MIN CHARTER 2020-07-24 (2018-2020)

Home

Hawaii County Charter Commission -16 July 24, 2020 MR. HOPKINS: Yeah. I actually was just thinking about what I had said when I had started. Which was very much as my way of approaching these things is, if it is not broken, don't fix it. And my concerns at the beginning that maybe we would maybe be pushing agendas other than this... I am very, very pleased with all the Commissioners and everybody that we worked with. You know, I was on the losing side on a lot of things, but hey, everybody came up with very good reasons for it and although this is a bit more expansive than what I would have preferred, I understand why each and every one of these Charter Amendments are here dealing with... I guess what I would more call operational problems and procedural problems that we have. Some direction in here, but a lot of this deals with problems in the original Charter as it has been amended previously and it is what is needed for the County to work and that is what this group actually did. Nobody really was here pushing agendas. Everybody was here trying to say how can we make the County better and I really appreciated working with all of you. CHR. ADAMS: Thanks Commissioner Hopkins and let me just make a comment that I am particularly touched by the amount of dedication that you personally took to this particular task given the impact that your personal life has had on your situation and we just wish your wife the best. Commissioner Saquing. MS. SAWING: Thank you. I was thinking I was going last. First of all Mahalo Sally. You were spot on on your comments. I agree completely with what you said. I do want to first mahalo you Chair Adams. You know your leadership and your guidance as Paul noticed, is truly what got us through this whole process along with the support of the staff. Not able to do anything with staff, I have a staff of 31, I cannot do the job that I do without them, so you guys are all rock stars. I really, really appreciate it. But for me it has been a learning curve from the beginning, and my biggest take away is the professionalism, the compassion that all the Commissioners have, and the integrity of the work that we all put forth in this Charter. So very honored and humbled to be part of this process and my mahalo to all of you. Thank you. CHR. ADAMS: Thank you Commissioner Saquing. Commissioner Springer. MS. SPRINGER: I would like to thank you as well. I don't know how you could have sat through all of those meetings and just held your composure when we are sitting there going grrr... I just only hope that my facial expressions didn't show. But, thank you everyone. It was a pleasant and learning experience for me. I don't know what I really expected, but I have learned a lot and I have enjoyed working with each and every one of you. Thank you so much. Page 15