HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-09-15 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting
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Minutes — September 15, 2014
Game Management Advisory Commission
Countv of Hawaii
Minutes
Meeting Date: September 15, 2014
Time: 6:35 p.m.
Place: Hawaii County Building — Council Chambers & via Video
Conferencing to West Hawaii Civic Center, Council
Room A and Mayors Conference Room
I. CALL TO ORDER: Quorum established.
II. ROLL CALL: Per B. Kossow:
Willie-Joe Camara, District 1
Dwayne "Ike" Yoshina, District L
Anthony "Tony" Sylvester, District 3
Paul Bueltmann, District 4 —Absent
Thomas H. Lodge, District 5
Kenneth "Kalani" DeCoito, District 6 — arrived later
District 7 - Vacant
Mark C. Bartell — District 8
District 9 —Vacant
Quorum established
ALSO PRESENT: B. Command, Deputy Planning Director
Craig Masuda, Corporation Counsel
Barbara Kossow, Administrative Specialist
III. GUESTS: Lisa Hadway, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Administrator
Chair Lodge welcomed everyone and thanked all of the public testifiers for
attending to share their thoughts and insights and comments. He also thanked
Lisa Hadway and her staff for attending the meeting to answer any specific
questions and to share their comments.
Chair Lodge read the Charter Section 6-9.3 of the Game Management Advisory
Commission. "There shall be a game management advisory commission
consisting of nine members who shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed
by the council. One member shall be a resident of each council district. The
terms of the members shall be as prescribed in Section 13-4. The commission
shall select its chairperson from its voting members, and five voting members
shall constitute a quorum."
"For the benefit of present and future generations, the game management
advisory commission shall advise County, State and Federal agencies on
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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting
Minutes – September 15, 2014
matters related to the preservation of subsistence hunting and fishing, as well as
protecting traditional and cultural gartering rights. The commission may also
advise County, State, and Federal agencies on any matter affecting the taking
and conservation of aquatic life and wildlife, including proposed rules, and shall
communicate its findings and recommendations to these agencies. The
commission shall promulgate recommendations that conserve and protect the
natural and cultural resources of Hawaii in furtherance of the self-sufficiency and
long-term subsistence sustainability of aquatic life and wildlife in the County. The
commission shall provide reports or legislative recommendations to the council
as necessary, or at least quarterly.”
(2012, Ord. No.: 12-110, section 1)
Chair Lodge shared some of GMAC’s priorities:
Focus on the future of hunting which is a high risk for the State of Hawaii
given State and Federal initiatives currently underway. Stop or block those
initiatives or work with them to minimize those initiatives, is paramount to
the generations of hunters. And it is for these reasons we have chosen to
first focus on hunting and land management and with the consent of the
Mayor.
Demand that the state abide by HRS 183B, managing our game animals
for the benefit of subsistence hunters, sportsmen and gatherers for current
and future generations; hold the State accountable to produce a game
management plan and in that plan we suggest that such a plan require
biological data, targets to be achieved, long term goals and methods to
achieve those desired results and in addition, the State is required to
publish/accomplish the game management plan on an annual basis or
such period as is required by their own rules and regulations.
Create a state level board of game comprised by hunters and one of
fishery. Both boards appointed by the Governor - DLNR is responsible to
and these boards will have the authority to enact and change fishing game
laws as well as hold the State accountable to managing our renewable
resources for the benefit of our people, as well as the departmental groups
who we wish to working together with.
Work with the Mayor and the County Council to implement access to both
our mountains and to our oceans.
Public testimony is appreciated and welcomed. Please keep statements focused
on agenda items as this is the only time the commission meets together due to
the Sun Shine Law.
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IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 21, 2014
Action: W. Camara moved to accept the minutes as circulated; seconded
by D. Yoshina. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
T. Sylvester: Palikapu Dedman concern was not clearly stated in minutes. He is
concerned about their traditional and customary practices being met if the forest
eventually becomes fenced and eradicated of pigs. P. Dedman asked to be
placed on the agenda and was not.
Correction to Dustin Wamar’s name, he made a good point about folks hunting
illegally and no one is checking licenses.
Suggest that there should be a follow-up with DOCARE whenever a question
comes up during a GMAC meeting.
Chair Lodge asked Steve Bergfeld Hawaii Branch Manager of Forestry and
Wildlife if they are checking for licenses.
Steve Bergfeld said generally the gates are opened and we let people go in and
hunt – that’s a six-month opening, six-month closed. One does not need a
hunting license to access that road in.
Dustin Wamar: DOCARE is allowing a poacher who has no license to hunt with
hunters that hunt legally. Why not check for license at the entrance instead of
waiting until the person comes out with a bag of meat. It appears to be
entrapment.
C. Masuda, Corp Counsel: The topic that commissioner Sylvester brought up
was for clarification of the minutes and to add to future agenda items.
What this clarified of what’s happened last time and what should be on the
minutes – that’s fine. But when start discussing the actual item – since it’s an
item that probably affects the majority of people, it’s not something you can do
without a 2/3rds votes amend the agenda, OK? Even with 2/3rds vote you
cannot amend the agenda cause it’s a matter of particular importance to a
majority of the people, I would assume, in this kind of situation. So as far as
discussion further, although you had some responses already, especially if you
go on the official response from DOCARE conservation side of DLNR, then that’s
a matter you should put on to the next agenda.
Minutes will be sent out one week before the meeting to allow time for review by
commission members.
Action: D. Yoshina moved to accept the minutes of August 25, 2014;
seconded by W. Camara, and carried unanimously by voice vote
.
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V. Budget Report:
Copy circulated to board members. Current remaining balance is $7,139.00.
Action: W. Camara moved to accept the budget report as circulated;
seconded by D. Yoshina. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
VI. Public Testimony on Agenda Items
R. Hefflinger: My name is Richard Hefflinger. My comment is a fairly short one. I
think your agenda is out of order. You indicated earlier that you encourage the
testimony and encourage or try to engage the public but I don’t understand how
your agenda works where you have the public testify before you ever get to the
agenda item. You publish an agenda that the discussion items – it’s unclear to
me what really you want to discuss and so there’s two ways to handle this, in my
view. One would be when you publish your agenda, publish a short abstract on
what it is you’re gonna discuss so people who come to the meeting will be
prepared to discuss that or change the order of the agenda and put the public
discussion after the – the public testimony – after the discussion. Thank you.
It was determined that a brief synopsis of what the actual item is instead of just
the title will appear in future agendas.
P. Pacheco: Yes, Mr. Chairman, before I make any comment I see only a –
number 3 Lisa Hadway – Game Rules and Regulations – Strategy if Delayed, a)
HRS License Fee Increase – I would like to hear HRA hunting fee before I make
any comment, I would like Lisa to try to explain this further so there can be
something said about it – I mean since I see her name there. Would you mind if
she comes up and explain to us and I reserve my questions after, I mean my
comments after?
Chair Lodge: That’s quite – we’re gonna be discussing that here in a minute.
P. Pacheco: Thank you very much for right now. I want to say that’s all I have
for her right now and it’s just that we cannot discuss what Nelson said, Nelson
said earlier because of…
Chair Lodge: Not part of the agenda.
