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REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON PLANNING <br />DATE: August 18, 2020 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Hilo, Hawaii <br />TIME: 10:17 a.m. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Re: Comm. No. 1027 <br />Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Communication No. 1027, reports as <br />follows: <br />Communication No. 1027, dated July 31, 2020, and transmitted by Mayor Harry Kim, <br />submitted for the Council's review and requesting favorable confirmation of his nominee, <br />Barbara DeFranco, of Council District 6, to the Leeward Planning Commission. Ms. DeFranco is <br />the Executive Director and Founder of Paleaku Peace Gardens currently employed as a manager <br />and design consultant for Indich collection. She attended the University of California of <br />Los Angeles and Hawaii Community College. She has resided in Hawaii for approximately <br />50 years and was a member of the Kona Community Development Plan (CDP) Action <br />Committee for four years and served as chair for one year. She volunteers for numerous <br />community organizations, and is not a member of any political party. If confirmed, she would <br />serve a five-year term to end March 31, 2025. <br />Executive Assistant to the Mayor Rose Bautista appeared before the Planning Committee in the <br />Hilo Council Chambers and Ms. DeFranco via videoconference from the Kona Council <br />Chambers. Ms. Bautista introduced Ms. DeFranco and presented an overview of her <br />qualifications and experience as noted in Communication 1027. <br />Ms. DeFranco stated that she appreciated the Council Members' time and consideration and <br />expressed what a pleasure and honor it is to be nominated to serve the community. <br />Committee Member Maile David spoke in support of Ms. DeFranco's nomination, considering <br />her dedication to South Kona and the community in general. She stated that Ms. DeFranco was a <br />notable participant in the Kona CDP process and that her presence on the commission would <br />provide benefit and perspective from the CDP lens. <br />Committee Member Karen Eoff echoed Ms. David's sentiments and thanked Ms. DeFranco for <br />her many years of service and interest in helping plan our communities. <br />Planning Chair Ashley Kierkiewicz thanked Ms. DeFranco for her continued dedication to public <br />service and expressed appreciation for her ideology that we need to be moving toward conscious <br />PC Report No. 52 <br />