Hawai`i County Council Member Jennifer "Jenn" Kagiwada reflected on lessons learned, and still being learned, from her first 9 months representing District 2, and her priorities for South Hilo and the county as a whole, at the general meeting of the Hawai`i County League of Women Voters on Saturday, August 26th, 2023, held at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in Hilo.

She began by sharing her family background and linked that to her focus on health, families, and child education. While in the Bay Area, she worked on Worthy Wage Campaign for child-care workers. As a first-term Council member, she successfully helped raise pay rates for Summer Fun staff.

Now she is:

• Focusing on the Hilo Bay watershed and the pollution in the bay itself, working with OSCER (newly formed Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience).
• Working with Downtown Hilo Improvement Association to address some of the problems, including homelessness. The County has received $9million/year for 5 years for this issue.
• Resurrecting Hilo Community Development Plan process (Hilo is one of the only districts without one now).
• Addressing the need for more long-term rentals and how the County could encourage them.
• Engaging youth by working with the Commission for Youth to get their issues to the Mayor and the Council.

Questions from the audience addressed the Sunshine Law, zoning, downtown graffiti, animal control, multi-family dwellings, among others. Jennifer concluded by urging people to contact her about their concerns about their others. She also invited LWVHC to be part of the Participation in Democracy (DIP) program required for 3rd year high school students.

SPEAKER BIO

Jenn Kagiwada serves as the Hawaiʻi County Council Member representing District 2, Hilo, on Hawaiʻi Island. She chairs the Policy Committee on Health, Safety and Well-Being and is Vice-Chair for the Communications, Reports and Council Oversight Committee. Jenn was the Hawai`i Island Coordinator for Womenʻs March for 4 years and has a strong background fighting for womenʻs rights, working families and childrenʻs issues. She is passionate about good government and making sure the residents of District 2 know whatʻs going on at the County level. Before coming to the county, Jenn spent decades working in schools, non-profits and government organizations. Jenn and her husband live and have raised their two children in Piihonua, Hilo.

Read her 2022 Candidate Bio on Honolulu Civil Beat.

• HI County, District 2
• Hawai`i County Council

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.