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support CA -9 which relates to electronic notice of meetings hyperlinked to an appropriate <br />county website; CA -23 which relates to requiring public notices to be distributed by <br />electronic medium within the same time frame as newspaper publication; and CA -30 <br />which requires the County to maintain a basic website for each board to include the <br />purpose and authority of the board, information about the membership, posting of <br />agendas and providing summaries of the final actions taken. As has been suggested, <br />these could be put into one single amendment given that they all have the same purpose <br />of an informed public that is in a position to act in a timely fashion. <br />Now I am switching to CA -26. CA -26 memorialized the County's public trust <br />responsibility. This amendment adapts the corresponding public trust provision in the <br />Hawaii Constitution which the Hawaii Supreme Court recently said applies to Counties <br />and not just to the State. For me, this is simply a message to the Counties that they must <br />be mindful of its natural and cultural resource are for the benefit, not just of current <br />generation, but so too for future generations to take care for our children's children. It's <br />basically saying be farsighted and consider Hawaii and the people of Hawaii; and not <br />just for the moment. <br />Next, I want to support CA -29. CA -29 provides for a more educational role for the office <br />of the prosecuting attorney and adds that to his role. I just want to support this kind of <br />preventative action. I worked with the department of corrections in Vermont, and I <br />observed close hand the importance of a preventative, pro- active role by law enforcement <br />and prosecuting attorneys offices. I support the expansion of his role, and thank him for <br />proposing this Charter amendment. <br />Next, I want to oppose CA -37. CA -37 reduces and revises the authority of the office <br />research and development to instead by only the economic development department with <br />a narrower economic focus. I realize this proposed amendment is well intentioned by our <br />Mayor, especially in these economic times, but in essence it pits short-term economic <br />well being as the goal, against the more holistic concept of prosperity which includes <br />social, environmental and long term, as in researched economic well being. You all are <br />the far - sighted entity as I see you, and I hope you keep that viewpoint in mind. <br />Next I have a comment on CA -31. CA -31 removes agriculture and energy from the <br />research and development department and creates a new department for solely agriculture <br />and energy. Were the economy on the upswing, I would be more supportive of <br />continuing to support this Charter amendment; but out of concern for adding more top - <br />end bureaucracy, I've not continued to lobby for this proposal. I am, however, <br />concerned; I was upset to see the research and development department object to the <br />creation of a website for its energy advisory committee, and for the soon to be established <br />Ag food advisory committee. If those two citizen advisory committees don't even <br />deserve to have a website, I don't see that research and development would be doing <br />what they say they are doing and making that these areas are of critical importance. I do <br />believe when I spoke to Randy, that he was more amenable to this proposal, and as I <br />explained to him, there are plenty of people who would do this free of charge, and they <br />can build it and work on it over time. <br />E <br />