HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0402.020 2008-2010
Original Message
From: M&D Loewenthal
To: M&D Loewenthal
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 6:36 PM
Subject: Opposing Resolution 201-09
Dear Mayor Kenoi, County Council Chairman and Council Members,
Resolution 201-09 has been introduced in a very rapid and low-profile manner that appear to be a blatant
grab for power at the expense of fair representation for West Hawaii.
Given a 6-day notification, reduced by one day to respond if you have to e-mail or mail in testimony 24
hrs before the meeting, plus a deciding vote on one reading, the public has a greatly reduced chance of
hearing about these resolutions, and even less of understanding their full impact until it is a done deal.
There is a vast impact to switching Committee Chairmanships, consolidating and reducing the number of
committees plus reducing the number of members on those committees. All of these changes will further
reduce the public's ever more limited access to examining issues in a timely manner. Therefore, one
would expect the Mayor and those who introduced these resolutions to have a much more public hearing
process.
The proposed resolutions will make it ever more difficult for citizens to respond to issues in a timely
manner, JUST LIKE THE INTRODUCTION OF THESE RESOLUTIONS ITSELF HAS DONE.
Yes, we in West Hawaii know that technically this is a legal ploy. BUT we also know when the law is
manipulated to evade the intent of the law.
If those Council members and the Mayor, who is supposed to represent the entire island, believe these
are good resolutions, they should be willing to allow time for the public to understand and debate these
proposals..
Failing that, it simply looks like a technical back door attempt to serve special interests by eliminating
West Hawaii from positions of leadership.
A case in point is the proposal to remove Councilwoman Ford from chairing the Public Works Committee.
Her knowledgeable and unrelenting efforts to improve the flood standards for the safety of all Island
residents have been well-documented. Obviously, removing her from chairmanship would serve the
special interests who have opposed all her efforts to improve regulation and enforcement of flood
standards to protect people and property.
In fact, everything about these resolutions seems geared to serve special interests.
Given the straits the nation, the state and the citizens face with today's crisis problems, it is unbelievable
to see our County Council involved in a tactical political strategy that seems only concerned with the self
interests of a few politicians and the special interests they serve.
We hope for a higher respect for representation of all of the Big Island, Mayor Kenoi. We hope for a
higher respect for the Council members who have a record of serving us, rather than an upstart grab for
power that was not proposed by our citizens.
In fact, we as citizens hardly have time to find out what's going down.
Respectfully,
Dore Dokos-Loewenthal
Captain Cook, HI Comm. No. 01.
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