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considered in terms of what infrastructure was going in, in the County. The community folks <br />had no voice in terms of public facilities and infrastructure. With that background, the <br />Community Development Plans were implemented. In South Kohala, Mayor Kim had a <br />community group that assisted. Everybody could submit their name, and write up why they <br />wanted to do it and what their interests were. Then, Mayor Kim made the final decision who <br />was in it. It does say, a broad base, so the Planning Department came up with those names, <br />interviewed people, and went on that basis. I know in Puna there have been a lot of questions <br />going on currently. I know how it worked in North and South Kohala. In Puna there were 31 <br />people, and the Mayor was concerned that it wasn't fully representative. I can really only <br />speak for South Kohala. <br />MR. LINGER: So, the Mayor initiated it. <br />MS.WILLE: Roy Takemoto and Nancy and all of them initiated the process, and based on <br />what you read in the General Plan. This General Plan is implemented by setting up <br />Community Development Plans to provide input. How do we deal with getting from the <br />individuals to the County? By having these groups, it would enable them to see what is going <br />on, to have a more educated say, so you don't have a room that is totally absent here. The <br />people that can speak on these issues are the people that would be - - -I mean I would like to see <br />if these were formed, if the South Kohala one were formed, I would say we would come and <br />testify to you. <br />MS. JARMAN: Can I add something to that? <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: Go ahead, Ms. Hecht. <br />MS. HECHT: The issue - -and the reason that I started thinking about this too - -is that the <br />Boards and Commissions are selected or nominated by the Mayor, and then approved by <br />Council. The Puna Community Development Plan (CDP) was formed during this <br />administration and the Kona CDP and the Kohala CDP were both formed during the Kim <br />administration. For Puna, 31 people applied, and just a few people were selected. Some <br />people that were not selected were highly qualified, and the community got really upset about <br />it. It came to the point where the Friends of Puna, under the Freedom of Information Act, <br />asked for what the criteria was, who had applied, and how were they being chosen. At that <br />point, the Mayor stopped the proceedings for the criteria, went back to start all over, because <br />they were worried, they had a legal worry. <br />That got me to thinking, and that's why I came before you about the boards and commissions. <br />What are the criteria by which people are selected? Maybe, since island wide is usually district <br />specific, meaning most of the commissions are island wide commissions. Most of them are <br />from each district, and most of the time council members know who is around, who is active, <br />who is knowledgeable. So, to me it makes more sense that on island wide commissions, the <br />council members would nominate, and then the mayor approves and does background checks. <br />Obviously, you do not want a criminal on some board, or someone with a serious conflict of <br />interest. That is probably best done by the Mayor's office. What Margaret is saying is true, <br />and that is why I came up with the criteria being posted on the internet and also the bio of the <br />21 <br />