2017-04-10 Joint Meeting Exh A (Amend Commission Rules)

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and other issues of concern to the County’s residents that might not be noted by the parties to the contested case. Certainly, you have the authority to limit the length of testimony by each testifier, which authority you usually exercise. What more authority do you really need, and why do you want to close your eyes and your ears to potentially valuable information by preventing the public from exercising its right to present important information in contested cases, to say nothing of its right to know that such a case is being heard? I’ve not yet heard a really satisfactory answer to those questions, and I urge you to vote to protect our rights and against the proposed amendments to Rule 4. If it ain’t broke, please don’t fix it. Mahalo for your attention. KIMATA: My name is Arlene Kimata, and I’m from Hilo. I drove all the way because it was that important to me to speak to you about this issue again about the contested case changes that are being proposed. I am none of the things that Mr. Gimpel in terms of his, his background and his currently obligations to government. I have none of those things. I’m just a private citizen, and I wanted to say that if you think that it’s really better for your neighbor, your grandma, your children, to stay silent through any of these processes that are before this Commission, you’re in the wrong job. It’s really important at whatever level, that this Commission is looking at issues, that the ordinary person from the public, not a lobbyist, not an attorney, is able to come in and state their ideas, because I know from personal experience that there are a lot of barriers that come forth for any private citizen without an attorney, without a lobbyist, without all of that training that you all in this room have to come before and state your opinion. It’s really hard. You have to give up time to research. You have to give up time to figure out where on the agenda – and by the way, it’s really hard to find your agendas on your website, on the County website. At the meeting it’s really intimidating to come forward into a room of insiders that seem to be a lot smarter about how to do things and what to say. And so, I understand corporate, Corporation Counsel and the rest, you know, other people here may think that it’s more important to save money and time in proceedings that seem to not require public input, but I have to say that as far as the individual citizen in this community, things get in the way of coming forth at the right time when you want them to come forth. For example, there may be a job, illness, travel, you know, whatever else, you may not be able to come forth at the time you are called. And, so whatever point the public citizen can come forth, whether it’s inconvenient for you or for other intervenors, I think it’s important that you allow that input to be made. Thank you very much. Please, don’t make it harder for individuals to come forth and give you their thoughts about what you are considering. UNGER: Thank you. You may be seated. Michael Matsukawa and Mac McInnis. 18 EXHIBIT A