HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0018.002 2004-2006 1
December 17, 2004
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The Hon. Gary S. Safarik, Chair
Hawaii County Council
Re: Reappointment of Patricia Englehard,
Director County Parks & Recreation
Dear Chairman Safarik and Members,
I am writing to voice my opposition to the reappointment of Patricia Englehard as
Director of County Parks and Recreation.
As a resident of Pahoa and an active member of my community, I have, over the
years, had both direct and indirect contact with Ms. Englehard and have been
concerned and, in some instances, appalled at her lack of regard for Pahoa and
its citizens.
The Pahoa facility is in a dreadful state of disrepair. I have been a member of
Mainstreet Pahoa and other not-for-profit groups who have contacted Ms.
Englehard on several times regarding the facility being repaired by volunteers in
the community at little or no expense to the County. Each of these offers has
been rebuffed because of "liability issues." In the meantime, the dry rot and
termite damage caused by lack of maintenance has insured a liability issue of
much greater proportions when someone is severely injured or killed by the
portico roof falling on them.
As a member of the Cost of Government Commission I had the opportunity to
ask Ms. Englehard about the lack of soap and towels in the bathrooms of the
facility and was advised that "this is standard procedure at all Parks and Rec.
facilities because 'people would only use them, creating a mess and a liability
problem' for the county. While this may seem like a logical answer it does not
address the fact that the Kea'au Neighborhood facility, the Moohe'au facility, and
others I have visited around the island have soap, towels, and, in some cases,
sanitizing cleaners as standard in the bathrooms.
One full time and, only recently, one part-time person to service the needs of an
ever-growing population staff our facility. Yet other areas, with far smaller
populations, have staffing of anywhere from 3 to 6 persons.
Our swimming pool is open only during those hours when the people who work
and thus pay for the pools maintenance and staffing, are working making it Q
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impossible for them to use that pool. Discussions of staggered hours and
volunteer assistance have again been met with rebuff because of "liability
issues."
Quite frankly I could go on and on about the problems facing the Pahoa facility;
the unusable baseball diamond and the lack of interest in correcting the situation;
the danger our children are encountering with drug pushers hanging around the
facility when the one and only staff person is not present; the lack of after school
programs because of the lack of adequate staffing, problems volunteers have
faced trying to do minimal maintenance such as cleaning slippery mildew off
steps, and much, much more. But that would take more time and resources than
are available to any of us.
Simply put, Ms. Englehard, has shown a particular dislike for Pahoa and
disregard for the people of the community and openly implied so when she told
me at the Cost of Government meeting (after asking me what area I represented
so that she could tell me what future plans were being made for my area) "I'm
sorry, dear, there are no plans for Pahoa and won't be."
It is, in my opinion, not the director's position to pick and choose which facilities
will provide necessary services and have adequate staffing, but to insure that all
facilities in all areas have the resources and facilities needed to meet as much of
the communities needs as it is possible for Parks and Recreation to provide
given the constraints of funding and trained personnel. To do otherwise shows a
lack of judgment on the director's part as well as a prejudicial attitude which
could lead to far greater "liability issues." Taking a closed attitude toward
volunteerism shows an unwillingness to provide services through "out-of-the box'
problem solving becoming ever more necessaryrf government agencies are to
continue to provide anything more than basic services without raising taxes
beyond an affordable range.
If this attitude is so openly expressed in just one area of our county it affects all
parts of our county and should not be alkwved to continue. tt is, for these
reasons, I oppose the reappointment of Patricia Englehard as Director of Parks
and Recreaton.
Sincerely,
Denyse Lynn Temple
15-2725 O`opu St.
Pahoa, Hl 96778
965-7139