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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0120.001 2002-2004 Hawaii State Association of Counties Counties of Kauai, Maui and Hawaii, City 8. County of Honolulu February 4, 2003 - c'' ~e^^^4 ~j Honorable Linda Lingle ~ v t Governor, Slate of Hawaii State Capitol - Honolulu, Hawaii 96720 - Dear Governor Lingle, Thank you for your gracious visit to our county so soon after the inauguration of your new administration. On behalf of my fellow council members and the members of the Executive Committee of the Hawaii State Association of Counties (HSAC), I commend you for your interest and sensitivity to issues of concern to local county government throughout our state. As you know, HSAC annually adopts a legislative package that is unanimously endorsed by all four counties. Our county agenda is typically:focused, succinct and purposeful. This year, we seek passage of- three bills (summarized below). 1. H.B. 745; S.B. 1100 (Companion Bill) -Landowner Liability Description: Extends limited liability to the counties for making public lands available to the public for recreational putposes. 2. H.B. 746; S.B. 1101 (Companion Bill) -Counties: Limited Liability Skate Parks Description: Establishes limited liability for counties anc] county employt<es for damages or injury to persons or property arising out of hazardous recreational activities in a skate park. 3. S.B. 1331; H.B. 1078 (Companion Bill) - Unadiudicated Traf}ic Fines Description: Transfers in two phases, al] fines and for feitures collected for uncontested traffic infractions to the counties- 50 per cent in fiscal year 2003-2004; and 100 per cent in fiscal year 2004-2005. Two bills establish limited county liability for (I) public lands made available to the public for recreational purposes; and (2) any damages or injury to persons or property arising out of hazardous recreational activities in a skate park. These measures are meant to afford sensible protection to the counties. As the attached article from a recent issue of the Hawai `i Island Journal points out, skateboarding is a phenomenon here to stay. Accordingly, it is responsible policy to provide skateboard parks while limiting the liability of county taxpayers for any injuries associated with such recreation. Relatedly, your bill to transfer uncontested traffic fines to the counties represents along-sought objective of the counties. I thank you for taking up this initiative. While the fines transferred to the counties will not comprise a major revenue windfall, the principle upheld -the costs and manpower of local law enforcement should be compensated ~-is significant. Throughout the current legislative session, I welcome the support of your administration for these measures. Please call nn the HSAC executive committee on any time to assist you in policy-making benefiting our counties and the people of the State of Hawaii. Comm. No.~2 O. Sincerel ~ \ File No. n r~;~~~~1 J. rt' Tyler, III President Rel. Da ~ 5 2~~3 e^" ay Haw `i tate Association of Counties e+"~i:"'"'-!s . ' a;..... HSAC Package Page 1 of 1 Hawaii State Legislature Measures by Package Hawaii State Association of Counties Generated on 1/30/03 2:16:57 PM Measure Report Title Current Current Status Companion Referral HB745 Landowner Liability WLH, JUD H 1/27/03 -Referred to WLH, SB 1100 JUD, referral sheet 4. HR746 Counties; Limited 'CAC, JUD H 1/27/03 -Referred to TAC, SB1101 Liability; Skate Parks .fUD, referral sheet 4. SB1100 Landowner Liability TMG/ECD, S 1/27/03 -Referred to HB745 JHW TMG/ECD, JHW. SB1101 Counties; Limited "fMG/ECD, S 1/27/03 -Referred to HB746 Liability; Skate Parks JHW IMG/ECD, JHW. Click on the measure number for history of the measure. $ =Appropriation measure ConAm =Constitutional Amendment Februa 1-15, 2003 ournal 2 the Bi Isla by Norah Charles ~ ~ --~l . - B your son or daughter is angling Cor floor. Of course [hat doesn't mean skaters <'t.~d an after school sport and has snubbed the leave Ihe¢ fmstralions al the door. usual list of extracurricular activities - Instead they pick up a board, strap on a soccer, football, baseball, velleyball, Vack helmet and roll up and down the walls to -perhaps it is time to look beyond the blow off steam. conventional and consider a less likely Waimea is also in the process of creak candidate. ing an outdoor skate park near [he Skateboarding, despite its association Waimea ballfield. A project of the with vandalism, broken bones and gener- Salvation A[my, this park, when built, al slackerdom, is gaining acceptance will be afenced-in area of approximately island-wide as a sport in its own class. 