CHC 1979-05-15 PH - Laserfiche WebLink

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MR. SAMESHIMA: That portion--remember we actually, if we meet once a week we are entitled to the pay. That is , once a week, except on budget review when we have at least two additional days a week . It' s just for about three weeks, three to four weeks. I don ' t think there is that much work that the councilman is doing. Although part-time, you get telephone calls and a lot of times we take trips to association meetings and things like that in Kona and Kohala, wherever we are called, to, if we have the time. Still then, , as a businessman, I still have time to run my business . I do a lot outside of my regular council duties. Another thing, if any public official runs for office with the intention of making a living , these guys are easily bought. And I know politicians, they won ' t come out and tell you but they take something under the table, a lot of them. So this is another thing, if you think about it, eleven councilmen , it ' s at least you ' ve got to have seven votes. You have a chairman and a chairman to control seven--and then, you know, I 'm a big corporation and I need something to be introduced or some project should be done to benefit me. Heck , boy, I 'm going to have a hell of a time getting to reach the seven guys. But , nine is better than seven . Seven , cheap, they get away cheap, they buy them. Now this is another important area. We should consolidate a lot of these departments. I feel that the public works , parks and recreation , and department of water supply, you have one chief. You don ' t need three different chiefs. In a lot of these departments they have the same kind of equipment to maintain whatever they have to--maintain their roads or equipment. Mechanics , each department has a mechanic foreman. You needonly one foreman. If you have a dump'ctruck, most of the time three departments have three dump trucks. There is very seldom that you will find the three dump trucks all go out and do a full day' s work. I think this way we can reduce costs. This is another area I think this commission should consider. I 'm hoping that the public will come out and express their opinion. I understand that the last hearing is going to be in Kona? That ' s the last hearing? And give the people a chance to vote and see their reaction. Because if it doesn ' t work in ten years we can change it again. Number five--if you know exactly how much it costs to run the mayor system of government--I feel we should eliminate that system. . .The way we have it now, it' s too much overhead. Number six--provide forcounty council to hire a city or county manager. One of the reasons is the manager will be responsible to either nine, or seven, or eleven councilmen , whichever you are going to decide to put on the ballot. They are going to be more responsive to the people. I think it is about time that government should be responsive. Number seven, I have recall . This is to keep the politicians honest. If they do anything shady and if they get caught they know the people can vote them out of office. Because I know and you know there is corruption. Remove ineffective officials , you know, maybe like mea I talk too much. -21-