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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0436.018 1998-2000 ' OCTOBER 14, 1999 T0: HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL FROM:'PAUL MARK CLARK, P.O. BOX 1922, HILO, HAWAII 96721 CHAIRMAN ARAKAKI, HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS THIS MORNING I BREAK SEVERAL MONTHS SILENCE CONCERNING THE EAST HAWAII CULTURAL CENTER AND ITS LEASE RENEWAL BY THE COUNTY OF HAWAII. I WAS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST HAWAII CULTURAL COUNCIL WHEN THE GROUP FIRST. ASKED FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE OLD POLICE STATION FOR ,PURPOSES OF A CULTURAL CENTER. I RECALL A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THEN ' COUNCILMAN STEVE YAMASHIRO ABOUT THE SITUATION. I CANNOT RECALL IF HE WAS CHAIR, OF THE THE COUNCIL THEN BUT I DO REMEMBER VERY CLEARLY HIS TELLING ME THAT HE WAS INCLINED TO GO ALONG WITH THE PROPOSAL FOR THE LEASE BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ALL THE ARTS AND CULTURAL GROUPS TO GET OUR ACT TOGETHER. I TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD AND WE AMENDED OUR BYLAWS TO PROVIDE FOR CHARTER MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS. ONE BY ONE THE GROUPS RAISED THE MONEY AND PUT IT ON THE LINE, $1,000.00 EACH. THE HILO COMMUNITY PLAYERS, THE BIG ISLAND ART GUILD, THE HAWAII CONCERT SOCIETY, THE BIG ISLAND DANCE COUNCIL, BUNKA NO IZUMI, THE FILIPINO WOMEN'S CIRCLE, THE OKINAWAN DANCE GROUP, AND THE HILO FILM SOCIETY ALL JOINED THE CAUSE. OVER RECENT MONTHS A LOT OF CRITICISM HAS BEEN LEVELLED AT THE MAYOR AND A LOT OF IT, IN MY OPINION, HAS BEEN OVER THE TOP, AND UNECESSARILY HARSH AND PERSONAL. IF I COULD I WOULD APOLOGIZE TO HIM FOR ALL OF ,THIS BUT I DO NOT THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FOR OTHERS. BUT I MUST SAY I AM AT A LOSS AS TO THE MAYOR'S OUTSPOKEN DESIRE TO CONVERT THE CULTURAL CENTER TO ANOTHER USE. HE SUPPORTED THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT, IT WAS CARRIED OUT AS HE SUGGESTED, AND HE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING WITH US FOR ALL WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS. WHEN THE EAST HAWAII CULTURAL COUNCIL SIGNED .THE LEASE WE TOOK POSSESSION OF TWO BUILDINGS IN VERY BAD SHAPE. ITS CONDITION WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD ABANDONED THE SPACE. A DEDICATED CORE OF VOLUNTEERS UNDERTOOK YEARS OF FUNDRAISING AND GRANT WRITING. FIRST CAME INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS IN THE FORM OF CHECKS AND EVEN LOOSE CHANGE COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY IN PLASTIC BOXES. THEN THE CHARTER MEMBER OR.GANIZP_TIONS AND THEIR MEMEEP.S AND SUPPORTERS KICKED IN. IN THE MEANTIME GRANT WRITING EFFORTS BEGAN TO BEAR FRUIT. FIRST, A $50,000 SEED GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEN A $150,000 APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE OF HAWAII, THEN A $50,000 FEDERAL HISTORICAL o .o p PRESERVATION GRANT AND FINALLY, THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF FORMER COUNCILWOMAN -.MERLE LAI, ANOTHER ,$100,000 STATE APPROPRIATION WHICH ALLOWED US TO PUT IN A ~ • HANDICAP ELEVATOR AND BEGIN USING, THE SECOND FLOOR., IN THE COURSE OF THE c p, RENOVATION WORK MUCH OF THE TOP 'FLOOR HAD TO BE REMOVED AND I REMEMBER OUR ~ ~O ORDERING SPECIALLY CUT TONGUE-IN-GROOVE LUMBER FROM OREGON TO FINISH THE FLOOR. COUNTY COUNCIL TESTIMONY-PAGE TWO I REMEMBER LISTENING TO THE WORLD SERIES ONE YEAR WHILE A NUMBER OF US PAINTED THE GALLERY WALLS DOWNSTAIRS. