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<br />districts.
<br />HERKES: No, no, no.
<br />RAY: Because that's exactly my argument why the nine districts make a
<br />lot more sense, and the dynamic on this island is more geographic than population. I
<br />think the difficulty, when you create these larger districts, and especially when you
<br />come from West Hawaii, and you have to work in Hilo, and then represent an even
<br />larger district, that it just becomes about impossible to physically service that
<br />community, especially when you get the larger districts. It's not nearly the issue in Hilo.
<br />It's easy. These guys work in Hilo. Geographically they represent a relatively small
<br />district. So, it's a fraction of the time in terms of commuting, just to get around and all,
<br />but anyway.
<br />MARTIN: One more thing, if I may, Bill, that you made mention of, and I'd like
<br />to thank you for coming out and dialogue is great, and I think we need more of this to
<br />stimulate us when we do go back and, if in fact, we're going to change anything,
<br />ho'omalimali what we've got here. But I'm a mechanic by trade and I went through a
<br />journeyman program with four years as an apprentice, and you made mention about the
<br />jump off for this at -large to go to Mayor. 1 think it's a great opportunity for the public at -
<br />large to look at the potential runners that possibly would be Mayor down the road at
<br />some point in time. So actually, again, to me, it's a win situation. That's just my opinion
<br />on that.
<br />RAY: Okay. Fred Holschuh, come up.
<br />HOLSCHUH: Thank you. I'm Fred Holschuh from Honokaa and I wanted to
<br />make a comment about the Fire Commission, if 1 may. But John, with your permission,
<br />may I just make three other quick comments? Is that legit?
<br />RAY: Oh, sure, sure.
<br />HOLSCHUH: First of all, I want to thank you folks for what you're doing, on
<br />behalf of all of us. Quite honestly, it is relatively shameful that there's not more people
<br />here today, but I really think you're doing a terrific job with this.
<br />Secondly, how would the Environmental Services thing be if you just called it
<br />Department of the Environment, because that, sort of, leaves you with this good sense
<br />of being the environment, encompassing all these things including, as you folks
<br />suggested, the recycling initiatives. And I just throw this out as a thought.
<br />And the third thing is we are, I presume, when this is done and voted on, going to
<br />rewrite the book, the Charter book. Will that be rewritten? Okay, because that's fairly
<br />cumbersome with this stuff all stuffed in it and so forth.
<br />I wanted to make a comment about the Fire Commission, and I'm speaking in favor of
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