P. Pacheco: Yes, yes, yes. That wasn’t part of the agenda, I understand that,
and also they’re like Willie-Joe Camara said, that there’s lotta things were said
and even though I said something there’s nothing in there that I’ve said it – I
mean apparently who does this print what you like – write – but you don’t print
what the people say. So let’s make it correct and if we’re gonna type – get
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minutes – let’s have an adequate and proper minutes and words that are that
saying by the person and be on it – because I look in it I don’t see the what
Willie-Joe said when I remember what I said and many others. But there’s none.
I mean, so why get minutes if we’re not going to get the truth. If we’re not going
to be the real minutes – words spoken by the people who testify then what’s this
all about - why get minutes? Get minutes on what you want to put – what you
want to put? Or the people say. I think if you’re gonna have minutes hereafter
that the minutes should be concurred with what people said – this is why they
come to meetings and give their suggestions and when there’s minutes – put
what they said! Not just delete that. That’s what I find right here. And I don’t want
to see \[unclear\] I don’t see any other things that right now I mean I like to hold my
reservation until Lisa explain this. Thank you.
B. Command: Mr. Chairman, this is Bobby Command. We’re taking minutes,
we’re not doing, we’re not transcribing the meetings, right. So we’re not gonna
have a word for word transcription of what happens at the meetings.
Chair Lodge: We’re gonna have a summary?
B. Command: It’s a summary of what was said at the meeting. I’m not saying that
something wasn’t necessary or anything like that but I’m just trying to give you
the difference between the minutes and the transcripts. Thank you.
S. Hart: Steve Hart, Big Island Bird Hunters. The agenda item I’d like to address
at this point is the new County Mauna Kea Recreation area cabins and restroom
facilities. I’ve looked up the charter for the County parks and everybody I hope
has got a copy of it now – and the first one I think I had on there was places
prohibited to animals including dogs and cats and the exact wording in the
County Charter is except as otherwise provided it shall be unlawful for any
person to take or permit any dog, cat or other domestic animal whether loose or
on a leash or in restraint on or about any County beach parks, Mauna Kea
Recreation area is nowhere near a beach as far as we can get. I don’t know how
the interpretation would be when the County’s actually involved with up keeping
the park but at the current time, if we run our dogs pre-season if it gets
interpreted other than what’s written here we can be in violation of the law by
stopping to use the restroom facility with our training dog inside the vehicle. My
discussion on this one particular point is to ask this commission to please advise
the County Council and the Mayor that there needs to be written stipulation that
would exclude this part from the domestic animal and if you want to be specific
about which ones it could be actually written into as dog or cat or whatever such
is – you may feel would be reasonable. Next, on the other page, this is again
from Parks and Recreation – Section 15-12. Weapons Restricted. In recreational
areas the use and possession of all firearms or other implements designated to
discharge missiles which area capable of destroying animal life shall conform
with all applicable federal, state, and county laws. Such firearms and other
implements shall not be used in a manner so as to endanger persons or property
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– the possession of loaded firearms or other implements except by law
enforcement officers and developed, populated or concentrated use areas is
prohibited. There were in kim chee. This needs to be addressed and Mauna Kea
Recreational Park be specifically allowed by language that goes into the law for
the County to be allowable, otherwise, the County by not changing that is going
to exclude each and every hunter that would go up there and so much as want to
utilize the restrooms. There’s been talk of – when you rent the cabin – if you’re
gonna stay up there and hunt over night which has been traditional since the
park was utilized as a state park. I heard a rumor that if a state allows this county
or other people to run a park the conditional uses are not supposed to be
eliminated. I did not find any paperwork on that. Maybe more research can be
done to back that statement up when, but I don’t have it right now, unfortunately.
But I would again ask this commission to please immediately, and not later,
approach the County Council and the Mayor to allow the usage of the cabins with
firearms. And we cannot have it with just licensed hunters if in fact the
Puuwaawaa Target Range goes into effect and becomes available. If a visitor
comes and they decide they want to try out the new range in Hawaii and decide,
hey, what a great thing to stay at the park, let’s not prohibit them from having
such an occasion, so that is something that I would ask this commission to
support in getting something through, please. Thank you.
Chair Lodge: Any other comments…
K. Marks: Good evening gentlemen. I’m Kerri Marks from Kaumana city. I would
also like to comment on the minutes, but I can’t because I’ve never seen them. I
will make the same comment I made at the last meeting and at least two meeting
before this – that the minutes are not posted on the website. We’d like to see the
minutes posted on the website before the meeting so we can all comment on
them. For this entire year, you have one meeting posted, since February, and
that’s the only one I can comment on. Other than that there’s no minutes. Beyond
that, there’s no nothing on the website. Last time we saw maps, you have some
resolutions here, why don’t you post those too? Scan them, make them PDFs
and post those too, so that we can all see them and we can share ‘em and other
people can see ‘em too. So please post them on the website before so we can
comment tonight. And I have a comment on the Mauna Kea Park – dogs are
okay, for sure, I checked with the Mayor’s office and for sure
it’s an inland park that only applies to beach parks with the dogs but you have to
check on the guns so – told them make sure the guns are OK and if it’s not, I’m
sure that we can get that passed through County Council no problem because
you have support on the County Council. So that’s all I wanted to say. Let’s clear
that up for sure, check with Ilihia, but for sure you can have dogs up there. And I
was just up there this weekend, it’s lovely. Mahalo.
A summary of the minutes and agendas will be made available on the County
website as well as at the Hilo and Kona mayor’s offices.
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T. Nakama: Aloha, this is Teresa Nakama. I’m not sure if I’m stating this
correctly but a point of clarification on your minutes. You need to amend your
minutes that you’ve approved a summary, not the full minutes, and you’ve
approved a draft and until the draft is approved to become final and since it’s a
summary, they cannot be a final minutes. So something that may be to look into
and go back into that you’ve approved a summary of your minutes and not the
full minutes.
Chair Lodge: We will consult our Corporation Counsel on that.
T. Nakama: Also, I didn’t receive any response that was stated in your minutes
on August 25, that you approved this draft. And I was wondering if someone
could respond to me in letter form? Because right after I made my statement,
you said, “Absolutely, all right, thank you, we’ve done with our testimony,” and
that wasn’t the response I was looking for.
Chair Lodge: OK. So you want a copy of the minutes, is that it?
T. Nakama: I have a copy of the minutes. I want a response to my question in
your minutes. Page number 21. \[Pause\]
Chair Lodge: OK. Um… \[Pause\]
T. Sylvester: OK. I understand your question, Teresa. And, but, it’s like you’re
asking for GMAC, DOFARE, DLNR – so are you asking us specifically here?
T. Nakama: I’m asking GMAC specifically…
T. Sylvester: OK. Do we have ah… Have we considered having on our panel or
in our organization, our department, someone that is knowledgeable in Native
Hawaiians, their lifestyle, and I’m not going to call that an expert…
T. Nakama: Um, what I’m asking is that you discuss this among yourselves and
give me a written response. You don’t have to answer it now. You don’t have to
answer it now.
T. Sylvester: We can’t – what I mean by discussing it amongst ourselves – we
can’t do that.
T. Nakama: Well, you know, if you discuss it in the meeting, all I need to know is
will you consider it?
Chair Lodge: If you have something that you want to bring to the commission, we
actually would appreciate that you do bring it – to the commission – so we can
discuss the specific item you are concerned with?
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T. Nakama: Because the lands that reaches the mountain also reaches the
ocean and our pigs also swim in the ocean. I’ve met one alongside me as I was
fishing.
