LIHU‘E — It’s official: the Kaua‘i County Council has a new formation. The seven council members for the next two years were sworn in by Judge Randal Valenciano at an inauguration ceremony at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall Monday.
LIHU‘E — It’s official: the Kaua‘i County Council has a new formation. The seven council members for the next two years were sworn in by Judge Randal Valenciano at an inauguration ceremony at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall Monday.
“It’s a blessing to be here today to acknowledge our leaders, and that’s what they are,” the Rev. Tom Iannucci said of the seven elected members of the council and new County Prosecutor Justin Kollar, also sworn in Monday.
The new council will include incumbents Jay Furfaro, JoAnn Yukimura, Nadine Nakamura, Tim Bynum and Mel Rapozo, and newcomers Ross Kagawa and Gary Hooser.
An hour prior to the inauguration ceremony, the council’s roles were made official in one of the shortest-ever council meetings — less than 15 minutes — carried in the exhibition area outside the Convention Hall.
Bynum appointed Furfaro to continue as the group’s chair, and Kagawa appointed Nakamura to be the vice-chair. Both positions were unanimously approved by the council.
Yukimura had been the council’s vice chair for the last two years, and during a Nov. 20 meeting had indicated she would like to keep her position. On Monday, she said she had sought the position because she thought she could serve well, but withdrew her interest because she didn’t want “to stand in the way of (Nakamura’s) excellent leadership.”
Furfaro, whose support for Nakamura was pivotal for the change, said this is a “reorganizing opportunity” for other council members, but he expects Yukimura’s leadership to continue. “Because leadership is all that this council is all about,” he said.
The council also officially adopted its new committees and respective members, and unanimously appointed County Clerk Rick Watanabe and County Deputy Clerk Jade Fountain-Tanigawa to continue in their positions.
Inauguration ceremony
About 100 people attended the new council’s first meeting. About 45 minutes after Furfaro adjourned the meeting, the crowd in attendance at the inauguration ceremony at the adjacent Convention Hall had nearly doubled.
Conch-blowing protocol opened the ceremony, and five members of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps — carrying the national and the Hawaiian flags — led the entourage of elected and appointed officials into the hall.
Kumu Sabra Kauka chanted an oli, and Nalani Brun sang the “Star Spangled Banner,” followed by Hawai‘i’s anthem, “Hawai‘i Pono‘i.” During the national anthem, only a few people risked singing along Brun’s powerful voice. But when she sang “Hawai‘i Pono‘i,” many in the audience accompanied her.
“Hawai‘i Pono‘i” was penned by King David Kalakaua in the mid-1870s, and the music was written by Capt. Henri Berger. The song was the Kingdom of Hawai‘i’s national anthem, and today it’s the state’s anthem.
Master of ceremonies Jan TenBruggencate identified a few faces in the audience, including former council members Derek Kawakami, Kaipo Asing and KipuKai Kuali‘i. Iannucci led the prayer.
After receiving their certificate of election from Watanabe and Fountain-Tanigawa, the members of the council and Kollar were sworn in by Valenciano, who had served as council member years ago.
‘New era’
Furfaro talked about a shared leadership with his colleagues for the next term.
“This is a new era,” he said. “I look forward to working with you as a team.”
In the next two years the council will be faced with challenges, “but no task is too big when we do it together,” Furfaro said.
“Aloha, tomo arigato,” said Nakamura.
Nakamura caused many in the audience to laugh by drawing a striking similarity between events more than 100 years apart, regarding who has authority over the police department. She read the minutes from a meeting held in 1904, indicating a power struggle between the county Board of Supervisors (equivalent to the council) and the county sheriff over who would have the authority to appoint police officers. The matter ended at the hands of the county attorney, who was of the opinion that such authority should belong to the board, but said the issue would likely reach the Supreme Court.
Last month, the Kaua‘i Police Commission voted to appeal a 5th Circuit Court decision that Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. has authority to discipline the police chief.
After Furfaro and Nakamura spoke, TenBruggencate asked the upcoming speakers to “please be brief,” and then called on Bynum.
Bynum spoke of government transparency and lowering property taxes to residents.
“Aloha, it’s good to be home,” said Hooser, who had served in the council from 1998 to 2002, when he was elected to the state Senate, a job he held for eight years.
Hooser said when the government says there is no money, it’s really telling you that it’s not a priority.
“It’s all about priority,” said Hooser, adding that the council needs to hear from residents what their priorities are.
Kagawa, the rookie councilman, said the Westside has been looking for some representation for some time, and he wants to help.
Rapozo talked about perpetuating the Hawaiian culture on Kaua‘i, a “healing island” and a special and sacred place.
Yukimura said there is a lot to be done. Her priorities, she said, will be tackling affordable housing and transportation, pressing to break ground for a materials recovery facility, hiring qualified county staff, energy and food sustainability, job creation and providing training and education to young people.
‘Last man standing’
Each time Kollar’s name was brought up throughout the event, loud clapping, whistles and cheers of “woo-hoo” followed.
The last elected official to speak, Kollar said he was the “last man standing” between the crowd and the food available at the exhibition area, and therefore would be brief.
He thanked his fiancé and his family — and even threw an “I love you, mom” to his mother, who came from the Mainland with her sister to see her son be sworn in. He also asked his deputy prosecutors to stand and be recognized by the crowd.
Before leaving the newly renovated hall, the crowd held hands and sang “Hawai‘i Aloha” together.
The next council meeting is Dec. 12. Visit www.kauai.gov for more information.
