MIN CHARTER 2019-08-08 (2018-2020)

Home

Hawai`i County Charter Commission -14 August 8, 2019 SHARON STANBORO: Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission) program has across the County, as you have heard repeatedly from us. The... I have come to support the adoption of the County Council's proposed alternative amendment to CA -18, Draft 2. The PONC program is unique. It is the people's option to recommend lands to be acquired for their use and for all the public's use in this County for recreation, just to maintain open space for preservation of resources and associated values. It is not necessarily different in some regards from Parks and Recs type of lands, but it adds to them and as a consequence it needs to have the ability to be maintained. This amendment will allow staff to be used to help cement the communication between the community and these lands. It is not in competition with P&R (Parks and Recreation). It is not subtracting anything from P&R lands, it is more for the people and as our population on this island has grown and I have seen it double in the time I have lived here, we need more lands. And as we saw a year ago, some of those lands get lost. We live on a volcanic island so we need to be able to add more lands quickly and to add lands that the people really care for, and when they care for it, they will be out there stewarding it. Unfortunately most of the funds in this program have gone to expensive studies and things like that. Very little has gone to directly steward the land and the wording that I am advocating for should help correct that. And as we have seen over the years, the strength and the very existence of the PONC program is anchored to its location in the County Charter and as we mature the program over time, we see the changes that we need. In these last few months we have come before you to recommend a number of changes. I am disappointed that not all of them will be on the ballot this year, but I guess there will be another opportunity in the future, but we need to make the program more effective, smoother, and better able to help supply the needs the public has. The County can't acquire lands on its own in the same path or hasn't been able to do so. The PONC provides an alternate path and it is a real important path, so I urge your adoption of this wording. Thank you. CHR. ADMAS: Thank you. Ms. Stanbro, and then if I could ask Deborah Ward please to come up to the table. Thanks. Communication No. 35.51 in support. MS. STANBORO: Uh again I am in support... oh sorry, I am in support... Sharon Stanboro, Sammie, also known as. I obviously support the 35.51 that is in front of you now. Can I just see hands of you... how many of you have seen... CHR. ADAMS: No. Page 7