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From: Cory (Martha) Harden [mh@interpac.netj
Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2009 10:37 AM ?~fi9 PUG S kiq ll. 13
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: support reso 217-09/ Council 8 AM Aug 4
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support Resolution 217-09
Hawai'i County Council special meeting, Tuesday, August 4, 2009 8 AM Ben Franklin Building
Cory Harden, PO Box 10265, Hilo, Occupied Hawaii 96721, 808-968-8965 mh@interpac.net
Sunshine law violations put our County and everyone who deals with it at risk. Lawsuits can be filed for three
months. What if three months of Council actions were declared null and void? What would happen to government
agencies, private businesses, and individuals?
The Sunshine Law lets people know what officials are doing in their name. (Why it doesn't apply to the State
legislature and Congress is a question for another day.)
The Sunshine law is so important that for "the first time in the history of Hawai'i County, and possibly the state" a
court "stopped a legislative body from acting in its official capacity" as noted by Robert Kim, attorney for West
Hawai'i Today. [Council ordered to undo changes, Hawaii'i Tribune-Herald, 7-24-09]
And important enough that penalties may include removal from office, a $2000 fine, or a year in jail.
The Sunshine Law is not "easy" or "efficient", says Linden Joesting of the State Office of Information Practices.
But you government officials are held to a high standard because you act in the name of many people, who also
pay your salaries.
I hope Council members and staff, consulting with Mr. Ashida, will consider voluntarily disclosing any violations
before the August 26 court hearing does it for them. This will not be easy, but it may repair some broken trust.
Mr. Ashida took an affidavit from Mr. Yoshimoto, denying telling Hoffmann he had five votes to change committee
chair positions. I hope Mr. Ashida will also consider taking affidavits from Mr. Hoffmann and Mr. Goodenow on
this.
I hope the Council will reverse itself when reconsidering three issues--
Vote to withdraw the 22% pay raise Council members received last year. Economic news is now worse,
and the Sunshine Law violation is now known.
Vote to keep the Hamakua lands and find some way that the budget still works
Vote to keep the original committee chairs, people with long experience and effective working relationships with
many agencies, who support sustainability and environmental protection-Ms. Ford, Mr. Hoffmann, and
Mr.Yagong.
Comm. No. f
Ref. To,
4
8/3/2009 Ref. Dote 2009