By Ian Bauer
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
HONOLULU 鈥� That divide centered on Council member Andria Tupola鈥檚 Resolution 50 which urges, via a voter-approved charter amendment, that Honolulu鈥檚 lifeguard and ambulance services be broken up to create that new department.
The city鈥檚 plan to float a new Department of Ocean Safety hit choppy seas inside Honolulu Hale Tuesday morning.
During the City Council鈥檚 Committee on Budget meeting, the proposal to establish, staff, fund and perhaps have public oversight over a larger city lifeguard department caused division between Mayor Rick Blangiardi鈥檚 administration and a few Council members.
That divide centered on Council member Andria Tupola鈥檚 Resolution 50 which urges, via a voter-approved charter amendment, that Honolulu鈥檚 lifeguard and ambulance services be broken up in order to create that new department.
Tupola鈥檚 resolution requests language be placed on the Nov. 5 general election ballot, offering this question to voters: 鈥淪hall the Revised City Charter be amended to establish a Department of Ocean Safety and remove ocean safety responsibilities from the Department of Emergency Services ?鈥�
If adopted, the resolution also calls for a 鈥渂oard, creating accountability and oversight similar to that provided by the city鈥檚 Fire Commission and Police Commission over the city鈥檚 other public safety departments, the Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu Police Department .鈥�
Tupola noted that in 2021 former Council member Heidi Tsuneyoshi introduced a similar resolution to put the question of making Ocean Safety its own department on the ballot, but that resolution failed.
At his March 14 State of the City Address, the mayor鈥攂ased on recommendations by the city鈥檚 Ocean Safety Task Force, which he and his administration set up in 2023鈥攕aid he intends to create a stand-alone department, claiming it would improve work done by the Honolulu鈥檚 world-renowned lifeguards.
鈥淚 know that there is currently a resolution before the City Council, and my office will work with Ocean Safety and members of the City Council to get this done, " Blangiardi said during the address.
However, city Deputy Managing Director Krishna Jayaram told the budget panel Tuesday that the mayor鈥檚 desire to create the new sector could be done more quickly through executive action, granted under the City Charter.
鈥淭his past month, when the mayor gave the State of the City Address, he expressed his unwavering commitment to the creation of an independent Ocean Safety department, " said Jayaram. 鈥淚n his comments he also shared his commitment to Council on how to do this most expeditiously.鈥�
He added that 鈥渙ut of respect for the Council鈥檚 process, " the city hasn鈥檛 introduced its own resolution to create the Ocean Safety department 鈥渦nder the mayor鈥檚 authority that goes to Council.鈥�
鈥淩ight now, (Tupola鈥檚 resolution ) contemplates both the creation of a standalone department as well as a commission, " Jayaram said. 鈥淭he mayor does have the authority under the Charter to introduce a resolution that would create the department right now, with Council鈥檚 approval.鈥�
He added, 鈥渙ur proposal is that we do so and then allow the commission question to go to the voters in November.鈥�
鈥淭his is so that we can move forward quickly with the creation of a separate, independent Ocean Safety department and that will also allow us to start the planning process for the fiscal year (2026 ) budget " for the new department, he said. 鈥淎nd should the voters approve the commission in November then we could work that into the Charter and into the process.鈥�
But some Council members objected to executive action on the matter.
Vice Chair Esther Kia 鈥榓ina said, 鈥淐ouncil member Tsuneyoshi and now, Council member Tupola, has been leading the charge on this.
鈥淎nd I think we鈥檙e all swimming in the same direction but we鈥檙e at the critical juncture in the current where we鈥檙e trying to figure out what moves forward, " she said.
Still, she asked city officials, 鈥淲hen do you anticipate your resolution to be transmitted requesting approval for the mayor鈥檚 authority to establish the commission, when will that be completed ?鈥�
Jayaram said the city had not submitted anything 鈥渁s this resolution is before you right now, " but confirmed the city wanted Tupola鈥檚 resolution amended to only see the commission portion proceed to voters.
鈥淲e鈥檙e saying that we can offer a resolution for the Council鈥檚 consideration to create that Ocean Safety department much quicker than this process and with much more certainty, " he added.
Kia 鈥榓ina asked, 鈥淚f that were to occur鈥攖hat this be modified for the commission鈥攚hen are you going to be able to complete the draft resolution establishing the department ?鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檒l get that in as soon as we know this has been amended, " Jayaram replied.
Although grateful for the mayor鈥檚 support, Tupola opposed changes to Resolution 50. 鈥淎nd the reason why is because I do believe that the most important thing for us to do is to stand up this department with community voices, " she said, 鈥渨ith commissioners that are watermen and waterwomen that can help us to start this right.鈥�
Meanwhile, Tupola mentioned the Honolulu Star-Advertiser鈥檚 The Big Q online poll conducted March 6, which asked participants whether they favored a new, separate city Department of Ocean Safety.
In response, 341 voted in favor of the question 鈥淣o; would add bureaucracy, costs "; 110 voted for 鈥淵es; break from existing Emergency Services Department "; and 53 votes were garnered for 鈥淯ndecided; need to know more.鈥�
鈥淥f course, people are going to say labor costs, " Tupola said of the overwhelming 鈥渘o " votes, but added she believed the poll 鈥渨as not an accurate representation of what the public would say.鈥�
鈥淭he only people that I have ever heard say that the public is going to reject this at the ballot is the administration, and I don鈥檛 know why, " she said.
For his part, Council member Calvin Say said although he supported Tupola鈥檚 resolution, he鈥檇 be voting with 鈥渟trong reservations " due, in part, to the creation of the commission鈥攐ne that could be much like the city Police Commission which, among other things, appoints HPD police chiefs.
鈥淚 personally believe I鈥檓 delegating my authority in the appointment of a deputy director and a director for a department, " Say said, adding, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the commissioners that will be making the appointment.鈥�
Still, he noted, 鈥淚鈥檝e been hearing for the past three years that a lot of the commissioners will be tied to water sports or water activities.鈥�
鈥淚 thought we were here for a cross-section of people to be part of the commission, " Say told city officials. 鈥淣ot just your focus on water sports or water activities, that鈥檚 the concern I have with this 鈥榮trong reservation.鈥� I鈥檓 in support of putting it to the vote, I鈥檓 not afraid of that, but if the commission is set up, please don鈥檛 testify that they will be commissioners who only have water experiences or water-education knowledge.鈥�
Moreover, Say continued, he hoped a newly founded Ocean Safety department doesn鈥檛 come before the Council in fiscal year 2026 with a 鈥渂udget request of $1.5 (million ) to $2 million for the administrative costs.鈥�
According to the city, the estimated cost to set up and run a new Ocean Safety sector will be about $1.4 million a year.
鈥淗ave we thought it through ?鈥� asked Say. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to just say 鈥榶es, yes鈥� but in the end, I worry about whether we can find the finances for it also.鈥�
In addition, Say noted the mayor鈥檚 other State of the City announcement鈥攖o merge the city鈥檚 Office of Housing with the Department of Land Management to form the Department of Housing and Land Management.
鈥淏oy, you guys are creating two new departments, " said Say, adding, 鈥淗ave we reviewed it? All I鈥檓 saying is, 鈥榞o slow.鈥欌��
Ultimately, the budget committee recommended the full Council hold a third-reading vote on Resolution 50. The next full Council meeting will be held April 17.
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