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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0080.003 2020-2022 SPC From: Janice Glennie I Sent: Monday, January 18, 2021 11:12 AM To: Council Testimony; Villegas, Rebecca Subject: Comm. 80: Mark Travalino to the Leeward Planning Commission Importance: High Please enter into the public record and distribute to all councillcolmrnittee members. lllahal . Tx C_ ERK COUNTY OF HAWAI'I Re: Communication 80: Mark Travalino to the Leeward Planning Commission RECEIVED Time 11.12 0,.Mt. Aloha council members, Date JAN 1 2021 1 am testifying strongly against the nomination of Mark Travalino to Leeward Planning Commission_ It's becoming increasingly clear that, although the mayor has nominated some folks who are qualified and not part of the development community to boards, commissions and heads of departments, he's showing his proclivity toward pro-development interests through many significant nominations including this one. I'm not saying any of them are bad people. I'm saying that adding another high-up union representative to the already solid pro-growth, no-holes-barred Leeward Planning Commission flies in the face of why past councilman Angel ­ 1­111 ago, representing the West Hawaii goose the was being raped for its golden eggs, fought so hard to have the island-wide planning commission split in two approximately a decade ago. He knew that West Hawaii needed better and more diverse representation—not a rubber-stamp, Hilo-based entity handing down judgement of what to rape next. I'm saying that this body is meant to represent a broad swathe of community interests, including supporting the tenets of the community development plans. Despite respecting him for being willing to serve in this capacity, Mr Travalino seems incapable of fulfilling that need due to his decades-long union representation. And the County Council agreed with that assessment when Mr Travalino was denied an appointment to the Kona Community Development Plan due to his strong propensity to represent development intersects in the old sense of the term -- when our county was drowning in top-down, developer-driven growth. The Leeward Planning Commission already is well-stocked with those voices including a strong union rep_ What in the world makes another one necessary or okay? Sadly, despite the best laid plans, things haven't improved even by having two planning commissions. In fact, some Leeward commissioners barely hide their disdain for anyone who dares speak against a proposed development project. It's a travesty to sit in those meetings, hear people give heartfelt, intelligent testimony regarding critical planning issues and have the commission pretty much rubber stamp any plan that comes their way_ Is it that difficult for the mayor to find even ONE person willing to sit on the planning commission who has a more balanced, nuanced perspective on land use? If it is, maybe he should try harder including maybe asking one of the West Hawaii council members to give him some names. The nomination list for one day's work is long and controversial, which also says something about the nomination process. Having that many in one day makes me also think that the legislative branch continues to hold the incorrect assumption that they are here to be nice to the mayor, "give him a chance" as council rep Chung said. The truth is that the power invested in this body was given to you by constituents that assume you represent a check and balance to the other two branches of government, including the mayor. Camm.N 00 Q.b 1 Ref.To: Ref, to Mi- Travallno provides no balance and certainly does not represent a unique community voice on this critical, decision-making body. The people of our island who live and work here—not just in the building trades are counting on you, not to rubber stamp the executive branch's nominees, but to use your legislative power as its meant to be used: to balance and promote democratic process from the bottom up.