(BIVN) – An agreement in which the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands would partially reimburse the County of Hawaiʻi for the installation of speed humps on a residential street in Keaukaha was not endorsed by testifiers Thursday at the Hawaiʻi County Council Finance Committee meeting in Hilo.

Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries wanted to know why DHHL was expected to help pay for such a safety improvement on Pakele Lane, a public road in Keaukaha that is also within the Hawaiian Homestead. The Hawaiʻi County Corporation Counsel and DHHL representatives tried to explain the agreement.

Resolution 740-18 states:

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS FOR THE COUNTY OF HAWAII TO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FUNDS FOR SPEED HUMP INSTALLATION ON PROPERTY HELD BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS

WHEREAS, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the State of Hawaiʻi (“DHHL”) holds certain property in Hawaiʻi, which includes Pakele Lane in Keaukaha; and

WHEREAS, DHHL has agreed to share costs with the County to have speed humps installed along the entire length of Pakele Lane in Keaukaha; and

WHEREAS, this project will provide a safer driving and pedestrian environment for DHHL lessees along Pakele Lane; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes, Section 46-7, this Council’ s consent is required to enter into this agreement; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, in accordance with section 46- 7, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, that the Mayor of the County of Hawaiʻi is authorized to execute, on behalf of the County, the agreement and any related documents with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the State of Hawaiʻi.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk of the County of Hawaiʻi shall transmit copies of this resolution to the Office of the Mayor, the Finance Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the State of Hawaiʻi.

The resolution was postponed.