Council reorganizes to keep county on course

The Kaua‘i County Council this week made organizational changes to ensure county business stays on track after James Kunane Tokioka won the District 15 House of Representative election Nov. 7. and left a 10-year career with the council.

Under council rules, Daryl Kaneshiro, who chairs the council’s Finance/Intergovernmental Relations Committee, assumed the vice-chairmanship when Tokioka beat Republican challenger Ron Agor.

Through a resolution, the council approved the changes during a special meeting at the historic County Building Wednesday.

Kaneshiro, however, will only be the second in command on the council behind council chairman Kaipo Asing until Tuesday, the last meeting of the 2004-2006 council.

Kaneshiro has served on the seven-member council for the past eight years, but was edged out by Ron Kouchi, a councilmember who stepped down for an unsuccessful run for mayor in 2002. Kouchi’s 20 years on the council also included a stint as chairman.

Tokioka, who served five consecutive terms on the council, was required to relinquish his council seat by a state constitution provision stating his term as a state legislator started officially with his win over Agor.

County officials said he submitted a letter of resignation to Asing the day he won the legislative seat, which covers the Lihu‘e-to-Koloa area.

Tokioka’s departure created these changes on the council:

• Councilmembers Jay Furfaro and Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho will join the Finance/Intergovernmental Relations Committee, with Furfaro becoming vice chairman;

• Furfaro joins the Energy and Public Safety Committee;

• Kaneshiro takes over as the chair and Iseri-Carvalho takes over as vice chair of the Parks and Public Works Committee;

• Councilmember Mel Rapozo joins the Planning Committee and Kaneshrio takes over as vice chair of the Committee of the Whole, which is lead by Asing.

The council boasts of seven committees with varying responsibilities:

• Finance/ Intergovernmental Relations Committee focuses on finances, revenues and taxes;

• Economic Development Committee reviews matters related to the visitor industry, agriculture, tourism, military, small businesses and economic promotion;

• Community Assistance Committee focuses on housing, senior citizen issues, public transportation, outreach and budgets;

• Energy and Public Safety Committee responds to matters relating to the police and fire department, county prosecutors, civil defense, county employees and budgets;

• Parks and Public Works Committee focuses on matters relating to parks, beaches, recreational and neighborhood centers, services and infrastructure at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall, highways, solid waste, water development, utilities, commission and budgets;

• Planning Committee considers issues relating to land use, the county’s general plan, zoning, shoreline protection, residential subdivision controls, protection of the environment, historical preservation and boards and budgets.

• Committee of the Whole, which consists of all seven council members, considers matters related to the county budget, a capital improvement budget, new committees and policies and goals of the council.

Tomorrow the council-elect — five incumbents and two new councilmembers, Ron Kouchi and Tim Bynum — will discuss the selection of the new council chairman, vice chairman and the chairpersons, vice-chairpersons and members for various committees.

Discussion also will be held on who will serve as clerk and the deputy county clerk the next two years.

The council-elect will make its choices official through a resolution during inaugural ceremonies Dec. 1 at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall for itself and Mayor Bryan Baptiste.

The new council will hold its first committee meeting at the historic County Building Dec. 6.

• Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@kauaipubco.com.