HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0537.048 2004-2006 !'age 1 of I
Murashige, Laura
From: Gene and Susan Dursin [sgd7@aloha.net]
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 9 11 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Chairmanship Reorganization
To: Hawaii County Council
Prom: Susan Dursin
P. O. Box 746
82-5545 Middle Keci Road
Capt. Cook. Hl 96704
(808)328-85 14
Date: Nov. 21, 2005
Re: Committee Chair Reorganization
1 would urge this Counc~tl to vote against the removal of Bob Jacobson and Pete lloffman from their present committee
chairmanships. For a number of reasons, the rnove is not good governance-
ns one of Bob Jacobson's constituents, I elected Bob to do a good job for South Kona. He was appointed Chair of the
Environmemal Management Committee, and as such has worked hard to deal with the important issues facing his com-
mittee Ite has spent vast amounts oftime on the solid waste question and has worked to establish an open, honest
method for contracting ihal technology. He has had considerable success securing open space, and yet mam~ other
environmental issues remain. In Bob's district, the emviromnent rates among our highest priorities. I feel that the proposed
change in comrittee assignments lea~~es my neighbors and myself deprived of the voice that we worked so hard to gain.
Sure, Bob can speak out from any committee, but we all know that Parks and Recreation does not have the same clout
as Environmental Management.
I urge ~~ou to engage in a full discussion of the reasons for this move. Mama of us looking on from the public vantage
point cannot fathom the logic behind wch a move. We cannot see that Mr..lacobson has been derelict in his respon-
sibilih.
What we do see is that various mernbers of this Council are disposed to personality clashes that create distraction
from doing the public's business. You have been talking about various incarnations of reorganization fur at lean two
months. How can anyone on this council concentrate on the matters at hand given such an atmosphere? 1 sa~~ that
those who assumed the highest leadership roles must take the greatest responsibility for allowing disorder to take
root and grow --and even for contributing to it.
Finally, the entire kaleidoscope oCshifting alliances speaks to the public of power-brokering and back-room deals.
We understand that government workv through comprornise. It would be naive to believe otherwise. But now --just
after wrestling with the open meetings exemption --many of us are not happy to believe that secret deals are deter-
mining committee chairmanships. It is not good government, and we do not intend to be poorly governed.
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