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME AND WENT OVER THE YEARS AND MADE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO HILO'S ARTS AND CULTURE. A FEW WHO STAND OUT FOR ME INCLUDE THE LATE CARL MOON WHO SPENT HIS RETIREMENT YEARS AS OUR CHIEF HANDYMAN. THE LATE DEAN CHANDLER WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BIG ISLAND ART GUILD AND THE HAWAII CONCERT SOCIETY ARE WELL KNOWN BUT WHOSE SERVICES OVER THE YEARS AS A BOOKKEEPER AND FINANCIAL ADVISOR ARE LESS KNOWN. THERE IS MARIKO HONG WHO IS OUR LONGEST SERVING GALLERY VOLUNTEER WHO ALSO SERVED FOR YEARS AS A BOARD MEMBER AND OFFICER. THERE IS LIBRADA LUIS WHO PROVIDED US OUR LINK TO THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY AND WAS SO DELIGHTFULLY OUTSPOKEN ON EVERY ISSUE WE CONFRONTED. THERE IS BOB AND LILY CHOW WHOSE FLOWERES AND WORK HAS GRACED EXHIBIT OPENINGS FOR YEARS. AND FINALLY THERE HAS BEEN FRANCES SHERRARD WHO HAS WON THE HEARTS AND RESPECT OF US ALL AS SHE TOILED FROM THE BEGINNING THROUGH LAST FALL AS OUR BOARD CHAIRPERSON AND UNPAID, FULL TIME VOLUNTEER ADMINISTRATOR AND FINANCIAL ANGEL. THE EAST HAWAII CULTURAL, CENTER FOR THESE PEOPLE IS THEIR LEGACY. AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT BOB CHOW WILL BE HONORED AS 1999'S LIVING LEGEND, A PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE AND THE ARTS, CULTURE AND ARTS SECTION. 1998'S RECIPIENT WAS FRANCES SHERRARD AND SOME AMONG YOU APPEARED AT THE HONOR CEREMONY HELD AT THE CULTURE CENTER TO REGISTER APPROVAL AND JOIN IN THE APPRECIATION OF HER EFFORTS IN ESTABLISHING THE CENTER. A MUCH GREATER APPRECIATION OF REAL MEANING WILL BE TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF HER POST-RETIREMENT EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE CENTER BY RENEWING ITS LEASE. AND WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT THE COUNTY HAS MADE AN INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION BY GIVING THE EAST HAWAII CULTURAL COUNCIL A TWENTY YEAR LEASE FOR LITTLE OR NO RENT, THE MONEY AND EFFORTS OF COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, THE STATE OF HAWAII AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST ALSO BE ACKNOWLEDGED, ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING AN ARTS AND CULTURE CENTER IN HILO. FAIR PLAY REQUIRES THAT THIS SWEAT AND EQUITY LEAD TO A NEW LEASE TO THE EAST HAWAII CULTURAL CENTER NOT TO AN UNNAMED GROUP WITH NO CONNECTION TO THE RENOVATIONS. AND I SUBMIT THAT THE CULTURAL CENTER HAS BE A FRIEND TO THE DOWNTOWN FINANCIAL COMMUNITY OF HILO. WHILE THE HILO HOTEL, JASPER'S, ROUSELL'S, LEHUA'S, AND SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESS HAVE HAD TO CLOSE THEIR FOORS, THE CULTURAL CENTER HAS REMAINED STEADFAST. ON MANY A FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT IT HAS BEEN THE ONLY VISIBLE SIGN OF LIFE IN THE TOWN. PLAY PERFORMANCES, EXHIBIT OPENINGS, ' CHINESE NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS, AND TRASH ART SHOWS HAVE ALL DRAWN HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN HILO. A CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMERCIAL LIFELINE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE EVENING HOURS HAS BEEN MADE. COUNTY COUNCIL TESTIMONY-PAGE THREE I CAN RECALL EVENINGS WHEN THREE MEETINGS SACK TO BACK HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE ANNEX BUILDING WHILE REHEARSALS WERE GOING ON UPSTAIRS IN THE MAIN ROOM WHILE MEETINGS ALSO TOOK PLACE IN THE UPSTAIRS MEETING ROOM AND DOWNSTAIRS IN THE GALLERY AREA, LIFE DRAWING CLASSES, PLAY PERFORMANCES AND REHEARSALS, DANCE PERFORMANCES AND CLASSES, ART CLASSES, SLACK KEY GUITAR PERFORMANCES AND CLASSES, SPECIAL EVENTS BROUGHT TO HILO BY STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS, FILMS, AND MUSIC PERFORMANCES HAVE OCCURRED OVER AND OVER THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. IF THE TIME CAN BE FOUND TO EXAMINE THE METICULOUS ANNUAL REPORTS FILED BY FRANCES SHERRARD EACH YEAR YOU WILL SEE I AM RIGHT. THE CULTURAL CENTER HAS ALSO SERVED ALL AGES, FROM CHILDREN TO SENIORS. THE PLAYERS' ANNUAL SUMMER CHILDREN'S THEATER WORKSHOPS AND TEEN THEATER ARE ONE EXAMPLE. THERE ARE REGULAR ART CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THE DANCE COUNCIL AND THE CONCERT SOCIETY HAVE SERVED ALL AGE GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. I BELIEVE ARTS AND CULTURE HELPS ELEVATE THE SPIRIT OF OUR COMMUNITY. IN 1968 THEN MAYOR SHINICHI KIMURA DESCRIBED THE LOCAL SCENE AS A "CULTURAL WASTELAND" AND OFFERED THE ASSISTANCE OF THE COUNTY TO ANY GROUPS WHO MIGHT RISE TO THE CHALLENGE. THE EAST HAWAII CULTURAL COUNCIL, FOUNDED IN 1967, CAME FORTH AND PROPOSED SOMETHING BE DONE AT THE DECAYING, OLD POLICE STATION. KIMURA'S SUCCESSOR, MAYOR HERBERT MATAYOSHI, URGED TO DO SO BY A COUNTY COUNCIL THAT INCLUDED NOW MAYOR YAMASHIRO, SIGNED A 20 YEAR LEASE. MANY OF US HAVE GIVEN THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES TO SEE IT HAPPEN. IT HAS. NOW WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN SEEING IT INTO THE NEXT CENTURY. THIS IS AN ISSUE WHICH IS TIMELY. THE CURRENT LEASE DOES NOT EXPIRE UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2000. RENEW THE LEASE NOW. DO NOT ALLOW IT TO BECOME A DIVISIVE ELECTION YEAR ISSUE. IF YOU HAVE EVER TRIED GARDENING YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO PLANT A SEED, GET IT SPROUTED AND GROWING, FERTILIZING IT AS IT GROWS, SEEING THAT IT GETS THE WATER IT NEEDS TO SURVIVE AND FINALLY ENJOYING ITS BLOSSOMING. AND HOW. QUICKLY AND SADLY THAT MIGHTY EFFORT CAN BE SNUFFED OUT BY ANYONE UNCARING ENOUGH TO YANK IT OUR OF THE GROUND IN A SINGLE, THOUGHTLESS SECOND. KEEP OUR CULTURAL CENTER ALIVE, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY, FINANCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, AS WELL AS OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE EFFORTS OF ALL THOSE WHO LABORED SO LONG TO SEE THIS PRECIOUS INSTITUTION TAKE ROOT AND BLOSSOM.