Chair Lodge will add Hawaiian customary practices regarding hunting from the
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mountain to ocean on to the October 20 agenda.
VII. DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1. Mauna Kea State Park
Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma apologized for not being able to
attend tonight’s meeting due to Puna issue with the lava flow. But he did share
that they will accommodate the hunters - the firearms and the dogs. They’re
going to be rehabilitating the kennels and what have you up there as well.
Many questions were asked regarding rules and regulations, will county adopt
the State’s rules and regulations, what transfers prior to the County adopting their
own rules, overnight camping, firearms, caliber weapon, dog kennels, bird
hunting opening date, obtaining a copy of the MOU, permit access to adjacent
hunting areas through the park, review draft rules before it goes out to public
hearing, opening date, policing, etc.
Public Hearings as stated in Chapter 91, HRS will be held on a draft set of rules
(County currently working on draft rules) and folks will have an opportunity to
provide testimony on those proposed rules. After the hearing and whatever
changes are made and they finalize the rules, those rules then have to go to the
Mayor’s office, County Clerk, Lieutenant Governor’s office and it will take effect
ten days after their approval.
Suggestion was made that they contact some of the bird hunters as well as other
hunters and ask for input before they promulgate these rules.
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Mr. Honma has agreed to attend the next meeting on October 20 if his schedule
allows. He welcomes any questions or concerns and can be reached at 961-
8311.
2. County Game Management Plan
Chair Lodge: There are two issues that when we talk about a County Game
Management Plan there is a State plan that has been devised, that’s in draft form
right now for the County regarding a plan for the Island of Hawaii.
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And there has been a request by others for a County Game Management Plan
which would be with the counties having a plan for the county itself. Let’s
discuss, any comments?
T. Sylvester: My first comment on this issue is when we talked about this at our
last meeting and correct me if I’m wrong but Kalani suggested that we come up
with a game plan – he meant like a strategic plan of County issues and I don’t
know how that morphed into a County Game Management Plan where we’re
actually managing animals now. Managing animals could be part of this plan but I
think Kalani was talking about we need to come up with a strategic plan of
County issues cause it’s not just game animals, it’s access and other issues and
things like that, that we talked about.
So you can correct me if I’m wrong, cause I got pretty upset at some people
when I saw that on the agenda. I thought that we were going to talk about a
game plan of what issues, so if game management was part of it and like I said
access and trails was part of this County plan – other County issues and things
like that. We didn’t specifically say to have a County Game Management Plan
agenda item. Is that correct?
K. De Coito: It was something that – because of this island and every island has
its own situations what have you and what it was, was just something when
DLNR do their rule change – they do the management – they have – we have
something in place to present and they can see – OK Big Island of Hawaii,
County of Hawaii suggests to the GMAC that this is what it is and to ask for the
consideration how, just overseeing and having the consideration of addressing
the concerns that each location, each district has in a sense.
Chair Lodge: So are you saying that your question initially was a game
management plan involving DLNR and the Big Island.
K. De Coito: Each district has concerns. Rather it’s a County goal, State goal of
having. Not managing but in a sense on how can we get involved with them
managing. Be heard publically. We do have some kind of influence now as far as
consideration. It’s not about what association. They can come to us and they
can voice their concerns, so we can bring it to the table.
Chair Lodge: Are you talking about specific items for DLNR?
K. De Coito: All depends on what specific items we’re talking about. For
example the bird hunters’ not knowing if the season will open or not. They are
confused with County parks at Mauna Kea State Park. That issue is guns, dogs,
what have you. Well isn’t that our job as GMAC to make sure that their questions
were answered in a proper way? Who answers the questions, Forestry or County
that’s what I hear from all the public, what we doing, what we do. Well, this is
what we trying to do. So basically, we got to come up with one plan for each
district of what are your concerns in your district. What are your concerns as
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County of Hawaii period. Not the State of Hawaii because then when you State of
Hawaii you mean Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai. But every State Hawaiian island
has their issues. Such questions as checking licenses, we are asked those
questions. We are fortunate to have Lisa Hadway here to address those
questions. But, we have to put it on an agenda. Well let’s have that already in
place so we can put ‘em on the agenda and tackle it one at a time, so when they
see the agenda, they see what it’s about, hey this is the questions I was asking
about, Tree Planting Road opening up, license not being checked.
What district brought that up? Our job is to find the right people, whether it’s Lisa
(Hadway), whether it’s enforcement, whether it’s Bishop Estate, etc. But we
funnel all down through the state, because it’s the state holding.
Chair Lodge: Let me ask a question of Lisa (Hadway). Kalani has a question let’s
say from Kau. There’s no problem with him just picking up the phone and calling
you or Steve, is there?
L. Hadway: No, not at all. I would encourage it and then, for sure we can try
and find the right people to try and figure it out and I think that would probably get
some of these questions answered cause we don’t always know, you know,
whether we’re gonna be addressing the questions that come up, when they come
up at the meeting if we don’t quite know what they are beforehand, it would be
probably more expeditious to make sure you – more than welcome to get in
touch with us.
Chair Lodge: Cause I think it covers some – if we as a commission have to
address a specific item, where he could just pick up the phone and say, hey, you
know, we have this issue, or what about this be and, you know, I think can
resolve that, you know, with his own community right on the spot. If it evolves into
a bigger issue that’s something that the Commission can then involve
themselves without \[unclear\].
D. Wamar: This is Dustin Wamar. What is the time frame that you guys think you
guys will be having a state commission put together?
Chair Lodge: That’s going to be up to the legislature. We’re going to address that
a little bit later in the meeting tonight.
D. Wamar: Well, getting back to a game management plan once there’s a state
commission formed, I think that’s the time to attack game management because,
like you said yourself, at the state level, you have the authority to make rules or
change rules, stuff like that, right? I thought the county level is at the mercy of
these state level officials and it still can be manipulated no matter how much
suggestions we make and everything like that, everything is still somehow
manipulated at the state level, so, unless my suggestions regarding this game
management plan…
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K. De Coito: Thank you for that and Tom, I going enlighten you on that one.
Yeah, I can call Lisa (Hadway), you been calling Lisa, you been calling
everybody. Do you find results?
Chair Lodge: Sometimes…
K. De Coito: Sometimes. That’s what I’m saying. We here – we will make a
difference together. Whether it’s your concerns – I back you up – they back you
up. My concerns you back up – then we go to these guys. But to say I going
represent my district and just go to her directly and just call her that’s just like one
typical phone call. Well, that’s not what I’m getting at. I’m getting at we get one
format stating OK Kau district this what we asking – this is what we looking at,
your district. It’s not an individual person doing whatever – it’s the district – it’s
each and every one of the public addressing in the different areas. And we need
to put them in format where we can present them to these guys and they figure
out who, what department needs to come here and address the situations.
Chair Lodge: I agree…
K. DeCoito: It’s not for me go call her and if she going give me whatevers and
the next thing you know we, oh, you know, that’s so and so’s department and you
call but they don’t want – they no longer work there so whatever he or she said
no longer exists because it’s considered a hearsay.
