HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0666.022 2006-2008 Hawai i County Clerk
coenciltestimonv(a.co.hawaii.hi.us
To: 1-fawai'i County Cowrcil
The Honorable Pete Hoffmann, Chair
The Honorable Dominic Yagong, Vice-Chair
From: Marie Dolores (Dolly) Strazar
Date: Wednesday, 17 October 2007
1:00 PM
Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa
Subject: Support of Council Bill i76
Establishing a Hawai i County
Cultural Resources Commission
I am writing as a resident of Hawai i County, as a member of an informal taskforce group
on historic preservation and as a representative of an informal Hawaii Island
organization, the Hawai i Island Alliance of Historical and Cultural Organizations, in
support of Council 13111 176, establishing a Ilawai'i County t:ulturai Resources
Commission.
1 am a professional historian and suchivist by txsule said have been involved with
preservation in Hawai i since 1975- I served as a member of the State Historic Places
Review Board for 8 yeses in the 1980s and 1990s and in state government as the head of
the statewide hisWry and hunratrities prognurr-
In all of these capacities I have come to appreciate the wealth of historical and cultural
resources that we have on the Island of Hawaii and, in the years that I have lived in
Hawai' i, have also seen the tremendous loss of such resources on' Oahu, Maui, Kauai and
Lanai. From several points of view, cultural, educational and economic, it has become
critical to place cultural and historic preservation in the limelight in the County of
Hawai i...not only by means of the nice words we say about it, but also with a structure in
our local govemment that puts emphasis on the importance of the unique treasures and
communities that we still have on this island. Studies show that by 2015 only 43% of the
residents of Hawai i will be Iota! bom. One part of that fact means that there will be that
many fewer individuals who get the story of ow place passed down to them through their
families and social networks. It is, tlrercfore, importuat to at lesut Isave remurders of that
past, that made Hawai i what it is today, still in ow presence, ow present, and part of ow
future. It is also important to be able to keep Hawai i unique for owselves as well as for
ow futwe visitors. Many of them came today because we are unque acrd it would be
nice to have them keep taming, indeed even helping us to preserve what is unique about
us and ow land- /
Comm. No. G G LZ
Ref. To: hr~ ,ottnci ~
Raf. Date OCT 1 7 21101
Establishing a County Cultural Kesources Commission, such as those already established
on Maui and Kauai, would help make the importance of these resources more visible to
the general public through its capacity to educate and provide accurate information on
these resources and their preservation. it would help guide public policy by coordinating
inventories and information about these resources so that information is available earlier
about given sites. (Good informatian and its availability helps everyone and helps avoid
unnecessary conflict.)
The ordinance as proposed includes the stipulation that the commission be made up of
professionals from several relivaut discipluies +uid lx• ritIective of the geography of this
island. It also is similaz to the ordinances that established such commissions on Maui and
Kauai and would, therefore, also allow our county to apply for the status necessary to
access federal funds that could support same of the inves,torying and other work
necessary to assist preservation of cultural resources on this island. Experience on Maui
and Kauai indicates that it is important to attach adequate funding to this process so that a
full-time cultural resaurce professional and at Icast a part-time cIericaI position can do the
substantive work that this commission would entail within county government.
Mahalo to all of you for making this effort to bring attention to the unique cultural and
historical resources of Hawai i County and the necessity for government and the
community to be partners in preserving them.
Sincerely,
M. llolly St+_