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B. Announcement of ICLEI Partnership with Hawaii County: 'Cities Forward' Pro- gram Two days after the town hall meeting in Volcano, on August 26, 2023, the Office of the Mayor released a press statement announcing a partnership with ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) and a partnership between the County of Hawaii and Fortaleza, Brazil. The information about the partnership with the 'Cities Forward' program was not disclosed at the August 24, 2023 meeting. Refer: Exhibits 2 & 3 Press release about Cities Forward program. C. Mayor Roth's Statements on Community Engagement Presenting to the public on August 24, 2023, Mayor Mitch Roth emphasized the impor- tance of community engagement in the General Plan process and made these remarks: "As we're looking at our general plan where, you know, the community is kind of giving us the direction there, we hope that you come out. We hope that all of you come out to be a part of this. You know, the worst thing is if nobody comes out or very few people come out and dic- tates what that plan is." Mayor Roth also stated: "We do want to hear your voice. You know, we make a difference when we're here participat- ing as a community." Recent discoveries reveal not only a lack of transparency but also potential deception regarding external influences affecting the General Plan. These findings raise serious questions about the integrity of the planning process and whether officials genuinely prioritized community input, or if they were aware of plans and agreements made in secrecy. It appears that a perceived commitment to community involvement may have been used to mask external influences and agreements related to the SMART Cities initiative. (Refer: Appendix pages 6 & 7 Exhibit 11 Transcript From Volcano Town Hall, August 24, 2023 meeting.) D. Research and Development Based on a review of County records, it appears that the Research and Development Department of Hawaii County plays a crucial role in actively submitting grant proposals and program applications, as well as reviewing and drafting contracts for various coun- ty initiatives. This raises further questions about potential concealment of information regarding the partnership with Fortaleza and the SMART Cities initiative. Additionally, it casts doubt on whether Deputy Head of Research and Development Frecia Cevallos and Mayor Roth were truthful when they stated they couldn't define SMART Cities dur- ing the public meeting on August 24, 2023. Refer Exhibit 8 Hawaii County Research and