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From: Mary Marvin Porter
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2021 12:00 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony for May 18 County Council Hearing for budget
Attachments. Arborist and Ecologist needed in County Government, May 2021.rtf; AGE COUNCIL 06_01_
2016 2014-2016 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ACTIONS.pdf, ORD 2016-072
2014-2016.pdf COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAT'I
RECEIVED
Time C2 y m
Aloha Council Members, Date MAY 7 2021
1 am Mary Marvin Porter, a 25 year resident of Hawi'i Island, and have been involved with numerous environmental
issues and groups. I am writing to encourage you to add an Arborist position and an Ecologist position to our County
Government.
The Ecologist position was requested in The Puna Community Development Plan. The plan was adopted by ordinance
on September 10, 2008. 1 was part of the multitude of citizens that developed this plan. It proposed an Office of County
Ecologist within the Planning Department. But the Ecologist position has never been created.
The Ecologist position could be similar to Maui County's Environmental Coordinator office. Their coordinator serves as
executive assistant for coordinating a broad array of environmental initiatives and issues— Research, advocacy, lobbying,
and professional writing on various topics, including food security, biofuels, renewable energy, fresh water resources,
aquaculture, conservation and restoration projects, sustainability, and smart growth planning.)
Given our many environmental challenges, especially with the heating up of the planet, we need to have an Ecologist
to evaluate our proposed actions and look for possible unintended and unanticipated consequences.
Also the other counties have Certified Arborists in their employee. Hawai'i County also should. In fact the County
Council has already voted to have an Arborist. May 30, 2016, Councilman Ilagan had Bill 144, D2 in the Operating Budget
that added $80,00 for an Arborist and $40,000 for Arborist equipment. It passed with a vote of aye by all, as Ordinance
16-72 (page 28.)
Please make room in our budget or do whatever necessary to advance these requested actions,long over due, from the past. They are so
very much needed now.
Mahalo for your concern in this matter,
Mary Marvin Porter
Island Eyes Video Journalism
Hawaiian Paradise Park
Comm. No.
Ref. To.
t Ref. Date MAY 1 8 2021