2021-12-09 Redistricting Commission minutes (9th Session)

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for us. So, whether it's discussion about coming at us about splitting districts, creating more council districts, that's not within our purview. Nothing we can do about that. We don't have the powers to do those kinds of things. Now we can be a vehicle to communicate, but I think there needs to be some kind of aagain, I'll use the word primer, from my college days, is just a way, a short summary of what it is that are constraining us to do the job. And what is the job we're supposed to do? And what are the constraints under which we have to operate? I think if more people knew what that was, we'd have a much better coming together of thoughts for opportunity. Thank you. I yield. YOSHINA: Chair Kossow? KOSSOW: Mr. Yoshina. YOSHINA: Yeah, I'd like to second that idea or concept. My experience over the years has been that there's not much understanding of just generally government. And in this case, the process or the concept of reapportionment and redistricting. There needs to be more public education before the process so that people, the citizenry, understands what is being done and how it's being done. Thank you. I yield. KOSSOW: Thank you, Mr. Yoshina. Any other discussion? Ms. Lui. LUL I think we're kind of all of the same mind and so I might make that into a motion. Which is that there be two public hearings, more at the beginning of this process, and hopefully people will have a full year and there won't be a pandemic going on, that does exactly what Commissioner Kawena was talking about. Which I totally agree with, Mr. Lopez, that really explains the process and what the constraints are. It also just makes me think how important Commissioner Hustace's work is because a lot of it has to do with crazy census blocks. Anyway, sorry, I got off. But the motion would be that there be two larger public hearings that are really informational about the process early on, and that thereafter a plan is presented, that there be nine meetings to go over the map and get public comment at that time. I yield. KOSSOW: Motion's on the table. Is there a second? HUSTACE: I will second that, Chair. KOSSOW: Seconded by Mr. Hustace. Is there any discussion? Ms. Mellon-Lacey? MELLON-LACEY: Yes. I just want to point out that adding additional criteria would require a change to the Code, to the County Code. So, this group could vote to make that a recommendation, but they can't vote that that will happen. If the next Commission can choose to add additional criteria, and it's certainly true that this group was sort of hamstrung from doing that due to the time constraints, but that would be up to them. So, it could only be as a recommendation. It can't be a thing that you could change as a Commission. I just want to make sure that it's clear. 14