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MR. GARRISON:' No, that power was to remain <br /> with the mayor and the_.administrative end of the government. <br /> MR. ISHIDA: My feeling again was if the <br /> removal portion-is whether if we give the council some power <br /> of action as that, that . maybe .would not the pendulum be <br /> going back to again too much? I don 't know, that is my <br /> personal feeling, right 'now. Maybe you could expand on that. <br /> MR.GARRISON : We felt it would bring the <br /> pendulum back from the older position as Gordon has said , <br /> back to a more even center position. It is certainly not <br /> designed to be an overkill. <br /> MR. ISHIDA: I understand that. I am just <br /> trying to see what the feasibility is and practicality is <br /> as far as the administration is concerned where you have two ' <br /> bodies fighting each other all the time. Thank you. <br /> CHAIRMAN SAKATA: Mr. Garrison , have you <br /> people ever looked into this term of office for councilmen <br /> . . .it looks like this four years must be the magic number all <br /> the time. Everybody talks about four years for the term .of <br /> office and right now they are talking about staggered terms. <br /> Have you ever looked into this as a two year term or three <br /> year term? <br /> MR. GARRISON : Yes , we did consider two year <br /> terms on.. a staggered basis as well . The rationale behind <br /> the four year was we felt that the two year basis would -have <br /> the elected representative back running for office more-than <br /> he was legislating and trying to keep in favor with his <br /> people and not giving him a chance. Also the four year <br /> staggered term we felt would possibly help eliminate_ the_ _ _ <br /> problem we faced at the last change of council; when the <br /> whole slate was wiped out and a___new slate started. Many -of. <br /> them politically naive in their handling affairs and it did <br /> create some problems at the- legislative level to the point <br /> that wefinallyhad Harvey Tajiri resign his position and <br /> we changed the council again. We lost six to eight months, <br /> or longer, of legislative process. It ' s an expertise to be <br /> able to handle the legislative process and know the ins and <br /> outs. By having the staggered terms and by having the <br /> possibility of not having a whole new slate of officers on <br /> an election to election basis we would have a better flow <br /> from the legislative end of the county council. Therefore, <br /> we felt four years on a staggered basis from district to <br /> district would give that person a chance to set in , get • <br /> acquainted and know where- and when he was going and how he <br /> was going to be able to operate- within the confines of the <br /> laws and the regulations that are set up for him. <br /> CHAIRMAN SAKATA: I see the merit of a <br /> staggered. term because I think from some of the rumblings <br /> that I have heard that to keep a councilman in office for four <br /> years and not be able to really represent his constituents i-s <br /> going to be a really heavy burden on the voters. So what you <br /> - 20 - <br />