HILO, Hawaii – Mayor Harry Kim took questions from the Hawaii County Council during the Environmental Management Committee meeting on March 7, following the administration’s sudden cancellation of a composting contract with Hawaiian Earth Recycling, LLC.

On February 16, Kim signed a termination of a composting contract that was deemed “disadvantageous to the County of Hawai’i.” The Service Agreement for the Organics Diversion Program in East Hawai‘i and West Hawai‘i with the county – which provides free mulch to residents – will end as of June 30, 2017.

“The two areas of concern were the financial commitments of the County, and the limited nature of the contract regarding composting,” Mayor Kim said in a media release.

Kim first hinted at his concerns with the contract back in December 2016 during this interview with Sherry Bracken.

On Tuesday, the council had the chance to talk with the mayor, who had Corporation Counsel Joseph Kamelamela by his side. Some of the sharpest questioning came from Hilo councilmember Aaron Chung, who was unhappy with the way the council found out about the contract termination: on Facebook, then through media.

Big Island Video News will have more video from the council meeting shortly.