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recommendation, a separation. And then, if you had the refuse, and you let that get too <br />• far in there, there was impacts financially on the public that were very negative and <br />they could articulate that a lot better than I can, but there was very clear areas where <br />they departed. <br />HIGASHI: Mr. Chair. <br />RAY: Yes? <br />HIGASHI: Is there a sense of support to having this department, and we kind <br />of take it to the next step in terms of committee work? Is that where we should go? It <br />seems there's a lot of small questions. <br />RAY: I'm a little bit taken off guard. We had two communications from <br />Recycle Hawaii, and one, and I thought we were focusing on that a little more, was a <br />committee or a Commission for solid waste and the environment. But in an earlier <br />communication, they had talked about a Department of the Environment, so both are <br />certainly possibilities. So, it sounds like there's certainly a level of interest, that we <br />should explore this. <br />HERKES: I think there is. I don't know. Gary? <br />• YOSHIYAMA: Let me interject a couple of things. First of all, regarding <br />privatization or managed competition. These are being discussed, or handled, right <br />now in the State government because last year, I believe, a bill was passed that <br />created a Commission, or Board, to talk about privatization and moving, at least State <br />Government, and we've got to follow some of those laws, or setting up a mechanism for <br />managed competition, and setting limits, or parameters, for privatization. So that is <br />being done, and it's supposed to make a report to the Legislature this 2000 legislative <br />session. <br />Regarding Department or Commission. I'm a little stuck here because I don't know <br />whether or not our County has a policy on the disposition of waste and recycling. And <br />so, without some kind of direction, or policy, I would lean towards a Commission, rather <br />than setting up a department, because all of us here may have a different idea as to <br />what's the function of the department. So, anyway, that's where I'm at right now. <br />WEST: Could I say something to maybe clear a few things up? <br />RAY: Sure. <br />WEST: I would shy away from the word 'environmental' because you're <br />also dealing with air quality. The State Health Department seems to have the run of <br />things, and also within the State Health Department, they have a Recycling <br />Department, and so the whole word 'environmental' is another animal that, I think, the <br />