2018-04-12 Hearing Transcript - Hamakua CDP

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My father, grandfather, great-grandfather, all worked on the Hamakua Sugar Plantation until it actually closed the year that I graduated from high school ironically. I am female. I am Native Hawaiian. In general terms, I am still considered as being on the younger end of the age spectrum. I am a mom to a twelve-year old following in his father's footsteps to be a rancher, leasing land here in Kukuihaele. I brought all of this with me to each CDP Steering Committee meeting because when I committed to this process, I threw myself all in. Little did I know at that time how long the process would take. So, I lost track of the meeting numbers after a certain point, life got busy, but let me help to contextualize. Since starting as a member of the Steering Committee, I lost my grandfather, and not only did I start a PhD program but I also completed it before this process was over. I bring this up because it helps to personalize this process for me at least. This plan captures the essence of why this plan is important. As we continue to lose beloved members of our community, it is our obligation to preserve those elements of our community that make this place that we call home so special. If we don't do it, who else will? The purpose for sharing my recent educational journey is really to highlight the importance of lifelong learning and continued education in the process. This is what I'm most passionate about. Our collective future is dependent on our educated community and workforce. A CDP that provides pathways and opportunities for ongoing education, which I firmly believe this plan does, is what I support. This is about the future of our community. So, for a moment I'll put on my hat as the vice chair for the CDP Steering Committee. I firmly believe we upheld a credible process that was collaborative in nature. Yes, it was contentious at times, yet we benefitted from that because that's when we needed to dig just a bit deeper to re- ground ourselves in the values and vision of this plan. It's important to also know the CDP Steering Committee voted in approval of the CDP in December 2016; that's what we sent to the Planning Director. So, I'm taking off my hat now as the CDP vice chair, and want to mention what's happened since then. As shared, multiple agencies with expertise in different areas provided feedback to the Planning Department and the Planning Director used that information to inform his recommendations to the CDP that you now have in front of you tonight. I respect the process as much as the individuals and their expertise in their respective areas. I must. I'm a government employee. I was selected and continued to be employed for the credentials that I bring to my role each and every day. This is the democracy upon which we have to remind ourselves a government must be built upon. So, we must be careful about the extent to which we question the expert advice from people who are hired into positions specifically because of those credentials. So, while the CDP Steering Committee did not vote to approve the most recent version of the draft, I personally am in support of this version as well. I personally am not insulted by the feedback that this version of the plan, for the record I personally am not insulted by the feedback included in this version that includes suggestions made by County experts. I am in no position to question their position or their expertise. I also don't feel it was necessary to come back to the CDP as that meeting was open to the community where testimony was accepted and is on record with the Planning Department for future reference. I don't believe that it was a take it or leave it proposition. We did have conversation among the Steering Committee members that night. And, I did not ever expect it to come back to the CDP Steering Committee after it was sent to the Planning Director nor do I expect it to come back after you see it tonight or after the Council sees it at the next phase. We have spent enough time in this phase of the process. EXHIBIT A 20