Laserfiche WebLink
From: Deborah Ward <dward@hawaii.edu> <br />Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2019 4:12 PM <br />To: Charter Commission <br />Subject: 2% land fund <br />Attachments: clip_image001.tiff <br />June 6, 2019 <br />Aloha Charter Commission members - <br />A very heartfelt mahalo for taking time from your work and families to represent the people of Hawaii County. <br />Our Sierra Club members are highly engaged in the subject of the 2% Land Fund. Since 2006, the 2% Land <br />Fund has preserved 4,400 acres, with 2,200 acres being added when Waikapuna (Ka'u) is purchased. Please <br />support our proposed amendments to preserve more of Hawaii Island's treasured places for our keiki and <br />grandchildren. <br />CA -9- ONE STAFF PERSON TO WORK ONLY ON THE 2% LAND FUND PROGRAM -We have proposed to <br />pay the salary, wages and benefits for ONE staff person to work only on the 2% Land Fund program in addition <br />to an already existing position to help the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources <br />Commission. The existing proposal is ambiguous: <br />(3) "Pay for the salary, wages and benefits of staff dedicated to advancing the Activities contained within this <br />section and Section 10-16 of this charter." <br />Mahalo to Commissioner Hopkins for this clarifying proposal! Here is the proposed language that we <br />support. WE hope you can support this too! <br />(3) "Pay for the salary, wages and benefits of one full-time staff member, employed by the Department of <br />Finance dedicated only to advancing administering the activities contained within this section and Section 10- <br />16 of this charter. This is in addition to a staff person provided for in the Hawaii County Code to assist the <br />Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission" <br />There are problems with the AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE: <br />1. "STAFF" CAN MEAN ONE OR MANY STAFF PEOPLE <br />• The existing amendment says "staff" but that is ambiguous. The clause does not define how <br />many staff members. One, two, ten staff people? We want to make sure that only ONE staff <br />member's salary is subtracted from the 2% Land Fund so as not to diminish the money for <br />acquisition. <br />1 <br />Comm. No. 35.38 <br />