2021-11-12 Redistricting Commission minutes (7th Session)

Home

add sections of Waimea area into District 1. You have to actually leave District 1 over in Hilo, drive up Saddle Road to get to the districts over in Kohala. That's a problem. In current District 5 and 6, 5 being where Kealakekua is, that area, and District 6 being Ka`u, there's a central portion of current District 7, which is only accessible by current District 7 and yet it has been added in on some of the plans to District 6 in Ka`u. You got to look to where the roads are. That means you got to expand the maps a lot to see how you get to all the different places. So, those problems exist all over. In almost every map I'm finding problems, and I would recommend that you seriously expand those maps. And look at where the roads are before you say, this is what should be, where it should be. You've got to be able to have connectivity within your district. That's basically what I want to say today. I'm available for any questions. I'm not going to speak on particular maps. I think that's the Commission's job, for you to look at those maps in really, really great detail. Thank you though for your time. KOSSOW: Thank you, Ms. Ford. NEW BUSINESS KOSSOW: Commissioners, before we proceed, we've moving over to new business. I'd like to suggest that we step out of order on our agenda. I thought it may make some sense for us to move to new business, item 1, as indicated on the agenda. This is a really good framework that we can start our discussions on. So, without any objection, I'd like to do that. Then, we can take up our maps and wrap up with the timeline progress item. Thank you. Mr. Kauka, if you can please read number 1 of new business. Unless anybody has any objections? (No response.) Okay, Mr. Kauka. KAUKA: Thank you, Chair. New business item: 1. Discussion on potential district changes, adjustments, and rationale re ag rding the Commission draft plan and report Requested by Commissioner Bath, commissioners may discuss, share, and exchange their thoughts and views about their respective and adjacent districts. KOSSOW: Thank you, Commissioner Bath, for submitting this. If you want to go ahead and start the discussion. BATH: Thank you. One of the things that, for me, didn't occur, was the Commissioners having a dialogue to understand about our individual districts. I've used the term Kona- centric, but I'm Puna-centric. Whatever district we're in, we're focusing on that. I think there's some expansion into other areas. I love Ka`u. My business was in Hilo for twenty- six years. I have a sense of place and different things. But as Commissioners, we haven't had that dialogue. The first question that I actually have, and I want to answer it to my understanding, what is the point of the redistricting? I understand that it's to draw political lines so that each district can be equally represented. It'd be politics equals representation. The I got to thinking, well, what is the purpose of representation? In 7