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Commission would be handling those which have broader public <br /> interest requiring public hearing. But, in many instances ,. <br /> you have variances that affect no one but the property owner <br /> and maybe the adjacent property owner. <br /> MR. ISHIDA: Onemore question.' On this <br /> statement that you said the .legislative branch should have, <br /> its own staff support.. I know there is always a problem of <br /> duplication. To what extent are you suggesting that the <br /> council have its ownsupport staff? <br /> MR. FUKE: At this point if is difficult <br /> to predict exactly how many bodies they should have like <br /> that. But I amjust looking at, for example, the State <br /> Legislature. They do have an attorney. But they don ' t <br /> necessarily have a chief engineer, a planning director or <br /> what have you but they just pick out the most necessary <br /> staff support to provide all of the collective functions <br /> of the legislative branch. <br /> MR. ISHIDA: Today we are concerned with <br /> the Department of Planning and what about in the area of <br /> planning? Do you suggest that the council should have its <br /> own support staff there? <br /> MR. FUKE : Not necessarily, I think it would <br /> more readily. . .if you have, for example, a council services <br /> office like in the City and County of Honolulu, I think <br /> inasmuch. as these positions are all kind of like exempt <br /> positions , I think it would really be up to the existing <br /> council , at that point in time, what kinds of positions that <br /> they would need. In the City and County of Honolulu, for, <br /> example, I know that they do have a planner by the name of <br /> Ali Sheybarii.ry , `But whether when you have a new council <br /> they need tohave a person with that kind of background is <br /> questionable. But I think some amount of latitude should <br /> be given to the council instead of spe-1`ling:. out:`specifically <br /> what kinds of positions should be within the council . <br /> MR. TRULSON: Mr. Fuke, I 'd just like to <br /> go back to the very beginning of your presentation and <br /> by eliminating the necessity of the council approving the <br /> director' s appointment by the mayor, do you feel that this <br /> would remove much of the politics from your position and <br /> it would, perhaps , benefit the county by perhaps a better <br /> job being done? <br /> MR. FUKE: I think it would eliminate, not <br /> necessarily, the politics of it all, but I think what it <br /> would minimize is like the appearance of politics.. This is <br /> why in response to Mr. Cadinha°s question, I think, that there <br /> are several alternatives . in terms of--like if you go back in <br /> history again like the Water Commission, the Police, the <br /> Civil Service and also like the Planning. They were all , at <br /> one point in time Ie:garded as being really sacred kinds of <br /> commissions because they were afraid of the influence of <br /> politics. And to a large extent it still prevails within the <br /> ( lanning arena. They hav kind of like toyed around with <br /> different kinds of alternatives in terms of therefore how <br /> you handle it and one form was, of course, to make sure you <br /> - 19 - <br />