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MRS. KOBAYASHI: What would the benefits be? Because <br /> you' re semiautonomous, are our rates lower? I don' t understand. <br /> All this. time I didn' t realize you were semiautonomous. So, I <br /> don' t know. Well, maybe we need to go back to the charter, first <br /> and second and third charter minutes again as to why you are <br /> semiautonomous. What would the benefits be and what would the <br /> disadvantages be? <br /> MR. FUJIMOTO: Well, water being a very important <br /> commodity, we' re just like a public utility. I think it can be <br /> run better with one organization just concentrating on nothing but <br /> water. It doesn' t have to go to different committees. We can <br /> work things faster, accomplish more if we can concentrate our <br /> efforts on water. Water is our business. <br /> MR. TRULSON: If you were not semiautonomous, what <br /> other would you have to do? <br /> MR. FUJIMOTO: Well, we' ll have to just operate <br /> just like a public works department. We' ll have to make a reports <br /> to the Finance Committee or the Public Works Committee and they' ll <br /> have to go to committee to committee before we can make a decision. <br /> Under our water commission, we just stay within the commission <br /> and department. They are standard. <br /> I would like to mention here that our accounts are audited by an <br /> independent auditor, same as all utilities, same-,as the county, <br /> and right now the council appoints the auditors to audit our books <br /> as far as financing and legislative auditing. They check on our <br /> operations. <br /> MR. OMONAKA: Under this set up, will this give you <br /> an incentive to be more efficient? <br /> MR. FUJIMOTO: That' s right. Through my experience, <br /> I find that-- I used to work for the public works department'pprior <br /> to being with the water department. I find that our employees are <br /> motivated because they have a very important duty to the public. <br /> MRS. KOBAYASHI: Mr. Fujimoto, what if you were <br /> autonomous? What would happen then, you think? You know, com- <br /> pletely outside of the county, like Helco is, for instance? <br /> MR. FUJIMOTO: Then, the part is the finances. <br /> We' ll have problems with finances. Like Helco, their stockholders, <br /> they've got a problem with their stockholders. They've got to <br /> make so much profit for their stockholders. Who is our stockholders? <br /> Our stockholders are the customers and they' ll profit. So whatever <br /> we make is for the interest of the public, our customers. We can <br /> make sure that their water services is good, they have good water, <br /> and wherever we extend our system, we can do that. We don' t have <br /> to tack on too much profit, or we don' t have to worry about those <br /> things. And we' d like to be responsible to the public, that' s <br /> one of the things. <br /> Another thing, too, is fortunately, we can go to the legislature <br /> to get CIP funds. They cannot. They have to float their own <br /> bands and thiss one of the reasons why the cost of electricity <br /> is high as compared to water. <br /> - 33 - <br />