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Murashige, Laura
From: Rick Gaffney [captrick@aloha.net] i i ~ n
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 8:16 PM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Resolution # 171-05
Re: Resolution # 171-OS
To be heard in Committee on "Tuesday, 10/4/2005 at 10 AM
Cestimony In Cavor of the County Holding Public Hearings on the Proposal to 'Cake Over State Boating
& Ocean Recreation Facilities on the Big Island from the DLNR
Chis resolution should he passed out of Committee today and passed by the Hawaii County Council at
the earliest possible opportunity so that the citizens of Hawaii County have the opportunity to discuss
the proposal to take-on the management of all of the boating facilities on our island.
Considerations:
I) Hawaii County is tied to the sea, perhaps more than any other county, and functional well managed
boating facilities arc important to us historically, culturally, economically and recreationally;
2) For the past 35 years that I have been an active participant in boating and the ocean recreation
industry, the State has completely abdicated its responsibility to those industries, by first moving the
Division of Boating and Ocean Kecreation from the Department Transportation to the Department of
Land and Natural Resources, then by cutting funds and positions for a program that is easily self-
sustainable, then by hiring a series of incompetent managers with no background in the industry, then by
failing to develop a plan to maintain and improve facilities;
3) Over 80% of visitors to this island participate in some form of ocean recreation, yet there is no plan to
complete, expand or even maintain the facilities required by that $100 Million industry;
4) Ocean recreation and boating are both vocations and avocations of thousands of Big Island residents;
5) "Caking over the State's boating facilities and managing them on the Big Island could allow for
dramatically improved management through apublic-private partnership with greatly simplified home-
rule;
6) Taking over Honokohau Harbor alone would keep (U~ $1,00Q000/year in boating revenues that
currently are spent off island, on the island;
7) Simple calculations indicate that the management of boating facilities on the Big Island would be
financially self-sustaining.
Por these and many other reasons, please pass this Resolution and start the public hearings as soon as
possible so that the citizens of this County may provide their input into this superb opportunity.
Aloha,
Rick Gaffney
73-1062 Ahikawa Street
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
808 325-5000
808 325-7023 (fax)
808 960-6767 (cell) //S3 ,
Comm. No ~T•+-~~
Ref. To:-
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10/4/2005