Chair Lodge: That actually happened…
K. De Coito: See, I’ve been doing this just as long as you – and that’s why I’m
saying, you know, I’m tired of it. And every public people in this County of Hawaii
is tired of it. And that’s why we were formed. We were formed to make people
accountable. To hear the voices, whether it’s Hawaiian gathering rights, whether
it’s hunters’ rights, fishermen’s rights, not what environmentalists and everybody
else public changing, parks changing, but nobody seems to know what rules is
what. Whether it is target practice guys, whoever, nough already. We need to be
accountable to our public, to our district. We don’t represent Kauai, Lanai. We
represent Big Island of Hawaii, County of Hawaii. We go state of Hawaii we
representing other islands? Who are we to speak out in behalf of the other
islands?
Chair Lodge: Craig, do you have a question.
C. Masuda: Chairman. I think what Commissioner De Coito – correct me if I’m
putting words in your mouth – I think what Commissioner De Coito is asking for is
like a place within – a set place within the agenda – where the different
representatives from districts – we can have like OK District 8 reporting whatever
and then that’d be discussed as a body here, not as resolving things individually
for each district and then you end up with 9 different answers for 9 different
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districts. So, Kalani, is that what you asking for a section in the agenda where it
says Report from District 8, Report from District 7, 6, you know, like that.
K. De Coito: See this whole thing, we can have one already written in place. So
you…one game plan in districts…
C. Masuda: A game plan, a set process, not a game management plan…
K. De Coito: Right, yeah, because the bottom line is game management comes
from DLNR.
Chair Lodge: OK. So let me – if I understand then – what we want to do is on the
committee report section of our agenda adding district report section or question
section for DLNR. Is that correct?
C. Masuda: No. It’s a – someplace in your agenda – you know you’re gonna
have your speakers and whatever – and there’ll be a section report from the
districts from the representatives. So Kalani will say, you know, during this last
month people came up to me about the topic of somebody using snares or
something like that or somebody being denied access to hunting here, or
whatever. Those kind of issues. And then, it can be brought up before the
commission.
Chair Lodge: Right. So where on the agenda would that go?
C. Masuda: You can put it anywhere. That’s just be under the title of Report
from the Districts. But then, because of Sunshine Law – it’s up to each district
whoever, who’s making a report – to give the Chairman sufficient information
what is to be discussed.
Chair Lodge: So we can put it on the agenda.
C. Masuda: We put it on the agenda. And that means they have to have the
agenda items then it would have to be out six days before, right. So it would have
to be with sufficient detail about District 8 had this issue about persons being
denied access from whoever – cause they want to go hunting on this day or
whatever. And then something that you can – I think that’s what you’re looking
for?
B. Command: Craig, this is Bobby Command, one question. Could you have an
agenda item that says like report from District 7 and have them make a report
and not allow any discussion and then if there was something that rose to the
level of importance to have that discussion in a following meeting.
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C. Masuda: You could. But then it would be kind of hard for people to
adequately testify into – beforehand since they don’t know what the issue is…
B. Command: Right, it would be impossible, right?
C. Masuda: Yeah, kind of hard.
B. Command: OK.
T. Sylvester: So, it’s report only, then? Because if he has a pressing issue in Kau
and he does his report but we can’t take any action on it…
B. Command: Unless it’s on the agenda. If it’s listed on the agenda then you
could.
C. Masuda: That’s what I was saying. That it’s up to each district representative
to give the Chairman enough information that they could make a meaningful
entry to the agenda.
K. De Coito: See that way we choose what should be on the agenda here. Not
have it from the public saying can I be on the agenda. We not going say oh yeah,
yeah, yeah, wait, wait, wait. NO. Cause we addressing concerns throughout
everybody – not one person. That’s how I see it. I just see too many guys come
in here – how they going be on the agenda. No! We gotta tackle it the right way
and that’s about it and the agenda should be decided among us, so that that way
when they do see it on the website or if I’m the guy going give my district is here
and they say, hey, the topics what you guys told me about we on the agenda this
month. We need you guys voice for here, you know, come out, hear what we
talking about – then we do one public testimony – the public can then speak out.
But then they know. Whether it’s gonna be fielded by Honokaa, whether it’s
gonna be fielded by Kau, whether it’s gonna be fielded by Hilo, because they
know that eh, that’s the topic we was talking about, this month’s topic. They
prepare themselves. So when we bring whoever going answer the questions,
well, the public going hear ‘em, by whoever going answer those questions that
we have concerns on who and not a phone call. It’s like everybody going hear.
It’s not what Lisa (Hadway) and I going talk and oh, what Lisa (Hadway) going
say and then I go come hear and say something. I might misinterpret what she
just told me. But if she says it, she’ll says it better everybody hear it .
Chair Lodge: Right. Do you check your email?
K. De Coito: Everyday.
Chair Lodge: Most of the agenda items come from - and your suggestion of, you
know, like a district – or like I said a committee report but just the district report,
you know, any where it is in there – that would be an easy thing for us to do. And,
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like I say, we get our agenda items from Tony and Ike can come up with these
things anyway. That’s where they come from.
K. De Coito: Yeah, but see what I’m saying is, yeah, anybody can say OK I like
this on the agenda, but that’s not what I’m getting at. I want us to agree on it. I
want us to prioritize OK if Tree Planting Road is one high priority and if there’s a
health and safety issue to that situation, then let me address accordingly first.
Chair Lodge: No, that can’t happen, can it?
K. De Coito: Why not? As far as any agreement…over here we can…
Chair Lodge: The Sunshine Law…
C. Masuda: Well \[discussion starts\] no, no, no. Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Communications between an individual District Representative and the Chair –
discussions to be what they want to put on the agenda can happen, OK? What
cannot happen is if multiple members of the Commission start getting into a
dialogue that’s not on the record. So, with all due respect, Mr. Chairman, you can
discuss with Kalani, OK, what is your issue? Oh, why is that important to you.
And then from there OK, we’re gonna put that on the agenda for your district
report.
Chair Lodge: With all due respect, may I agree with you.
C. Masuda: But there cannot be an agreement by a quorum saying, “Yeah, this
is going to be on the agenda,” unless that happens on the record, the meeting
before. Sunshine Law is a – it’s difficult but it’s also has its purpose, and, you
know, the purpose is…..
K. De Coito: OK. So let me run this by you. If I have five issues and I take my –
giving my number one concern and then said these guys have one – five issues
– but they take their number one concern. We can address it tonight for the next
agenda and put those items on the next meeting agenda to be addressed. We
have that…
C. Masuda: If you’re gonna raise it during the announcements where talking
about well I have these issues, I want these to be on the next agenda. Yes, you
can do that.
K. De Coito: Like if I have five, I read the five, but I pick this one…
C. Masuda: Yes…
K. De Coito : ….for the next agenda. And then say, Tony says the same thing of
his five but he picks the first – like he what he thinks should be addressed and
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we tackle it one at a time – then we cross that one off and the next meeting OK
number two…
C. Masuda: Yeah, and it’s just an announcement…..
K. De Coito: Yeah….
C. Masuda: Just the issue and not a discussion of it.
K. De Coito: No, no, but it’s - it was – it’s agreement where right here before
next month, before emails – we already know what it should be?
C. Masuda: Yes.
K. De Coito: Right?
C. Masuda: Yes, the representative should be prepared at that meeting to
discuss what’s going to be on the next agenda.
K. De Coito: And then the public here sitting going kinda understand, eh, next
month they going be talking about this because this district going get this and but
that district going be that. Right? So if you have nephews or cousins from so and
so district, hey, what I was hearing at the meeting was this going be on next
month’s agenda, you know, so it’s part of you guys come down, you know, or
what have you or Tree Planting Road, going be on the top on the agenda. He
can come out and eh kind of get a wells wells – that feels the same way as he.
