HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0080.004 2020-2022 P/Council
COMM.8O
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2021 7:37 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: FW: Public Testimony in support of Mark Travalino for the Leeward Planning Commission
From: Steven Birchfield Cy -t
Sent: Saturday,January 30, 2021 9:36 AM
u-
Cc: Mark `
Subject: Public Testimony in support of Mark Travalino for the Leeward Planning Commission 4-11
Hello,
I am writing to share with you how my interactions over the past several years with Mark Travalino and his family compel me
to recommend Mark for a position on the Leeward County Planning Commission. From my specific experiences with Mark and
his family, I believe that he has the character to serve the Big Island well, he also has 30 years of experience in construction
and close to a lifetime of service to the Island of Hawaii.
When my wife and I first arrived on the Big Island fourteen years ago, I befriended the Travalino family and taught Mark and
Candace's sons to play competitive tennis.After years of hard work and dedication, Spencer and Keanu went on to play college
tennis.This only happens with the right dynamics in play.To become a college athlete you need to have a serious work ethic,
belief, and the support of your family. Any character flaws are quickly surfaced in closely contested matches. Character and
confidence in young people is generally translated through sound upbringing and good examples at home.The Travalino family
are some of the best people I have known.
Although I do not have any professional experience with Mark, I have substantial business experience being an entrepreneur
most of my life and believe that I can evaluate who can, or cannot,do a specific job as well as potential problems and conflicts
of interest. I understand that there is some concern that Mark Travilino's union involvement could somehow hinder his role on
the Planning Commission. Here on the Big Island, it seems nearly impossible to have large scale infrastructure projects without
unions, It also seems impossible to have decades of large construction experience without some union involvement. Unions
bring workers,training,and safety practices that are essential to conduct large projects at scale. It seems to me that having
people who understand this would be an advantage to the Big Island Planning Commission, provided that any conflict of
interest could be mitigated. I believe Mark Travalino to be a very honorable man with a great history in a place where people
have known each other most of their lives. I am sure that he would recuse himself if there were a conflict,and it would be
difficult to find a more qualified and hard working person for this role.
Aloha,
Steven Birchfield
Comm. Noi, U 34
Ref.To: Y�6)uhG1 I
Ref. Date EB 3 2021
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