MIN CHARTER 2019-02-08 (2018-2020)

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Hawaii County Charter Commission -8 February 8, 2019 and it appeared, it seemed that it might be useful to at least identify how we would have the hearings run, so that everybody has an idea of what to expect. So, I would be interested if there are any questions or comments that anybody has, any modifications that you might have, or anything that we have forgotten to put in here? I guess I would say for the record that generally the idea is that obviously we want to have hearings that are... allow for the public to be heard and for all to have an equal opportunity to be beard, and for those opportunities to be conducted in a safe way. As far as Commissioners are concerned, it is our opportunity to listen, and not necessarily engage in dialogue, we get the chance to engage in dialogue up on the dais when we are in a regular meeting. This is not a regular meeting. This is a hearing. I would ask our legal counsel is there anything that we need to be specifically aware of as we are in a public hearing as opposed to a regular meeting, that you would like to share with us? MR. YOSHIMOTO: No. Not at this time. No. CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Alright, are there any... yes? Commissioner Galimba. MS. GALIMBA: So, I understand your purpose in limiting public testimony to five minutes, but potentially we have multiple, we will have multiple amendments that are substantial and I think that might be a bit draconian to limit people to five minutes if they have something that they, you know, really want to say on multiple amendments. So, yeah, I... and, I have been thinking perhaps we could limit it to seven or another possibility would be if the Commissioners felt that this person had important information and should be, that they wanted to hear more, that we could waive it. So that is basically what I have to say. CHR. ADAMS: Thanks. Commissioner Hopkins. MR. HOPKINS: I understand Commissioner Galimba's concerns on this one here. I respectfully disagree because again, basically, I don't want to be... not being flippant on it, I don't want to be there until two o'clock in the morning. If people are going on there. People do have the opportunity to submit written testimony and I think the five minute thing is they can submit their written testimony, and then they can do the summary, and if they can't do the summary within five minutes, I think maybe they are rambling. So, that is my personal opinion. CHR. ADAMS: Okay. Any other comments? Commissioner Rice. Page 22