This is a shared kuleana. We encourage everybody to slow down and drive with aloha,” he said.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Roth said in collaboration with the Hawaii Island Fentanyl Task Force, the community is being educated about the dangers of fentanyl. Thousands of doses of Narcan have been distributed throughout the island. Narcan can now be found at all county facilities and in all county vehicles, with all first responders and through numerous free vending machines in Hilo and in Kona. Doses of Narcan also have been distributed to all bars and restaurants on the Big Island.
Through the county’s share of a federal opioid settlement, a detox clinic, the first of its kind on the island, will open in Hilo.
He also announced plans to transform the former Bank of Hawaii building on Kawili Street in Hilo into a behavioral health crisis center. The center will be open 24/7 for individuals and families to seek help during a mental health crisis. It also will be accessible to law enforcement and emergency medical services to bring individuals experiencing a mental health crisis for assistance. Additionally, training will be provided to officers on best practices when dealing with people experiencing a crisis.
“We have partnered with the National Alliance of Mental Illness and our police department to train over 70 officers to be better equipped to respond to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. This will help to better protect our community and first responders by connecting people to the services they need,” he said.
Animal Control
The county’s new Animal Control Agency has hired 12 animal control officers, 10 kennel technicians and six administrative staff members, with plans to hire more full-time civil servant positions this year. They are also working to expand the fleet of vehicles to strengthen neighborhood patrols.
“In just nine months, we’ve removed over 1,900 animals from the streets, either reuniting them with their owners or facilitating adoptions. Efforts are underway to hire a staff veterinarian and expand services to areas in the South Kohala and Ka‘u districts,” said Roth.
‘Aina
Roth said over the past three years, his administration has acquired more land for Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation than any previous administration.
“This land will remain unchanged in use as it is passed down to future generations, ensuring the timeless preservation of over 4,100 acres of pristine ‘aina,” he said.
This year, Roth said the county plans on acquiring an additional 46.27 acres in Honaunau and 27.38 acres adjacent to the ocean in Waikoloa.
“Furthering our goal of protecting our ‘aina, we also anticipate the arrival of four new electric buses and one new hydrogen bus to our Hele-On service. These buses represent a significant step towards a more sustainable transportation system for our community,” he announced.
He also said the Hele-On service will remain free to all riders through 2025 — and likely even further.
Property Taxes
Roth announced his plan to ask the County Council to decrease property tax rates for homeowners based on the outcome of the budget’s cost verifications.
“If successful, it will be the first time since 2009 that an administration has cut real property taxes in our county,” he said.
Other topics Roth touched upon during his speech included the importance of perpetuating Hawaiian culture, county workforce development, broadband infrastructure and senior services.