MIN CHARTER 2019-04-04 (2018-2020) - Public Hearing

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Hawai`i County Charter Commission — Public Hearing April 4, 2019 CA -22, removing the requirement for last four digits of the social security number on recall petitions, I think that is very timely with all the concerns about identity theft these days. And CA -27, I think that is one that talked about taking land by eminent domain which would not work with a 2% Fund, you know, several people have testified how that would be very difficult. Just in general the 2% fund, anything that we can do to strengthen it, get it working the way it is supposed to, I think would be wonderful. Thank you. CHR. ADAMS: Thank you very much. If I could ask Mary Begier to please come to the table. Ma'am. I am sorry, if you could speak into the microphone please. This is for recording for our minutes purposes. Thank you. BETTY OBERMAN: Proposal No. CA -17, commenting. MS. OBERMAN: Hi. Thank you for being here. I am Betty Oberman. I come from Kapoho Vacationland and I am also on their Water Board and we have an annual meeting coming up. My concerns this evening are in regards to the Disaster Emergency Fund and I know that you are looking at a new fund as a reserve for what may happen in the future. Concerns right now is for an example today in the news, $2.5 million was allocated towards tourism and the Council intends to go to California, do murals on buses and travel from San Diego to San Francisco to bring the tourists to the Big Island so that we get the tourist dollars, but where are we going to put them? I have been coming to these meetings, I don't see any money going out. We are taking care of the situation that we have right now and I just want all of you to be aware that we need to help our people get out. I mean I don't have a home and I won't have a home for many years to come. I am under 60 feet of lava, but there are a lot of people all over lower Puna that need a lot of help to restore what we have, and we need our roads, and we need our roads so we can have a road to go home and try to develop and I would like you to keep that in mind. Thank you. CHR. ADAMS: Thanks very much. Appreciate it. If I could ask Smiley Burrows please to come to the table. Ms. Begier. MARY BEGIER: Proposal Nos. CA -9, CA -18, CA -26, and CA -27, commenting. MS. BEGIIHR: Thank you and truly a thank you to all of you for serving. You are volunteers and this has been an intense process. I feel like I owe an apology for being a bit late to the game. I have been watching it, I have been reading minutes, kind of complaining in the background, talking to people about "seriously, that's going to happen? Oh my God look at what is happening now." And that is why I came tonight, is because I owe you an apology because you may not be able to do anything about some of the things that I wish you could do Page 7