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MS. KAWAUCHI: I had a question. Are we able to ask for comment from - - -I had a question for Mr. Takaba following Ms. Wille's testimony. Is it possible to ask him that question now, or do we wait until later to ask that question? CHR. HAITSUKA: Does it relate to something on our agenda? MS. KAWAUCHI: It relates to something that Ms. Wille testified to. CHR. HAITSUKA: But is it something we are going to cover on our agenda that we can call him up for then? MS. KAWAUCHI: Good question. The question had to do with Ms. Wille's suggestion concerning the creation of a new department, which I don't remember being on the agenda as a proposed amendment. MS. WILLE: Under the Environmental Management - -- CHR. HAITSUKA: Why don't we finish the public testimony first, and then we can call on Mr. Takaba. Thank you. Next we have Barbara Lively. Good afternoon, Ms. Lively. BARBARA LIVELY (At this time Barbara Lively came forward to address members of the Charter Commission.) MS. LIVELY: Good afternoon. I've been taken out of order, but that's okay. I want to start by thanking you all for taking on this responsibility and thank you for doing this work for us. It's very important work, so thank you. I just have three comments, and I should be able to wrap it up in three minutes. First of all, I'm opposed to any change in the council term limits. I'm opposed to that because I think that waiting four years in between elections, denies public participation in the process. It also delays our ability to make changes that we want to make. It also encourages complacency and apathy in the process because after waiting three years, you just throw your hands up in the air and say, oh well. I can understand that it can save us money in the long run to not have to have elections every two years, but I think that the social costs, or the social loss, should outweigh that worry. I also think that elections are actually opportunities for community building and relationship building within communities. Politics are discussed, it comes around every two years, people get excited, they help each other, they attend fundraisers, parties, whatever. So, I see it as an opportunity to build communities, and build relationships within communities. I also have just a few questions about changing the council terms to four years. How would that affect the House Bill 661, and that's the comprehensive public funding option for the County Council races here in Hawaii County? From my understanding, the House Bill sets up a program for the 2010 election, the 2012 election, and the 2014 election. If we move to four years in 2010, what will that do to the 2012 election? I would like to have an answer on that, but I probably won't get one today. But, I'm thinking that, if you change the council terms, then in some way you are kind of 5