Halfway through his first term, Mayor Mitch Roth reflected on his administration’s challenges, successes and hopes for the future at his State of the County address Monday.
Over his 30-minute speech, Roth touched upon past, present and future projects, categorizing them based on how they help achieve the county’s goals of reformation, resilience and adaptability.
Within the first category, Roth praised his staff for working together and “owning” chronic problems inherited from prior administrations, such as long-delayed road projects like the Kalanianaole Street rehabilitation work, the technical problems of the recently adopted Electronic Processing and Inspection Center (EPIC) system, the crumbling Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant, recovery projects from the 2018 Kilauea eruption, and more.
“(These) and other issues being felt daily by the public had gone from someone else’s problem to our problem,” Roth said. “These were the cards we were dealt.”
Roth enumerated the county’s progress toward addressing several of these legacy issues: an initial phase of rehabilitation work for the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently out to bid, with construction expected to begin by June; the county’s Kilauea recovery office has bought out 193 households impacted by the 2018 eruption through its Voluntary Housing Buyout Program so far; and, as of Friday, more than 8,724 building permits have been issued through the EPIC system.
In particular, Roth thanked Gov. Josh Green, who was in attendance Monday, for approving $5 million toward replacing the Papa‘aloa Community Center Gym, which was demolished last year after years of deferred maintenance — “essentially the building was being held up by termites holding hands and singing ‘Kumbaya,’” Roth quipped.
Green’s office also announced Monday a series of proposed state budget changes that would allocate millions of dollars to long-awaited Big Island infrastructure projects, including $40 million to restore the Pohoiki Boat Ramp, $21 million to renovate and expand Kona Community Hospital, and $10 million for repairs to the Kohala Ditch.
Roth then highlighted current and upcoming projects “that will build the foundation that allows the county to thrive into the future we envision,” including efforts to expand affordable housing. When Roth took office, he said, there were only about 1,000 affordable housing units in the construction pipeline.
Now, there are 5,767 units being developed, Roth said, on top of three housing developments, consisting of 172 units total, beginning or completing construction in the last seven months. He said that he plans to break ground on another eight projects — 778 units total — before the end of the year.
Furthermore, Roth said the county’s emergency vehicle fleet will be bolstered with new vehicles, including a new $5 million rescue helicopter to replace a 30-year-old chopper in Puako, and five new ambulances.
Roth also thanked county Finance Director Deanna Sako and Parks and Recreation Director Maurice Messina for more than quadrupling the Parks and Recreation maintenance and repair budget so that improvements can finally be made to the county’s parks.
Roth’s address concluded by looking to future projects to improve the infrastructure and overall sustainability of the island, including the imminent road repair projects on Kilauea Avenue and Keawe Street, which are expected to begin in April.
In order to meet the county’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2035, three new hydrogen buses are expected to arrive by the end of the year, with another 18 electric buses in 2024.
He also said the county has secured $25 million in grant funding to replace the entire Hele-On fleet.
Meanwhile, the county is undertaking an “aggressive” recruitment push to fill 298 vacant positions.
Finally, Roth announced that the county’s General Plan will be updated for the first time in 20 years, with an initial draft expected to be publicly revealed before the end of the year.
Roth’s address concluded with comments from Heather Kimball, Hamakua councilwoman and County Council chair.
“We have an unprecedented amount of funds being dedicated … towards infrastructure, towards climate change, towards the things we agree are priorities for our county,” Kimball said. “It is our kuleana to not let this opportunity before us slip away. We have a lot of work to do … but the trajectory is in the right direction.
“And from my vantage point … the future of Hawaii County has never looked so bright,” Kimball said.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