You know what I’m saying?
Chair Lodge: OK.
K. De Coito: That’s how we’re supposed to roll.
W. Camara: OK. So let me try and understand this then, I agree with what
you’re saying Kalani. So I guess what you’re saying is that – I mean what I
understand is gonna happen is it’s gonna take a whole nother month before we
can really discuss the issue. Like – just take last month’s meeting – the whole
having DOCARE and the County police here was my concern that I did - wanted
to have on the agenda because I was having complaints from my district on that,
so that’s why we put that on the agenda, we had the people there. So basically,
before actually inviting people to come, we want to make sure that it’s all right
with everybody here – so like if, if this was – if last month didn’t happen – in my
report I would say eh, I have this issue with people poaching and nothing being
done by the police, can’t we have police and DOCARE here at the next meeting.
That’s basically what we’re saying in that report?
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Chair Lodge: No reason why if you request it – have them at a meeting – then we
can just have another meeting and put it on the agenda, which is what we did.
W. Camara: No, but, I understand what Kalani is saying. See that way, that way
these people here can heard me say it so now they’re going to be prepared next
meeting to comment and listen to that thing that’s on the agenda.
K. De Coito: Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. It’s – we’ve been here for how long
and did anything get resolved? Anything? So we talk about today for next month
to have things try and be resolved, well, you know, Lisa or DLNR or whoever’s
gonna have that ample time to come up and say, eh, they going talk about these
issues so be prepared because now when they come and they invited to come,
it’s because they have to address those issues by GMAC that was already done.
We been here and all we getting is around and around and around and around
and nothing, nothing, nough. So if we put ‘em in writing and we put ‘em in the
agenda and we agree upon it next month’s meeting would be – everybody would
know by the time we leave that door.
W. Camara: So Craig do we need to make a motion to have that permanently
put on the agenda? The committee reports? Sorry, not committee reports, um…
C. Masuda: Just call it whatever you want…But it’s not a committee, OK?
Cause no committee was formed. If you want to do that by committing to a
district reports, you can resolve that, if you folks are in agreement right now,
somebody can make a motion, second it and then just go from there. Cause we –
it’s an important topic…
W. Camara: Right. No, I agree, yeah.
C. Masuda: So if someone can make…
W. Camara: OK. So can I make a motion to permanently….
M. Bartell: Not yet Willie-Joe.
W. Camara: Oh, OK.
M. Bartell: Not yet, not yet.
W. Camara: Go ahead, Mark, I’m sorry.
M. Bartell: So, now, Kalani, I think you’ve got an excellent point, right? So I, so
what are the top five, six, eight, ten, twelve issues we got to wrestle with, yeah?
And is there agreement among the GMAC members that those are the right
ones? So, um, either we can – as was suggested, I could bring my three, Kalani
can bring his five, Ike can bring his two, right, and we can hash it out amongst us
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in a meeting like this and say here’s the next agenda, yeah, which I think is an
awesome idea, to be honest with you. You know, another way to do it is, you
know what, we generate our three or four or five of fifteen issues whatever we
want to deal with and we give ‘em to Tom and Tom can pick. I kind of like the
public thing better – where we get all the members – the GMAC members
deciding hey what are the top five issues that we want to handle. And we had
consensus on that and we know it’s coming and everybody in the room knows it’s
coming for next meeting. So I guess here’s a couple different ways to skin that
cat, yeah, one is at the end of every meeting we have a discussion to say what’s
the next agenda, right? There may be some standing things that we’re gonna talk
about, yeah, but that guy that talked about, you know, Tree Planting Road, right,
if that’s a hot one for Kau then we make a decision as a group that’s gonna be at
October’s meeting. All I would say is the other way to do it is have your list of five
or six, right, and since we can’t talk amongst ourselves on email, we give ‘em to
Tom and Tom picks, right? Two separate ways to solve that problem, but if
you’re asking me, I kinda like the end of every meeting what’s on the next
agenda, right?
K. De Coito: Exactly.
M. Bartell: I prefer it that way.
K. De Coito: Same here…
W. Camara: OK. So now can I move to permanently have a district report on the
agenda? So each district has a moment to give a report whether they have one
or not. They can say so at this meeting and have time for that.
\[Discussion\]
C. Masuda: I think what the motion – from what the discussion sounds like – is
a motion to have permanently on the agenda, a section in the agenda, where
representatives from each of the districts can raise issues that they want to talk
about on the next agenda. That way notification is given and they can say that
we want DLNR present to answer this, or the police here to answer that, and
then as a group, you folks decide at the end of the meeting, you know, cause this
will come through the end of the meeting anyway, OK, we’re gonna put this on
the agenda from District 1 we’re gonna put this item, from District 2 we’re gonna
put this item, from District 3 we’re gonna put these two items because the body –
GMAC as a body decides that these two are very important items for the entire
County. I think that’s what you folks are looking at.
K. De Coito: See but now it’s like it’s not a Willie-Joe’s issue.
C. Masuda: Yeah.
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K. De Coito: It’s our issue and maybe Ike can add to whatever issues he has, he
can enlighten to in my issues that I have, but we have to do it.
W. Camara: Yeah, right.
K. De Coito: So in other words, we can ask those questions, he can ask that
questions, Ike can ask that questions, even though it’s pertaining to what I
already asked for my district. But we can ask the questions, every one of us.
C. Masuda: Yeah
Chair Lodge: OK. I understand the motion is at the end of each meeting each
District Commissioner will bring district items to the Commission for discussion
as to what would be important to add to the following month’s agenda.
Action: W. Camara moved that GMAC permanently have a section toward
the end of the meeting for each representative to bring items to the table to
discuss at the next meeting and that item(s) to be on the next agenda;
Seconded by K. De Coito. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
3. Lisa Hadway – Game Rules and Regulations – Strategy if Delayed
a. HRS License Fee Increase
b. HRS Hunting Days
L. Hadway: So as I understand what you were wondering about was the Game
Rules and where they’re at. As I mentioned at the last meeting, they’ve come out
of the Attorney General’s Office and we’d like to get them to the next step is to
get them to the Board of Land and Natural Resources. As we had indicated when
this process started, they would be posted for 30 days prior to that. We had
th
determined that the best - that would be the October 24 meeting before the
board. That’s the plan as it is now. We hope to have them posted around by
st
around the 21 of September. They’re in final review and polish in terms of
making sure the maps are accurate, etc. I do apologize for the length of time it
has taken. We’ve lost our Game Program Manager – I mean our – well we
haven’t had a Game Program Manager for – since Mr. Johnson passed away.
And then Marie Morrin departed and so we’re doing this internally with the
existing staff but we’re able to move it out. We did have the hopes that we were
st
going to be hiring and getting out Game Management Biologist on by October 1
and that individual, I believe it was last week or the week before, declined the
position because they took a new position on the mainland. So we will be re-
recruiting for that and we’ll be happy if anybody would apply that’s qualified. And
I’ll let you know when that goes to external recruitment, so you folks can pass it
on to your, your various list serves, etc. In terms of process, after, I know your
question at the last meeting was when do the rules go into effect. So I did – I
looked into what the process is beyond the Board of Land and Natural Resources
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– if they do approve the rules, they will then move back to, I believe, it’s the small
business advisory board, that takes one last look at them. If they’re fine with
them, then they pass up to – out of the AG’s for final review then to the Lt.
