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SANTANGELO: Richard, in reference to this, people like John and <br />myself who just filed, do we have to do it again? <br />• WURDEMAN: I would say yes, it's a different position. Any <br />questions on that? Second, the Sunshine Law. As a commission set up to do <br />very important business, you are subject to Chapter 92 of HRS, which is <br />commonly called The Sunshine Law. Essentially that means that all of your <br />proceedings have to be in public, in the open, and properly noticed. There some <br />exceptions. Before I get into the exceptions, let me say that there is a lot of <br />people in this County who come to all kinds of meetings with all kinds of opinions <br />about the Sunshine Law and sometimes these opinions, to be quite frank about it <br />in my opinion, are merely rendered to sort of sabotage the orderly proceeding of <br />government. So you shouldn't be intimidated by it, but it is the law. The <br />penalties are, conceivably, though I've never known anyone to be prosecuted for <br />it, subject to, it's a misdemeanor. There are criminal penalties. The exceptions: <br />Some of these exceptions are new, relatively new, and they were put in as sort of <br />a utilization of the law because of the hardships of the original form of the law put <br />on doing business. There is one for emergency meetings, which I doubt if you'll <br />ever use, but it's there, if there's an imminent peril to the public's health, safety or <br />welfare. There are others. One is to consider and evaluate personal information <br />relating to individuals applying for licenses, that doesn't apply to you. To <br />consider hiring, evaluation, dismissal or discipline of an officer or an employee, <br />which may or may not apply. I don't know if whether arrangements have been <br />made or whether there will be staff retained by you. To consult with the board's <br />attorneys on questions and issues pertaining to the powers, duties, privileges, <br />immunities and liabilities — that is most commonly used when there is a law suit <br />filed. We hope that doesn't happen. It's sometimes misused, not to my <br />knowledge in this County, but I've seen it misused at the State level in particular, <br />where Boards think that if they go into their back room with their attorneys that <br />they can do anything that they want, and I recommend against that. Here's <br />one: To consider matters relating to the acceptance of private donations. That <br />probably won't apply. And there is a prohibition against "chance meetings". So, <br />beware of that. "No chance meeting shall be used to circumvent the spirit or <br />requirements of this party". A new section that was put in in 1996, and some of <br />you may not be fully aware of it, "92-2.5. Permitted Interactions of Members. <br />A. Two members of a Board may communicate or interact privately between <br />themselves to gather information from eachother about official matters to enable <br />to perform their duties faithfully so long (and this is the important point) as no <br />commitment to vote is made or sought." So, two of you on your way home to <br />Kohala or wherever can talk about Board business, but be very careful about <br />promising your vote. B. Two or more members of a Board but Tess than a <br />quorum, may be assigned to investigate. matters relating to board business <br />providing that the scope of each members' authority is defined at the meeting of <br />the Board, all resulting findings and recommendations are presented to the <br />Board at a meeting of the Board and deliberation is held at the Board. That <br />provides that should a particular matter come before you and you want to appoint <br />