50 x 150 fee[. Through community sup- Hawai'i may no[ be [he center of the port and grants, [he group has been able skateboazding world, but with two well- [o raise 5100,000. Volunteers including established skate parks on [he East and Tina Martinson, design coordinator for Wes[ sides and more in the works in the pazk, mn the projeM. After mulling Waimea and Volcanq this irYdividuafized over exactly how [o build the park, she sport of grace, speed and chance could says this group decided m hire a profes- alleviate the incessant complain[, "There sional skate park designer and builder. is nothing to do here." The process has taken 2 1/2 yeazs so far, Businesses, parks and neighborhoods but volunteers and the Salvation A[my ostracize skateboarders because of GabiG- intend to fallow through with plans. ty wncems and the propensity of skate- The most interesting skateboarding boazders to vandaliu. Skateboarders have establishment I saw on the island was a reputation of being community men- nothing more than a covered asphalt Rion Say, owner of the Skate Temple io Knilua-Kona and manager of the aces because [he urge to mm pubhc and court in the misty foliage of Volcano West Hawaii Skateboard Aswciatioq demonstn[et technique an one o[ his private property into skate parks and stint Village. Tke Cooper Center court is home park's ouGloor ramps. equipment is, shall we say, too over- to a small but dedicated group of ska[e- whehning to squelch. board enthusiasts rallied behind two peo- skaters are going to come out of this are safe alternatives to roartting the streets Many cities across the mainland have plc: Betsy Mitchell, 78, director of town" Why? There is nothing else to do, and tearing up private propuTy. As Betsy alleviated this constant battle between Carper Center and Keola Nahalea, 19, he says. Mitchell says, "1'hey7e going [o skate- skateboarder and common cidun by pro- local skateboarder. Why would aseventy- Parents of skateboarders are often board no matter what you doP Bring viding publicly-funded skateboard parks. eight yeaz old woman speadread a cam- Plagued by anxiety over whethtt their them to [he parks, watch [hem strap on a Where free, outdoor skate parks are n°[ paign to provide skateboarders a place [o child is going to get hurt. The truth is that helmet and rest easy - they'll be climbing available, paid iudoor pazks spring up. roll? After nearly killing herself and two even good skateboarders fall oR [heir the walls in no time, and at least you'll Skate pazks provide a safe place for boys on boards who were riding illegally boards. The best way t° minimize injuries know where Ihey're rolling. skateboarders m wheel, giving pazents, in the street, she called [he county and is [o weaz a helmet and full body pads. lie[ mote infomradon on skate parks motorists and pedes[ri:urs peace of mind said, "We are not going [o have that cov- Bo[h [he House of Ramps and [he Skate across the island by calling the Skate on the roads and walkways. erect court sitting there with nobody using Temple require helmets, and Keola makes Temple in Kailua-Kona a[ 329-2424, [he Hawaii Island has two indoor privately it. We're going to have skateboarders sure all the young kids a[ the Cooper House of Ramps in Hilo at 961-2557, funded skate pazks. The House of Ramps, there" Center have helmets, too. Betsy Mitchell with [he Cooper Center at approximately 9,000 feet of warehouse Keola is ringleader of the Cooper Wi[h estab4shed skate parks springing 967-7209 and [he Waimea skate group at space outfitted with equipment for both Center group. His job is to [um this up across the island, pazents of skate- 885-0871. These groups am always look- ska[eboazders and BMX bikers, has been makesNft park into a permanent feature boarders or potential skateboarders should ing for volunteers, customers and dona- open alittle over a year in Hilo. Ryan of dte Cooper Center court by working relax a little. While i[ is virtually impossi- lions. g Weller, partial owner and manager of the with the County Council. Because the ble to keep a skater from skating, [here park, says mast of his clients are boys skaters know [hey will have [o share the I I p between the ages of 12 and 15. space with tennis and basketball players ~ ~ v t a • • Rion Say, owner of the Skate Temple, occasionally, Keola will create a park t? ' the only skateboazding pro-shop in Kona, with portable ramps. The Community ' • • • and manager of the West Hawaii Recycling in Puna Project (CRIPP), led I Skateboard Association, has pretty much by Mike Aden and S[arsha Bryan, has the same clientele: pretcens who don t agreed to let the skateboarders collect drive. "We'll have a Cull skate park" Rion glass and aluminum in Volcano Village says, "all [he kids in here -packed- for returns. All money collected will be and there will he no cars in the parking rolled into the Cooper Centel account lot" earmarked for the skateboard park. Both managers say monitoring the Keola, who is quiet and determined, skate pazks becomes a little like a says of [he park, "This is going to be the babysittutg gig. Rion Say's crowd control best thing that ever happened [o usJ' He method is fairly basic: peace and respect. says kids from the Village are aheady . t Instead of fostering an environment of picking up skateboarding in [he hope [he 1 aggression and hostility, he has been able, skate park will become official. "If we " over the past two years, to get skaters to get Ihnt park too, a lot of good skaters encourage and respect each other on the that park's gonna make. A lo[ of good ~ t • ~ • ~ • ~ ~ • • • `