Governor’s Office and once they’re out of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office they
take in effect ten days after they leave his office or her office \[unclear\]. So at this
point, you know, there’s another board that would have to meet after the Board of
Land and Natural Resources – that’s the Sunshine’s Board – so I believe there’s
Sunshine so that’s – it’ll probably take a couple months after they leave the
October meeting. They will be posted on the DLNR Division of Forestry &
Wildlife website and we’ll be sure we’ll have the email list of those that were
involved in the commenting and we’re hoping to email all those individuals, we
won’t be able to attach the file, but we’ll be able to notify them. That’s the idea
and I’m very grateful for the staff that I have that’s helping move the process
forward.
Chair Lodge: So you’re looking at tentatively, if everything went swimmingly –
what would be the – like January?
L. Hadway: You know, yeah, hopefully by January 2015.
K. De Coito: I have one question. Now with all these department positions that
you wasn’t filled for whatever reasons or passing on, passing on or what have
you – how can you determine with the people and bodies you have the this is
what it’s supposed to be – without having the right input from the right
departments?
L. Hadway: Well, I think we still have – so the individual that was the Program
Manager is now the Branch Manager on Maui. So I will have support from him. I
will also have support from the Game Biologist on all of the islands, particularly
Shane DeMattos from Maui, who’s been assisting with the statewide and then
also Jason Misaki from Maui and all the wildlife biologists out on the branches
have been around for a long time and they’re all putting input into it, like Joey and
Hans on this island. So they’re all involved, but I’m, but, like I said that the
originating institutional knowledge is still there. There’s just some folks in different
positions but we have been very hopeful to have that Ed Johnson’s position filled.
We have to remember we were – we were in a – when the federal sequester –
sequestration came about – we were under a hiring freeze as well.
Chair Lodge: You know, when it comes out, are the fees and everything going to
be immediate – they’re gonna start it…
L. Hadway: Everything, as I understand it, will go into play ten days after they
after they leave the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.
Chair Lodge: Do you know if the fees are like $20.00 or whatever?
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L. Hadway: No.
Chair Lodge: OK. I have another question. This came out originally in 2007 or
whenever to look at the Game Rules in 2008. I think it went in for and the big
deal there was money for the Wildlife Revolving Fund – well there’s still some
issues that are pending that I don’t see on the revised – are the birds – are the
revised birds anywhere electronically?
L. Hadway: The – all of these will be put – the revised versions are – we’re
st
hoping to have out by September 21. So the, the current rules that are gonna hit
th
the Board on October 24, they’re just going through their final like polish to
make sure all the branches have one last look and that the AG’s – that the maps
are accurate and everything and then we’re gonna post them. So both the 122
and 123…
Chair Lodge: Well, it’s taken like six years to get this thing going and there are
some things that are coming out with these new rules that aren’t what many of
these hunters have asked to have changed. So when can the review process
start over and can we ask you to start, you know, like in the middle of the month,
you know, March or whatever, to start another review process of some of the
things that haven’t been addressed.
L. Hadway: I believe that more than like clean-up will happen soon after they
come out and, you know, generally a rules change if it’s done as efficiently as
possible, can take usually around 18 months to two years – typically. So, again,
this has been very – it’s been unfortunate and do apologize and I’m doing
everything I can to get them pushed out.
Chair Lodge: Must cost a million dollars…
K. De Coito: I got a question. How can the, we as one GMAC right here County,
how can we get one copy outside of just you guys to be approved? I mean just
so we can review it?
st
Chair Lodge: Well, the 21, right?
L. Hadway: Yeah.
K. De Coito: Yeah, but that’s the public can see it too, right?
L. Hadway: Yeah.
K. De Coito: Everybody. That’s what I’m saying. Why couldn’t we see it prior to it
being publicized. I mean that means, it’s just like anybody could just read ‘em. I
was just asking why couldn’t we as a Game Management for the County of
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Hawaii review it before it becomes public – before public view that way maybe
we could address the issues before.
L. Hadway: You know, but, because they’ve gone through a process of public
hearings – there’s a really – as Craig was mentioning, I think it’s HRS 91, the
rules making process – once you get a rule through that process you can’t
change them – make substantive changes in that time period. So what the
process was, is once we gathered all the comments we had to take in all those
comments, make the adjustments and then send that through the Attorney
General’s. So basically, what’s coming out is the result of those public hearings…
K. De Coito: And the comments is from….
L. Hadway: Hundreds of people all over the state – all the islands.
Chair Lodge: That was a question – for when is it going to come up for review
again…when it starts…
L. Hadway: So once the rules are, if approved, and they’re put out – they will,
you know, we could open that back up again. We, I would like to be sure that’s
there’s the proper kind of staff in place, for example, a legal fellow or some sort
support staff that’s very good at moving administrative rules through the formal
process that is involved with it.
Chair Lodge: There’s a lot of issues, I know, the bird hunters have and questions
also.
L. Hadway: Yeah, I believe there’s gonna be no question, there’ll be ideas
about improvements to the set of rules. And of anything, I would love to see them
simplified myself, but…
M. Bartell: This is Mark from Kona. So, Lisa, when did this process start?
L. Hadway: I honestly don’t even know. I know it was after the lawsuit and we
lost the stamp and then that was the intention and then it went from there…
M. Bartell: Someone said 2007?
Chair Lodge: I think that’s when the lawsuit was – when it was finalized, I think,
and I think that’s when we started the public hearings.
M. Bartell: So 2007, it’s now 2014. So seven years to make changes to hunting
rules. So number 1, just an observation, it’s obviously an insignificant priority
somewhere within the government otherwise it shouldn’t take seven years. So
that’s an observation. Cause, you know, it’s important if we got it handled way
quicker. Do we understand how another state might do this?
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L. Hadway: You know, I would say given HRS 91 which is the administrative
rulemaking process that no matter what department or entity you are, you have
to follow that rules making process. So I don’t know that other states have the
same process I’m sure you could research it.
M. Bartell: Got it.
L. Hadway: I’m sure you can research it. Some other states probably have
other flexibility. Some of the things that we’re having to change in the rules and
have to be in our rules perhaps could be changed in the statutes so that would –
could provide more flexibility and they wouldn’t have to be reflected in the rules.
T. Sylvester: How do we achieve that?
M. Bartell: Right…
L. Hadway: I’ll give you a precise example. In 183D it says that fees have to be
set by rule and then perhaps if that didn’t say that, that means that we could
perhaps set fees in front of the Board of Land and Natural Resources with a
hearing. I don’t know that they – but we need Attorney Generals to review it – but
that’s the kind of legislative change to the statute that could perhaps happen to
make the rules making process more efficient and more, more, you know,
modern. When you look at what the hunting fees are, it’s going to be $10.00.
Chair Lodge: On that issue – we have to have \[unclear\] question…
L. Hadway: The exhibit I saw has it as $10.00.
M. Bartell: So, I understand the fee question, so are bag limits part of this
whole process as well?
L. Hadway: Yes.
M. Bartell: So if you’re – if the 2 biologists from the Big Island concur that for
whatever environmental reason – pick an animal – either a pig, the pigs, or a
birds or something is in major distress and we have to slow down…
L. Hadway: Change the rules….
M. Bartell: Change the rules, we have to go through this process?
L. Hadway: Yes.
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M. Bartell: Or if, if we find there are too many pigs in a certain part of the
island and we want to eliminate some of those pigs to bring the population down,
we have to go through a process?
