2021-10-28 Redistricting Commission Public Hearing minutes (District 6)

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HUSTACE: Aloha, good evening. If you could introduce yourself and the community you reside, it'd be wonderful. And we'll give you some time to share with the commissioners. LORBERBAUM: Okay. This is a first for me. My name is Nanny Lorberbaum. I'm a resident of South Kona. One of the silent people that never speak up ever. And I don't know if this will do any good but, I just seen the redistricting, South Kona has been stolen from Kona district. We've been lumped together with Ka`u. And as each redistricting has taken place over the last couple times, it's shrinking and shrinking it. And South Kona, it isn't a huge population, but they totally identify. North and South Kona, they're like twins. They're the same communities. Same weather. Same farming. Same schools. Same everything about them, yet you've taken South Kona and put them with Ka`u, which we have no identity what soI have nothing against Ka`u. But we have no identity whatsoever with Ka`u. And I realize you're going by population, but I think that there should be some way to skim some off, you know. Even if it's off of Puna into Ka`u. So, Ka`u could give South Kona back to Kona. Where it belongs. So, that's all I have to say. I've never said anything, but we've shrunk to almost nothing. We're not even represented now. I mean lumping us with Ka`u, we're basically not represented. So, that's all I have to say. HUSTACE: Thank you so much. And you said South Kona. Do you mean,just for clarification, the Kealakekua, Captain Cook area? Or further beyond that? LORBERBAUM: South Kona goes from the hospital down to Mac Farms. You know, once you pass Miloli`i, you know, you're not talking too much population south of Miloli`i. But, from Miloli`i north basically, you know, if you could take Mac Farms, it would be good. But at least from Miloli`i north. In a worse case scenario, I mean absolute worst, Papa Bay Papa Bay north. But, you know, it's just like I said, they have no identity with Ka`u or Puna. Which is where they're being, you know, tagged onto. And it's not fair representation for the community. There's, in fact, it's no representation for the community actually. So, okay. HUSTACE: Thank you for the clarification. It's just good to know some of those areas. So, thank you for mentioning those names. LORBERBAUM: Yeah. I mean, I might—You know, if you went below Kona Paradise. But I think you're really skimming the community if you cut it off below Kona Paradise. I really think it should go at least down to Papa Bay. And like I said, it's the same weather pattern. The same schools. It's the same school districts. Why would you take a community that's in those school districts in Kona and slap `em with Ka`u, you know? And the Ka`u schools are down in Pahala. Which who goes there? Nobody in Kona goes down there. I mean, and nothing against them but it's just a whole different area. So anyway, thank you. HUSTACE: No, thank you for your time. We appreciate you joining us and being here with us this evening. 2