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MRS. IRVINE: Mr. Chairman and commissioners. <br /> My name is Susan Irvine and I am speaking for myself tonight. <br /> Prior to tonight I was reading you were bothered by lack of <br /> public input to your proceedings. I know not anymore. We <br /> have plenty of people here tonight. <br /> I felt that maybe it would be a good idea to <br /> have further public input after your commission comes up with <br /> possible subject areas to be addressed. It is difficult for <br /> the public to do their homework for input without knowing <br /> what the commission is proposing. Many people don ' t know <br /> what is presently in the charter. It hasn ' t been recently <br /> published in our local papers and I think if you genuinely <br /> want input you should do some background research. Make <br /> preliminary proposals and then ask for public input. <br /> My second area of concern , as it is often <br /> called politely, is apportionment. Other people call it <br /> gerrymandering. It is a subject that has been previously <br /> mentioned this evening. I have no specific proposal on the <br /> problem at this time. I do feel that I would personally feel <br /> cheated, in some sense, if I were from a district where I was <br /> represented on the county council by someone who did not <br /> receive endorsement from those living in my district. <br /> My third concern. We've all been through the <br /> Con Con election. Please avoid the absolutely mind-boggling <br /> ballot format with which we were faced last fall . Combining <br /> conflicting proposals into one yes-no vote without, in some <br /> cases, ever` publishing the entire content of the amendment <br /> was a disaster. True democracy, a government by the people, <br /> cannot survive that sort of confusion. <br /> Now for a moment I would like to speak for the <br /> League of Women Voters of Hawaii County. We ask that there <br /> be no backsliding on the issue of Sunshine in our county. <br /> Section 13-20 of the charter calls for open records and <br /> meetings. We are in total agreement with the concept. Please <br /> retain this section as it is . <br /> Thank you. <br /> CHAIRMAN SAKATA: Thank you very much, Mrs. Irvine. <br /> Mr. Sam Wallis, Jr. , our next speaker is no longer <br /> in attendance. We do have Mr. Bruce McCall . Mr. McCall . <br /> MR. MCCALL: My name is -BruceMcCall. .I live at <br /> 1859 Waianuenue Avenue here in Hilo. <br /> Mr. Chairman, I did not plan to testify but as <br /> I told Mr. Yamada, perhaps a rebuttal of some of the things might <br /> be in order. I do have opinions on almost every part of the <br /> charter but perhaps I. should limit myself to commissions at this <br /> time. <br /> -31- <br />