Four Hawaii County Council members returned from last week’s National Association of Counties conference brimming with ideas for new county initiatives and optimism for another infusion of federal money.
The conference, in Washington, D.C., featured addresses by President Joe Biden and a host of top administrators on topics of interest to counties, with an emphasis on how to best take advantage of the federal funding.
“It was a little like drinking from a fire hose,” said Hamakua Councilwoman Heather Kimball.
She said the council members spread attendance around at the various simultaneous sessions, to get the most from the event. Kimball said she gravitated toward technology, cybersecurity and affordable housing and transportation.
She emphasized the importance of the federal infrastructure funding package. Counties will compete for funding through grant applications, and not only will the grant application process be competitive, but so will finding workers to complete the infrastructure plan once awarded, she said.
“This is a once in a generation financial opportunity for states and counties with this infrastructure package,” Kimball said.”It’s a funding package we’ll probably never see again in our lifetimes.”
The $1.2 trillion economic stimulus bill, known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Biden signed in November, focuses on clean transportation, energy and water infrastructure, universal broadband and remediation of pollution and climate change.
Kimball, as the county’s representative to the Hawaii State Association of Counties, was reimbursed by that group for her travel. Kohala Councilman Tim Richards, a NACo presidential appointee to the board and member of the Environment, Energy and Land Use Committee as well as vice chairman of Water, was reimbursed by NACo.
Richards, as part of the policy-making board, devoted more time to discussing and voting on policy for the local government group than attending all the sessions.
“We help set the policy for the nation,” Richards said.
Networking and learning from others is important, he said.
“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “We can learn from other people’s successes and go from there.”
Arriving at a water policy, for example, was one of Richards’ priorities this session, as the group tackled the issue regarding federal and local jurisdiction.
“Where does federal jurisdiction stop and local jurisdiction start,” Richards asked, noting the importance of the issue to Hawaii. “That’s where the push-me pull-you takes part.”
Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy and Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz also attended, using their county travel accounts or personal funds or other sources.
The council members are scheduled to make their report today during the 1:30 p.m. Governmental Operations, Relations, and Economic Development Committee meeting.
“The conference highlighted for me the power of counties influencing federal programs and policy,” said Kierkiewicz, who along with Kimball is on the NACo Resilient Counties Advisory Board and is also on the NACo Arts & Culture Commission. “Not only were we able to connect with colleagues across the country, we spoke with leadership across federal departments and agencies and brought perspective on how the federal government can help build capacity within counties to go after funds, and shared some of the challenges we have faced with current federal awards.”
Kierkiewicz said she has a meeting with Mayor Mitch Roth on Thursday to share what she learned and discuss how it can help move the county forward. Lee Loy said she also spoke with the mayor about a meeting. Roth had been in Washington himself just last month; he attended the United States Conference of Mayors convention.
“The conference provided unfettered access to President Biden’s secretaries … and the ability to discuss Hawaii County’s uniqueness (location, resources, supply chain issues, etc) and ways to stack or braid different parts of the ARPA funds to get projects done within the respective guardrails,” Lee Loy said.