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like the planning department. As far as the qualification <br /> being engineer, I really don ' t think it is necessary. I think <br /> all of the departments on the county level ought to have <br /> administrative experience rather than the technical experience <br /> because the technicians are covered by your various civil <br /> service. Engineers, your division chiefs all have your <br /> expertise. I don ' t think it is necessary to have to limit it <br /> to engineer, water board engineer. By the way, I am not knocking <br /> the present guy. This is not a personal attack on anybody. <br /> I want to make that very clear. Because a lot of times I have <br /> been hearing that after I make the statement, it was a personal <br /> attack. It is NOT in any way intended as such. For example, <br /> Ed Harada is the chief engineer. I-Ie has his degree. He does <br /> a marvelous' job. No quarrel . But I don ' t think it is necessary <br /> to put that restrictive a language in there. <br /> it is like a stockbroker being a manager, you <br /> know what I mean. You don ' t have to get a degree, right? <br /> MR. ISHIDA: Mr. Mayor. On this water funding, <br /> as I understand it , the state does provide, specifically, grants <br /> for development of water resources, I believe, for construction <br /> of pipelines or whatever. I don ' t know this and this is why <br /> I am asking, in the event the water board loses its semiautonomous <br /> state, is there the danger that such grants may be cutt off? <br /> MAYOR MATAYOSHI : No. I doubt it very much. <br /> That was also posed to me by some of the legislators and I <br /> doubt very, very much if that would happen. You see on Maui, <br /> they still get a lot of money for their projects. And as far <br /> as the legislative funding goes, they have always asked when <br /> we have testified before the house finance, ways and means, <br /> how come you folks don ' t float your own bonds instead of asking <br /> us for money. That has always been the question. Then of <br /> course everybody asks. . . . . .whenever we have gone to testify I <br /> have been asked that question. I see nothing in the wind that <br /> is going to cause in any way a cutback on that. Because what <br /> we come down with, we come down with a program and we. -are saying <br /> okay, pure water act has come up and therefore in Hamakua it <br /> is going to cost x number of dollars to upgrade the lots , in <br /> North Hilo district, x number; South Hilo so much; Puna; Ka' u; <br /> Kona and on it goes all of these things are listed and what <br /> they intend to do and these are the grants and aides that we <br /> ask our representatives to help us with and they have always <br /> been very helpful. They have funded the bigger ones and also <br /> they see that the other projects should be and we give them a <br /> little extra list of things that we would like to see and they <br /> have also funded those. When we submit to the legislators , we <br /> go in County of Hawaii budget, CIP operating and CI`P; and water <br /> board herein attached. And when it comes with it we ask for <br /> the particular funds. That is how it goes. And I don ' t see <br /> and I cannot see how by being directly under the 'NL-ayor°'s office <br /> where there is going to be any problem. <br /> We ask the legislators for some of our county <br /> roads , homestead roads , for help with sewer lines , for park <br /> improvement helps, university heights, Puna Parks. We have <br /> asked for Hamakua Park , the road down to the Kulaim.anb; . _ <br /> -20- <br />