2006-09-07 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

Home

systems, state and local. The State has the manpower right now to handle its roads, which are wider and thicker than County roads due to federal funding. Ms. Nicholson asked why the County cannot get federal funding, and Mr. Kamelamela said he was told that the federal government wants to go through a state agency, which is why there is a State Transportation Division. The County is able to partnership with the State to get some of the federal monies, however. Mr. Kamelamela said there is a concern with the State Department of Transportation doing the study on the road transfer. It needs to be ensured that the money will trickle down to the counties. Mr. Sakaguchi said it is not to the State's advantage to transfer the roads, as they would rather keep the money and power. Mr. Joseph said it should have been the COGC's agenda that brought Mr. Kamelamela to the meeting rather than the newspaper's article, as the paper has the tendency to exploit the most controversial issues and forget about the other items. Mr. Sakaguchi thanked Mr. Kamelamela for his clarification, and Mr. Kamelamela left the meeting at 10:25 a.m. [The following section of the minutes, in italics, is verbatim.] STREMSKI: That article. I apologize if I spoke out of turn. CHAIR: Why? STREMSKI: Because I probably should not have said anything. CHAIR: I didn't even see the article, so -- STREMSKI: - -I know. CHAIR: I think I don't know SAKAGUCHI: --No, it's not your fault. Don't worry about that. STREMSKI: No, I didn't want to CHAIR: I think any commissioner is subject to the public, and that's STREMSKI: I wanted to tell him I didn't want to talk to him, but I didn't know if I'd get in trouble for that. CHAIR: No, no, you wouldn't get in trouble for that. But would say whatever comment you give to the public any commissioner is free to speak to the public. As long as you don't make a comment, I guess, that would be more