To address no shows at their meetings, the Hawaiʻi County Council adopted a measure to tighten up the definition of unexcused absences, giving the chair greater power to decide when to dock pay. 

Only three council members — James Hustace, Jennifer Kagiwada and Dennis Onishi — attended every council meeting in the 15 months between January 2025 and this April. Council Chair Holeka Inaba, who introduced the resolution, said he decided to write the new rules after a reporter contacted him about absences.

At least one member was absent from nearly half of the full council meetings and 60% of the 139 committee meetings between January 2025 and April 8.

Even the three members with perfect attendance at full council meetings missed at least one of the typically twice-monthly committee meetings, where much of the discussion and refining of legislation takes place.

The worst offenders were Upper Puna council member Matt Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder and South Kona and Volcano council member Michelle Galimba. Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder missed seven council meetings and was late for nine others. He also missed almost a third of his committee meetings.

Galimba missed three council meetings and 20 committee meetings. She was late to 10 council and committee meetings. Galimba is not running for reelection and Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder is termed out, but he is running for state representative.

Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder said his absences were largely due to the deaths of his father and uncle last year and sister-city trips he took as a part of his official duties.

“No one likes a council member not being present for votes, but at the same time, some of these things are out of control, or not expected,” he said.

He said he is in favor of new attendance rules, adding that a distinction between unexcused and excused absences should be noted in the public record of the meeting.

Galimba said her absences were due to illness and because some special meetings were scheduled at the last minute, and she already had plans.

Current council rules say that if a council member misses three or more regularly scheduled meetings without being excused by the chair they can be suspended without pay for up to a month upon a vote of two-thirds of the council.

But there are no rules that define an excused absence.

Council Chair Holeka Inaba introduced a resolution to change that. Resolution 545-26 would require members to provide written notice to the chair about why they were absent. It would be up to the chair to determine whether the absence is excused or unexcused. 

The resolution also clarifies what a chair may consider when reaching that decision. Examples of excused absences would include illness, family emergencies, unavoidable travel disruptions and official government business.

“Council members get paid to show up and represent their districts and their constituents,” Inaba said.

Council members are currently paid $93,180 a year and the chair receives $102,492. Members are set to receive another 3.79% raise on July 1 and, by 2028, they will earn $104,628, with the chair making $115,068.

Currently the rules don’t include any punishment for missing committee meetings. Inaba said attending those meetings is important but council meetings are where the ultimate decisions are made. 

However, after Puna council member Ashley Kierkiewicz pressed Inaba to include committee meetings in the notice requirement, the new rules require a notice to the chair about both committee and council meetings. However, a council member could not be suspended without pay for missing committee meetings.

In general, Kierkiewicz said members who miss meetings tend to ask questions that already had been discussed, taking up time that could be used for other business.

“It would have saved a bunch of time at council if folks did their homework and looked at all the notes and the video beforehand,” she said. “So they come to the council informed and prepared and ready to vote.”

Meetings, Kierkiewicz said, are “your opportunity to be that advocate and that voice for your community. So, you got to show up. That’s what people elected you to do, is to be their voice at these meetings and advocate for them.”