MIN CHARTER 2019-03-25 (2018-2020) - Public Hearing

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Hawai`i County Charter Commission — Public Hearing March 25, 2019 refining the process by which the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation mission is accomplished, adding disciplining options for the Council, the Fire Commission, and the Police Commission, establishing a Disaster and Emergency Fund, and modifying minimum qualifications for Corporation Counsel, the Fire Chief, and the Public Work's Director. Information on these and the other proposals is available on the Commission website, the link to which can be found on the County's homepage. Third, we are convening six public hearings, one in each geographic district as identified in the County Charter. Following these hearings, we have until the end of June to submit to the County Council a report on our activities, findings, and recommendations together with a draft of the Proposed Charter Amendments. The Council has 30 days to return the proposals with any alternatives to the Commission, after which within a month the Commission shall provide its final draft of proposed amendments to the County Clerk. Ballot language will then be developed by the Commission for submission to County voters for decision on the November 3rd, 2020 election ballot. At this time, we will take our first speaker and I would ask Ms. Hecht and also Mr. Winter to come to the table. Ms. Hecht you will be our first testifier and I would ask you to provide your name, any organization you are representing, and the Charter provision or proposed amendments you are speaking to. Mahalo. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC DEBBIE HECHT: Proposal No. CA -9 in opposition and Proposal No. CA -18 in support. MS. HECHT: Okay, good afternoon. Thanks for coming all the way out here. My name is Debbie Hecht and I am representing the Save our Lands Citizen's Committee. We ran the 2% Land Fund Campaigns three times now. As I rode up the coast I realized that due to the labors of Toni Withington, Gail Byrne, Fred Cochola, and many others, the North Kohala Coast has been preserved as open space and to protect cultural sites all the way almost from the port area. I know my good friend and ardent 2% Land Fund supporter, Fred Cochola is sorry he can't be here. He is on 'Oahu for cancer treatment. A big mahalo for listening to us over all this time. We thank you for your efforts to strengthen the fund, the 2% Land Fund, we have two more tweaks and for CA -9 and CA -18, that we would like to work on. For CA -9, we have a proposed change for a staff person to work full-time and only on the 2% Land Fund. Our proposal and the language I will submit to you Page 3