(BIVN) – Andy Levin, the mayor’s legislative assistant, spent an hour talking with Hawaii County councilmembers in Hilo for a meeting of the council’s Governmental Relations and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday.

Hilo councilwoman Sue Lee Loy requested the discussion “regarding Hawai`i County’s priorities, goals, and objectives during the upcoming 2018 session of the Hawai`i State Legislature.”

Levin was first put on the administration payroll in 2017 as a temporary hire, charged with lobbying on behalf of Mayor Harry Kim on certain state bills at the Capitol. Taken by surprise, some councilmembers criticized the mayor for the pricey contract.

Now that he’s been re-hired to work during the upcoming legislative session, Levin’s appearance before the council on Wednesday was an opportunity to reset the relationship with the legislative branch.