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

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Hawai`i County Charter Commission -8 February 8, 2019 by "we" I mean the voters are saying that we want to take it out of the hands of our elected representatives. It doesn't mean they don't trust them. It means that it is important enough that that becomes one of those things that, it is just one of those priorities that we are going to, that that is going to be more important than anything else that we might come up with, or at least on an equal measure with any of the other priorities that we have listed in the Charter. And the Council can't do anything about it. And so, I have not yet come to a place in my mind, a sense in my mind where I am sure of that. I know that there are many things that can happen. Heck, we of course have seen that just in the last eight months, where things can happen, and we are asking our public servants to take care of those things for us and in partnership with us. So, all of that is to say that I don't know where I am at because I think there is a variety of things that are important to me when I am considering this and as a result, I won't necessarily go as far probably as Commissioner Hamano in saying that it needs to be put before the voters, but I think I will say that I would like to hear in the public hearings around the island, what people think about the variety of options that we have before us, and so that will be, that will be my view on how that kind of works. I mean Commissioner Hamano is right. We have other Charter Amendments, other proposals that are going to come up in front of us, and so... summarize Adams, I think that you know, how those all come out, it is going to be important to, I'd like to hear how folks feel about those as well as this particular amendment. Commissioner Zelko. MS. ZELKO-SCHLUETER: Thank you. You know as I was preparing for the meeting today and I was looking back over the minutes and thinking about this specific amendment and really to add to what Commissioner Bergin said, I do think there is a reality and I think we face it in our own homes. You know, I was having lunch with some girlfriends and we were talking about college funds for our children and you know, how much maybe the financial advisors tell us to put in and the reality is, I would like to put more in for their futures because I think education is so important, but I have a reality and it is my budget and you know things happen. My daughter had to have surgery last year and it does, it affects the budget and I do think when there are emergencies and not even in times of emergencies, but just the reality of the world that we are living in now, because one of my concerns is safety in this community. I grew up in Hilo, it is not the Hilo that I remember and so, I am conflicted because I, it is just I am conflicted. I do think there is a reality that we have to live in and you know, preserving open spaces is very important to me. I plan on living out my life here, I would like my children to live out theirs, so I just wanted to add that. CHR. ADAMS: Thank you. If there is no other discussion, then let's have a roll call vote on the motion to pass CA -7, Draft 2 as amended on first reading. Page 38