Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0255.001 2010-2012Murashige, Laura Aloha, Aloha, Fred Housel 331 -8602 7/20/2011 Co MM. 2.5 From: Fred Housel [Fred @kieleokona.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 10:09 AM To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us Subject: Testimony For The Hawaii County Council Finance Committee, July 21, 2011 Attachments: Testimony To The Hawaii County Council Committee On Finance.doc Attached is my testimony which I will give to the Council Finance Committee tomorrow, July 21. Page 1 of 1 Pfrc Comm. lawn Ref. To: T ---- Ref. Date—i."--. Testimony To The Hawaii County Council Committee On Finance Fred Housel July 21, 2011 Subject: Comments on Comm. 255 Report of the County of Hawaii Cost of Government Commission. When I first learned about the Cost Of Government Commission, I thought what an important and valuable function, especially in these difficult economic times. After reading the Cost Of Government Commission's report to the Mayor and Council, I am finding real questions about how the COGC process is conducted and if it really works. In general, the recommendations contained in the report are excellent. It is obvious that the Commissioners worked long and hard to do due diligence. The questions regarding the validity of this report I have are: 1. Only 6 of the 9 County Districts were represented, none from West Hawaii. 2. All Commission meetings were held in Hilo, limiting the opportunity for non -Hilo residents to participate. 3. The Commission states "Due to time constraints public input although welcomed was not directly solicited ". How can you call this process valid with no public review or comment? 4. The Final report has many cost - saving recommendations, but how valid are these when no financial analyses were conducted? 5. The Hawaii County Charter states that the COGC is to submit their report to the Mayor and Council. The Charter does not specify what happens next. If the Council approves the recommendations in the COGC report, how are these recommendations implemented? Are County Departments required to implement these recommendations or are these elective? 6. I believe these questions need to be resolved to make the Cost Of Government Commission process the truly valid and effective process it could be to help manage the increasing costs of our County Government. 7. Although I agree with most of the COGC recommendations, there is one that I strongly oppose. This one deals with the Planning Director's recommendation to the Commission that the Community Development Plan Steering and Action committees be eliminated and replaced by a single central committee. Please see the attached testimony I gave to the Commission dated May 26, 2011. Thank you for your consideration. Fred Housel Testimony To The Hawaii County Cost Of Government Commission Fred Housel May 26, 2011 Subject: Statement of Opposition to COG recommendation of elimination of Community Development Plan Steering and Action Committees in Draft Report, Part 2, Paragraph G. Planning. I would like to submit my testimony in opposition to the Cost Of Government's recommendation of elimination of Community Development Plan Steering and Action Committees in COG Draft Report As a resident of Kailua Kona, I had the privilege of participating in the public meetings, charrettes and working group meetings of the Kona Community Development Plan. I also attended many of the Steering Committee meetings of the Kona CDP Steering Committee. Beginning in 2008, I was fortunate to serve on the Planning Commission and subsequently the Leeward Planning Commission, which I chaired in 2010. As a relatively new(2002) resident of Hawaii County, serving on the Planning Commission gave me the opportunity to discover the incredible diversity and unique character of every community on Hawaii Island. Many times, I felt uncomfortable making decisions affecting communities which I was not very familiar with. The creation of the Windward and Leeward Planning Commissions was a big step in the right direction in that Commissioners had much more knowledge of the communities they served. I feel that elimination of the individual CDP Steering and Actions Committees would result in a huge loss of the recognition and preservation of the unique character of the respective communities of Hawaii Island. The elimination of CDP Steering and Action Committees is also contrary to the General Plan, which states: 15.1 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS The Community Development Plans are intended to be the forum for community input into managing growth and coordinating the delivery of government services to the community. The Community Development Plans will translate the broad General Plan statements to specific actions as they apply to specific geographical areas. A Community Development Plan should direct physical development and public improvements within a specific area. The Community development Plan may contain detailed land use and zoning guide maps, plans for roadways, drainage, parks, and other infrastructure and public facilities, architectural design guidelines, planning for watersheds and other natural features, and any other matters relating to the planning area. The Planning Director or Council may initiate a Community Development Plan. Each Community Development Plan shall have a steering committee composed of members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. The members shall be broadly representative of the affected communities. The Cost Of Government Commission has done a very thorough and careful review of possible cost reductions and efficiency improvements in County Government. Each cost improvement recommendation must be weighed on its own savings vs loss of benefit basis. In this case, the loss of benefit to all of the unique communities of Hawaii Island would be catastrophic if this recommendation were to be implemented. In conclusion, I strongly recommend that the Cost Of Government Commission remove this proposal to eliminate the CDP Steering and Action Committees from its draft report. Mahalo Nui, Fred Housel 74 -5063 Tomi Tomi Drive Kailua Kona, Hi 96740 cc: Councilmember K. Angel Pilago Councilmember Brenda Ford