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

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Hawai`i County Charter Commission — Public Hearing March 25, 2019 regular basis and if you made it four years, we would be sitting out here all by ourselves twiddling thumbs for a while. So, that is why at least I am in favor of the two year terms. And the other one is the emergency fund. I think that is a great idea. I think we got caught when the eruption and the hurricane... we just got caught flat foot without enough money to handle emergencies and I think focusing on putting a portion of our money aside and not being able to dip into it like they were... dipped into the Open Space Fund, is a good idea, so I do support the emergency fund. Thank you. CHR. ADAMS: May I ask Maya Parish. MAYA PARISH: Proposal No. CA -9 and CA -18 in support. MS. PARISH: Aloha. Thank you all so much for coming out here this evening. My name is Maya Parish and I am simply here representing myself. I live up here in Hawi in North Kohala and the Open Space, 2% Open Space Land Fund is very dear to my heart. I think it is part of what makes this community so unique and special, the open space, and this island so unique and special as compared with some of the other islands. We are you know, one of the least developed and it is one of our dearest treasures I think to really preserve and protect for future generations and I am here to speak in strong support of CA -9 and CA -18 as well. I will echo the great big heavies who came before me. They are the real experts and have been doing the work for a long time. Both of these amendments seem to serve to strengthen the 2% Open Space Land Fund and to make it more efficient, to work better and to work as was originally intended. So, as we know, things need to be revised sometimes to meet their ultimate goals and in this case both amendments I believe in strongly, so I don't want to take up too much of your time, just... it is a real honor to be here and thank you so much for coming to listen to the community. CHR. ADAMS: Thank you very much. Do we have any other speakers? We have a speaker? MS. BYRNE: Oh, is that me? Nothing like sneaking in... that means I won't have time to prepare cliff notes. So just come on up? CHR. ADAMS: Come on up. So as you are coming up, I would ask you to provide your name, any organizations that you represent, and the Charter proposal or section of the Charter that you are speaking to. GAIL BYRNE: Proposal No. CA -9 and CA -18 in support. MS. BYRNE: Yeah, my name is Gail Byrne Baber and I am speaking to the PONC issues on the agenda. CA -9 and CA -18. So, think I was here or at least before you guys long distance in February. Testified from Kona. Thank you for your time and for being here. I was on the PONC Commission for a couple of Page 7