L. Hadway: Yes.
M. Bartell: Yes.
Chair Lodge: \[Unclear\]
L. Hadway: Same rules. That’s the one difference we could do. We could do a –
like if it was an agricultural situation or causing damage we could ask for a
special animal control…
Chair Lodge: \[Unclear\] native forest as well as agriculture, right?
L. Hadway: Yeah. And so for example the hunt at Puuwaawaa is being – is
happening that way. But to technically change the bag limit - yes, it would have
to go through a rules and my preference would be to make that far more flexible
and nimble. But we’ve been dealt the cards that we have and I’m trying to finish
that process and then if we could be more creative in the future and think about
ways that we could be more efficient, I’m totally open to that.
T. Lodge: I have a question about that – cause I know that Dick Hofflinger
brought up that specific issue. Why wasn’t that included in the new rules?
L. Hadway: You know, I, I don’t know the whole history there you’re talking
about – half of my career at DOFAW that wasn’t involved in this process – but I
would think that moving forward if there’s a way to study the statute I’d say with
like a legal fellow or something and you guys could discuss some of the kinds of
ideas that you have – the things you’d like to see being more flexible – then
make sure that the statute reflects the ability to do that, as I’m learning, because
then we can not be set in this rules making process. You know, even for all kinds
of other things that we manage, for example, if you start naming specific say if
wildlife sanctuaries that you want to add another wildlife sanctuary – you actually
have to change the rules to actually add it in.
Chair Lodge: If we were able to look at…
D. Yoshina: Tom, I think we got to remember why these rules are there, right. I
mean they’re not there for no reason.
L. Hadway: Right.
D. Yoshina: And it took a lawsuit to get this thing changed so that they have to
go through the public hearing. I mean, so, you know, if we’re going to start toying
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with this stuff, we should at least understand the history of this thing. And I not
pointing fingers at anybody particularly, but, you know, it took a lawsuit because
DLNR was going to change a rule without public hearing. And so the law suit
said, wait a minute, you have to have public hearings. So, if we are in the
process of saying we’re going to recommend changes to that – I would suggest
that we do that rather softly, right. Which brings up another issue for me. I’m
sorry to…
Chair Lodge: Can I address this one thing, though, that you mentioned on that. I
agree with you. We shouldn’t be changing major rules without administrative
rules, but I think we’re having an issue like bag limits, right? Bag limits take an
administrative rule change rather than a decision by DOFAW and their biologist.
We should probably be looking at giving the biologist the right to make the
difference on the bag limits. Rather than have to wait seven years to get the bag
rules changed for a bird…
D. Yoshina: I can agree with the those kind of thoughts, but for me, I’ve always
come back to a question of, what is the policy? And for the past year or so, I’ve
been reading stuff, I’ve been thinking about stuff, you know it’s very difficult for
me to determine what the game policy is in the State of Hawaii or what the fish,
you know, aquatics policy is in the State of Hawaii. I understand what it says in
the constitution and I understand what it says in the statute, but I don’t
understand how it’s been interpreted and practiced in the state. And by that I
mean, if you have a policy that says you’re going to manage your game
resources and you have no game management plan, what does that say about
the policy? And so the question I have for DLNR and perhaps the Land Board is
so what is your policy? Do you have a policy? And from what I’m seeing – having
read the federal laws, it seems to me the federal laws drive the state laws. And
the state has, in fact, just rolled over and said, whatever you tell us to do, we’re
gonna do it. So as a first step in this whole thing, I’d like to know what is the
policy of DOFAW, DOBAR, all of these guys. What is their understanding of the
state law. They should come in and publically tell the people of the State of
Hawaii how they see their job. What is the policy they’re supposed to be
implementing?
Chair Lodge: Would you like them to come back and discuss that with us?
D. Yoshina: It would be a good starting point.
K. De Coito: You know and this is Kalani again, that is so on the money, Ike. On
the money, Ike. You know and that’s what it is, you know, what is the policy, you
know, do you have data to support that in writing, you know, any type of reports
stating that kind stuff. I mean…
L. Hadway: We have our Pittman Robertson five-year plan.
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We have our hunting areas that have been designated as different units. We
have our hunter check stations. We have game biologists who are assisting and
implementing. We have our license sales. We have 183D. We have a whole
broad brush of mandates to take care of and hunting is one of those mandates.
D. Yoshina: How do we integrate all of that? How do we integrate, as an
example? Excuse me, but how do we integrate our hunting policies with our
environmental protection policies. Because, you know, right on that space, when
you build a fence, you have in fact interrupted the migratory habits of the
mammals. And that has consequence. So it seems that we should have a bigger
approach to all of this and much of the frustration that people are feeling is over
that. We’re not saying you’re wrong, at least I’m not saying you’re wrong, I’m just
saying somewhere along the line somebody has to integrate all this stuff – we
should have a comprehensive, integrated, resource management plan, rather
than what I have come to understand to be our resource management plan in the
State of Hawaii, which is sectoral, it’s divisive, it make an enemy of the
environmentalists, which I detest highly because all my life I’ve been an
environmentist But you know, it bothers me that we’re at this stage…
L. Hadway: Well indeed…
D Yoshina: ….fifty years after the state became a state. You know we’re at this
point where our policies don’t make much sense and people are beginning to see
that. And so, you know, I’m sorry, but you know DLNR catches it on the nose.
We don’t trust you guys, why I say we generally, you know. Or we don’t trust
government, we don’t do this, so…
L. Hadway: So if I may…
D. Yoshina: Can’t we solve the problem?
L. Hadway: I don’t think we’re going to solve it tonight.
D. Yoshina: I know.
L. Hadway: I am in front of you because I’m interested in doing that, OK?
D. Yoshina: So what can we do?
L. Hadway: And we can actually work together in the an effective way.
Sunshine Law isn’t always the easiest way to do that. I will tell you that if we had
sub-committees of people who could actually look at maps and come up with, I
would think, a facilitative process would being viable but there also is the need
for willingness to understand some of the things that we also have to live with.
And this is the endangered species capital of the world and I will tell you that
some of the biggest struggles I make – I go to national conferences talking about
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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting
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the difficulties we have managing – we can’t even build affordable housing
because of endangered species issues. But, we also are one of the most unique
places in the world and it makes us – it’s an incredible place for all of us – and
being at DOFAW and the short time I’ve been the administrator, I recognize
listening to you guys that things need to be more comprehensive and looked at in
a broader way. I have programs that have negative funding – the trails program.
The balance on the staff minus $93,000. The balance in the Wildlife Revolving
Fund minus $25,000. I’ve got a deal with matching federal dollars which are
coming on in Pittman Robertson and I don’t even have the state money to match
it and I’m working very hard to make sure that, that is happening.
D. Yoshina: You know Lisa, no one is saying that you’re not…
L. Hadway: I come to these meetings and consistently get reamed and I’m here
because I want to work with you guys.
D. Yoshina: What I’m trying to tell you is, that there are a lot of people that are
willing to work with you guys but there’s no opportunity to do that.
L. Hadway: So that’s why I’m saying…
D. Yoshina: You know, we just had an example here. There’s a transfer of a
state park, from the state to the county and the important part of that is left out.
