HILO, Hawai'i — For the past two years, the Big Island County Council has been an unpredictable bunch, embracing what might be called a progressive agenda that included temporary moratoriums on rezonings for most of the island, a push for publicly funded elections, and a series of ambitious proposals to buy private lands for parks and preservation.

The council also rejected plans for a garbage-to-energy plant, citing environmental concerns and the cost of the project, while urging the county administration to get more aggressive about recycling.

Earlier this month, the council placed an initiative on the ballot to let voters decide whether arrests for possession of minor amounts of marijuana should be the lowest law enforcement priority for Big Island police. And recently, the council gave final approval to a county-wide ban on plastic shopping bags.

That eclectic agenda was usually driven by council members from outside Hilo, and some of the council's highest-profile actions such as the marijuana initiative were approved 5-4. However, the council majority may be scrambled in the upcoming election, when all nine council seats are up for grabs in nonpartisan contests.

The primary election will be used to narrow the field to the two top finishers, who will advance to the general election. However, any candidate who garners more than 50 percent of the votes in a primary contest is elected outright.

New council members will be elected in two districts where incumbents are stepping down, and at least two other races appear to be highly competitive.

Councilwoman Emily Naeole, who was an important swing vote on a number of issues, faces four serious opponents in her effort to hang onto her Puna seat, including a comeback bid by former Councilman Gary Safarik.

Also running against Naeole is Kale Gumapac, a consultant who sets up employee benefits packages for companies and is also partner in a building materials distribution business; Wayne Joseph, a freelance journalist who taught public school for 30 years; and Kaniu Stocksdale, executive director of the Hawai'i Island Contractors Association and partner in a company that specializes in alternative energy projects.

Naeole may be vulnerable after she angered some volunteers who worked long hours on the Puna Community Development Plan by proposing an array of 11th-hour amendments to the plan.

WRONGDOING DENIED

Perhaps more important, Naeole has struggled with a string of complaints filed against her last year and this year, including an ethics complaint that was dismissed, an impeachment filing that was also dismissed, minor campaign spending violations that prompted a $300 fine, and a still-pending accusation that she threatened another council member.

Naeole denies wrongdoing or making a threat, but each complaint and controversy has generated damaging newspaper headlines on the Big Island.

Meanwhile, Councilman Bob Jacobson, who led the council on issues such as publicly funded elections and the marijuana initiative, is trying to cope with a well-financed election challenge from Guy Enriques, a volleyball coach and Punalu'u shop owner.

Jacobson fought plans for a huge Ka'u development proposed by Sea Mountain Five, while Enriques was active in a group that tried to negotiate with the developer for various community benefits. The project stalled amid strong opposition from Jacobson and his supporters, and finally failed.

Also running against Jacobson for the Upper Puna, Ka'u, South Kona seat is Fred Fogel, a retired industrial and civil engineer formerly with the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and the Hawai'i Air National Guard.

PILAGO OFF COUNCIL

Further stirring the council mix is the departure of Vice Chairman Angel Pilago, who is running for mayor.

Pilago, who represents North Kona on the council, is a longtime community activist known for his role in the fight against a coastal development at Kohanaiki that led to the 1995 Public Access Shoreline Hawai'i, or PASH, court decision. That decision affirmed Native Hawaiian gathering and cultural rights on private property.

Pilago was part of the 5-4 majorities that determined the outcome of issues such as the failed garbage-to-energy project and the ballot proposal to make minor marijuana busts the lowest police priority.

Four people are vying to replace Pilago, including real-estate man and former Councilman Joe Reynolds; Debbie Hecht, who was coordinator for a successful ballot initiative to set aside 2 percent of all property taxes for county purchases of open space; plant nursery owner Kelly Greenwell; and real estate woman Tsing Young.

The council district that incudes Keaukaha will also have a new member because Councilman Stacy Higa departed to run for mayor.

Running to replace Higa is retired car salesman Andres Baclig; Jet Heng, a student and U.S. Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom; Wendell Ka'ehu'ae'a, a community TV producer; Marie Okutsu, retired restaurant owner; and Dennis Onishi, a program director for the county parks department's recreational services for the elderly.