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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0400.003 2008-2010 Page 1 of 2 Ccum.4oo P/C0UNCIL Joan & Peter Hoffmann , ' From: "Bob Martin" <bobmartin@wave. bicv. net> ] i To: "Pete Hoffmann" <petehoffmann@hawaii.rr.com> 1009 JUL Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 11:24 AM Subject: North Kohala Action Committee issues m; 1 a;;" jl Aloha Pete, Your advice to me last week about voicing my opinion about the action committee nominees, and providing you with an opinion about Jeff Alexander, struck home. After thinking about your advice for two days, its clear to me that you were right on. Since I had not met Jeff or spoken to him, and was not present at the only meeting he attended, I called him and then met with him and his wife Karen for two hours at the house they are building here. I've slept on that interview for two days, and here is my input. Jeff is a union carpenter from Oahu and was a community activist there for many years. He's lived here for less than a year. When he appeared before the Steering Committee in a community meeting late in our process, his style came across as loud, arrogant, opinionated, and mostly negative about the CDP Plan and the CDP process, with references to his experience on Oahu that sounded like "I know more than you locals" criticism to everyone listening. Since there were about 100 community members present, this experience is the basis for the reaction you're getting. I'm told that someone yelled out for him to go back to Oahu when he finished his comments in the community meeting, but I'm not sure that happened. I heard about him from about a dozen people shortly after the meeting, and another ten or so since the candidates names were published. He has made a big splash in this community in five minutes. I started my meeting with him with this observation. In my two hour conversation with him I observed that his predominant style is loud, brash, arrogant, opinionated, and insensitive to his surround. I gave him this feedback in front of his wife. He said he was proud of his style, that it was modeled on Frank Fossi. I told him a Frank Fossi style isn't going to be effective in this community. I don't think my comments will change his style one bit, but perhaps it might tone-down a bit over the long run as other people react to him. Then again, maybe not. At least he listened to me without throwing me off his property. The other issue is that he constantly looks at things through the lens of his experience on Oahu, and states his strong opinions based on this outlook. Unfortunately, his point of view is way off the mark here. For example, he believes that all low cost housing projects will be trashy slums with crime running rampart. When I pointed out that we'll likely never have that in a low cost housing development here because the local people here make sure they take care of such things, he told me that locals are all alike whether they are here or on Oahu, or any other island, and that the self-help project going in on Akoni Pule Highway is going to be a problem, mark his words. I don't think I have ever seen a newcomer to this community act like such an embarrassingly stupid know-it-all. I asked him if he had visited the self- help housing project just west of the one on the road, and he admitted that he had not looked at it. I told him that some good friends live there and it was certainly not a slum. On the substance level, I talked him through my copy of the NK CDP, which he had not read, but had quickly "glanced through" as he put it ( "at the meeting I asked for a copy and someone told me it would cost $35, so I said to hell with that and didn't get one, etc. etc.), and in spite of his negative bluster I discovered that he supports the CDP process as a way to "keep Kohala Kohala" and keep large-scale development at bay, gain shoreline access and lateral trails, and a new transfer and recycling center as Comm. No. Ref. To: CI Ref. Data JO~__ L_?_ 7/A/?n0Q Page 2 of 2 long as it is not visible from the highway (he was certain we were going to put it at the airport and it would be an eyesore). And as I pointed out above, he does have a very strong contrary negative view about low cost housing based on his experience on Oahu. During our conversation, he seemed to gradually moderate his interactive style. Also, he seems to be making an effort to engage the community in a positive way - he organized the work to clean up the area around light house, and just joined the Lions Club although he hasn't been to any meetings yet. Maybe he will eventually fit in, but he hasn't yet. In the long run, I think he will be a challenge to us all, not so much because of his viewpoints but because his style will generate a lot of sparks and wasted time. Because of the negative commentary you have already received, as well as my experience, you should vote no on his candidacy. Having said this, I also want to note that if the you and the Council should decide to not confirm Jeff, the only remaining applicant on the list, Nancine Lloyd, constitutes an even more challenging problem. Based on hours and hours of her participation in the CDP process over the last several years, it is my firm conclusion that her presence on the Action Committee would significantly reduce our effectiveness and generate lengthy side-tracks that we cannot afford. So, my advice is that if you reject Jeff, I strongly recommend that you reject the other candidate you got comments on, Ron Friman, approve the other seven (assuming there are no issues with these), and then ask the Mayor to open up the application deadline until September or October and then re-submit two more names by year end. I know there are people standing by to apply that would make excellent candidates. In fact, one has already applied and missed the deadline by three weeks and therefore was not considered. I appreciate that my recommendation may delay the process a little, but I would rather take the time now to get it right than to have a reduced capacity committee struggling and trying to function while putting up with the neurotic issues of one or two members. We need people who have been involved in our community for more than a year or two, and who have been involved in the CDP process. I think we will get additional applications that, if accepted, will make the CDP Action Committee really work. 'T'hanks for listening. I'm sure things will work out and the CDP process will be whatever it turns out to be. We'll make it work. And thanks for pulling my chain. You were right: if its going to work, we have to own it, and that means, among other things, not ducking the tough calls. If you want to discuss, 889-5025 or cell 896-0101. Bob