So much so that now we’re up against a bird hunting season…
L. Hadway: Are you sure it’s left out? I mean we’ve…
st
D. Yoshina: Are you going to tell me that by November 1, we’re going to have
these things shrunken down. I doubt that very much.
L. Hadway: Well, we’ll have them certainly researched very well and come up
with an idea of how it can be addressed.
D. Yoshina: But the season for birds starts in November. So, I mean, these
guys who go up to Mauna Kea, myself included, are going to be impacted by
that. So, you know, can we talk to Steve and his group? I don’t know, you know,
but I keep hearing that everybody wants to talk to everybody else but nobody
does it.
L. Hadway: Well, I think what would be really valuable is if we were sure to kind
of have – I think you’ve raised – they were very good questions raised for
regarding those issues – and I think if we had the time and the place to make
sure that we were able to bring those answers forward, sounds like the dog issue
may be addressed. The gun issue is probably a significant one because they’re
probably thinking about other users besides just hunters as well and it’s probably
an overall public policy with guns in public places, other than hunting. And so
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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting
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how do those things get resolved. If we find out what State Parks did and making
sure that, that was used as a template by the County.
Chair Lodge: Oh, I was reminded by our Corporation Counsel not to end – we
are going to close here in a couple of minutes.
\[Unclear discussion not picked up by recorder\]
Chair Lodge: Yeah, that parks issue – he is addressing and there’s a couple
more questions that came up tonight that I’ll bring to him in the morning, to Mr.
Honma. OK, Lisa, thank you. I appreciate that.
C. Masuda: Bobby you want to open the Mauna Kea thing for just a second?
B. Command: Two or three minutes.
Chair Lodge: OK.
B. Command: OK. I just want to read you a couple of things. Mauna Kea State
Park will be closed for renovation starting Tuesday, July 1 and remain closed
until further notice. However, temporary restrooms will be provided to
accommodate the public. They’ll be kept open around the clock and located in
the administrative building fronting the entrance. Shut down is needed to
expedite the work and ensure public safety while the parks, restrooms, parking
lot, picnic areas and other things are refurbished. Maintenance crews will be
using heavy equipment to improve the park located at the 34 mile marker, blah,
blah, blah. And then I have found the MOA. I’ll go ahead and send you a link to
the MOA which is located on the DLNR website. I’ll just read you one paragraph
here. So it’s State Parks consulted with DOFAW on the process of implementing
the transfer, DOFAW staff concurred that the MOA is an appropriate initial
instrument but the appropriate direction for the transfer should be set aside for
the areas to be managed by the County and withdrawal of this area from the
Mauna Kea Forest Reserve. DOFAW provided their informational concurrence
with the MOA and transfer or management and land areas to the County through
the set aside and withdrawal process. You can read the rest of this but that’s
probably the most important paragraph.
Link to MOA:
http://files.hawaii.gov/dlnr/meeting/submittals/140328/E-4.pdf
Chair Lodge: Essentially is what they’re saying is that the County is in control of
that, so to speak.
B. Command: Yeah. But you go ahead and I’ll send you the link by email and you
guys can take a look at it yourself, if you want to put it on the next agenda, go
ahead and we’ll talk about it.
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C. Masuda: Chairman I just talked to Mr. Pacheco. Earlier you allowed him to
testify after Miss Hadway. You know Mr. .Pacheco says, at this time he’ll waive
his right to testify on this issue so you can just move on.
Chair Lodge: OK. All right. Thank you. Tony…
T. Sylvester: I just wanted to make two announcements. One was for Ryan
Kohatsu their club group provided food after the hurricane in Puna so I wanted to
be on record to thank them for that. And I also wanted to thank Lisa and the
DOFAW staff for the cattle hunts at Puu O – you know that’s something that took
a lot of extra work to do and hopefully we can continue to do that. That’s
something that wasn’t required or needed, so we got to give some credit to
DOFAW for stepping up and helping out with that cause I’m sure that’s taking a
lot of budget to run that project and thank you, Lisa, for that.
D. Yoshina: I’d like to add something. Lisa, thanks for being here, I did not want
to give you the impression that I’m reaming you out because I’m not. I’m just
telling you that this is the general feeling I get. And so if we want to, and I say
“we”, if we want to address these questions or issues – we need to have the
opportunity to do that. GMAC can’t do it alone. You know, we want to start talking
about what the policies are for this state and we have to have that understanding.
And if we disagree on the policy, I mean, we all got to be big enough to say,
yeah, well, you know, but we can’t get, and I understand what you’re talking
about when you talk about the ESA, right. I mean, that is a heavy duty law. And
there are white papers in Congress right now \[unclear\] yeah. And you know the
scary thing about that is, that has traction with a lot of guys on the land here. And
so if we want to avoid the conflicts that are going to come, eh, by all means, let’s
sit down and talk. Let’s work it out, let’s have these issues talked about. Because
when we have to balance our previous environment with housing for the poor or
for the less, you know, affordable housing, you’ve got to do something. And
those are major issues and they’re coming up…you know.
K. De Coito: And I want to add to that one because that’s exactly what I’m trying
to get at – is like how can the County and GMAC help the situation. I mean even
we need to understand this. If Mauna Kea State Park take over – or Adopt the
Park Program for the County or adopt one trail at a County level – fine! But give
us that permission at the State level – the County through the State. Just like
Friends of the Park – they killed the park. Well, at the State level through the
County. So we’re asking for my part. How can we get involved and not just
shoved down our throats? Easy, simple and not have say, you know, go out with
Nature Conservancy whoevers so this is what it is. No, public like help. I mean I
get one pile guys just waiting for that fence! They don’t make that fence but I got
boys that going just come there with their own posts \[unclear\] pounders and
pound those fence. They just needed somebody to purchase it. So we worked it
out because that was benefiting us.
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Chair Lodge: Kalani…
K. De Coito: But no, she needs to know this kind of stuff that is what we need to
work on and yeah, I understand. But she needs to be enlightened that now, we
here for her too, and we understand that.
Chair Lodge: \[Unclear\] you need to convey…
K. De Coito: No I want to do it all publically. The public with everybody can hear
that – that she knows and not hearsay. Everybody on record. Thank you.
Chair Lodge: Do ley noted . Noted, right
L. Hadway: Right.
\[Laugher\]
K. De Coito: Trust me. Internet, unreal. Internet, unreal.
L. Hadway: Ask me, I know.
K. De Coito: So when meeting phone calls, by the time I reach home the guys
know what I was talking about already.
\[Laugher\]
VIII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Chair Lodge: We have some Old Business that we’re gonna postpone until next
time. Tony has some legislative stuff – trail and access stuff – he had some
issues on that. We have some properties that we’re looking at that we’ll bring
forth to the next, if they’re still available actually.
IX. NEXT MEETING:
:
Chair LodgeOur next meeting is going to be October 20 and we have some
tentative people that want to be on the agenda already so we’ll have our agenda
out early and if we can get the minutes or this maybe out in a couple of weeks if
possible or at least the summary. I appreciate that.
X. ADJOURNMENT:
Action: W. Camara moved to adjourn; seconded by M. Bartell. Motion
carried unanimously by voice vote.
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Chair Lodge adjourned the meeting at 8:54 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
Barbara Kossow
Secretary
ATTEST
Tom Lodge
Chair
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