2013-01-10 Windward Transcript PD Rule 12

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PETRICCI: I understand. LEITHEAD TODD: So if that’s a priority, then there isn’t any money going to be in that. PETRICCI: I see, I see. LEITHEAD TODD: That’s another reason why we started looking at the Asset Fund, which is sitting there $2,000,000 not being utilized, but clearly was intended under Condition 49 to do mitigation projects. PETRICCI: I understand. I would like to make a point of clarification. When we made the request for the $50,000, for the study, you didn’t have those claims. A majority of those claims came in after we made the request for the funds. LEITHEAD TODD: The problem is that both the Department’s rules as well as the County Code make relocation of people a priority expenditure. And so it became problematic. PETRICCI: No, no, I hear you. My point really was this, that when we made the request for the funds to the County Council you didn’t have those claims to be a priority, but we were told, no, you have to go to the Asset Fund. But I just wanted to make sure everybody was clear about that. AU: Okay, thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Okay, if not we’ll go on to Tom Travis. Please state your name, where you reside and you may -. T.TRAVIS: I’m Tom Travis. Is the mike working? AU: Yes, it’s on. T. TRAVIS: I’m Tom Travis. I reside in lower Puna. I have the following concerns to the proposed procedures and rules for using Geothermal Asset Funds for community health studies. First, the proposed rules give the Planning Department and Commission influence in shaping health studies and then deciding how to report out the health study. The Planning Department has neither the expertise nor the experience to assume these responsibilities. Second, Dr. Adler is currently heading a working group to identify what health studies are needed and in what priority. Makes sense to await results of that study before setting procedures for study conduct. Third, the Geothermal Resource Permit requires these funds to be used for the community. Yet I see no safeguards to insure funds go to the community from which these funds are generated. Nor do the rules strictly safeguard the community’s role, ensuring participation of the community but not providing accountability to the community. Without involvement of the County Council I see no other remedy for guaranteeing the community’s role. Finally, use in administration of the two funds is difficult to sort out and in my limited ability difficult to comprehend. To mitigate this problem I would recommend an audit of the two funds, what 7 EXHIBIT D