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When I look at this, it is sort of involved. The first part in this proposed new section talks
<br />about the fund itself, how it is established, and how deposits are made. It is very important to
<br />have that in there so that when the deposits are actually made by the Department of Finance,
<br />which would be twice a year after property taxes are collected. It is also important to include
<br />the purpose clause so this fund then can be used to acquire the land as was stated in the
<br />initiative petition. It is also important to lay out how the Commission is appointed, and then
<br />the duties and responsibilities of the Commission, so they are all in the Charter. The
<br />prioritized list, this last year in front of the Council, there was quite a bit of political
<br />wrangling over the prioritized list. They did finally come up with the list of five, but really,
<br />the problem we found was that several of the properties that were originally prioritized
<br />weren't even for sale. Now, yes, the County could go out and condemn, but that's fairly
<br />widely unpopular to condemn land for parks property or recreation. So, we put in here that
<br />ten properties should be prioritized, so the Department of Finance can move through them.
<br />So, we ask you to put this on the ballot once again and let the people decide. There has been
<br />island wide support for this as a Charter Amendment. It maybe should have been done as a
<br />Charter Amendment initially, so we are asking you to put it on the ballot.
<br />I wanted to move on to Communication 47, which is about Boards and Commissions. This is
<br />a pretty simple change, and the reason that I am bringing this forward is because, as I
<br />understand it, in Puna for their CDP Action Committee, there were quite a few people that
<br />applied - -I'm not sure if someone from Puna wants to correct me, if I'm wrong - -I think there
<br />were about 30 people that applied and they were in the process of doing this, and there were
<br />problems with it. I know the Friends of Puna's Future ended up asking for disclosure as to
<br />the criteria for appointments and also to look at the applications. Instead of the Mayor's
<br />office to bring that forward, they went back and started over, which is one of the reasons for
<br />the delay for their appointments.
<br />As I thought about this further, and I looked at the existing part of Section 13 -4, on Boards
<br />and Commissions, I saw that the Mayor is the person who brings forward the nominations to
<br />the Council. Now, most of the Boards and Commissions, when I looked at it are island wide,
<br />which means that out of each there is one seat per district. Now, a Mayor in Hilo cannot
<br />really know what in Kona, Ka`u, or Kohala, who is on the street doing their volunteer work,
<br />is well informed, and who is engaged and involved in the community. For that reason I feel
<br />it's most important for the Council members to make the nomination, send them to the
<br />Mayor's office, get the Mayor's feedback and recommendations and background check, and
<br />then it goes back to the Council to be voted upon by the County Council, and approved or
<br />rejected. At the time that it is approved or rejected by the County Council, the public has
<br />their input on the whole issue. I think that is a much more fair process. I think that right
<br />now, a lot of the boards and commissions are heavily weighted with people that are - -I don't
<br />want to say a political pay back, but -- certainly cronies of the sitting Mayor. I don't know if
<br />that really serves the island well in terms of those people who are actually informed and
<br />involved in their particular community.
<br />So, that's why I'm bringing this forward. In addition, this amendment also includes that
<br />information shall be posted on a website that lays out what the qualifications and criteria for
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