Comm No 0021.003 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fund

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To: Hawaii County Charter Commission From: Toni Withington for Ka Makani 0 Kohala Ohana - Kako'o, North Kohala Subject: Proposed changes to the Charter regarding the Open Space Fund Aloha Commissioners, The residents of North Kohala have been greatly enriched and motivated by participation in the process of purchasing community -identified important coastal lands using the County's Open Space Fund. Please see the attached brochure. We are proud to have worked with five other community groups in Kohala to nominate lands to the annual PONC priority list since it started in 2006. Currently eight North Kohala projects are on the list. Together the groups have participated in the preservation of 390 acres of coastal lands by raising $20.9 million from multiple sources, including the Open Space Fund. These include lands on the leeward coast and on the northern coast in an area identified as Kula Iwi 0 Kamehemeha - the homelands of Kamehameha I. We are very grateful for the County's role in achieving this success. We want to continue to preserve North Kohala's coastal lands with the goal of creating an open coast resource to benefit our county and the entire state. There is no accessible coastline in Hawaii with the scenic, historical and recreational open space values of Kohala. Please do not recommend changing the Charter to lower the 2% allocation to the Open Space Fund. This would be a mistake. Also do not suggest changing the provision saying land purchased "shall be held in perpetuity for the use and enjoyment of the people of Hawai'i County and may not be sold, mortgaged, traded or transferred in any way."I do not need to remind you that island voters have three times told the County to set aside funds for the permanent protection of our wahi pana. We fully understand that some residents of Hilo do not like the Open Space Fund. No properties in Hilo have been nominated to the PONC program. None of our mayors have been fully supportive of the program. It is foot -dragging, not a lack of important lands on the priority list, that has led to the build-up of the fund. We still have four projects that have County Council authorizations calling on the Finance Department to begin negotiations with owners. These have not been initiated. Still, those of us who live outside Hilo have benefitted greatly from this program. Our children and grandchildren will have access to places that our kupuna have selected to preserve for everyone. Please maintain the 2% contribution and the preservation in perpetuity portions of the charter. The Maintenance Fund sections of the charter need revision. We agree. As stewards of several coastal properties, we know that the granting process is flawed. We want to help fix that. But leave the fund alone. Malama Na Lihikai 0 Kohalanei, Toni Withington, President Comm. No. 21.3