HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0177.107 1998-2000
To: All Hawaii County Council Members
From: Dr.Ted Leaf, President, West Hawaii County Band Friends ~!"r RECEIVEV
_ _
Y-
County Council /P- PN
Aloha. My name is Dr. Ted Leaf. I am President of the West Hawaii County Band Friends and
a member of the West Hawaii County Band. I am here to speak against cutting the West Hawaii
County Band from the budget.
The Friends was started, in the wake of county budget cuts, to support, promote, assist, and
enhance the Band. The Friends are raising money to purchase for the band items that aze not
covered by county monies. Anyone who has seen the baud recently knows that new uniforms
are long overdue, and this is the next project of the Friends since the county has never provided
them.
The current county budget for the West Hawaii County Band is about $20,000. The director and
assistant director each receive less than $167 in salary per month. There are fourteen paid
musicians who receive a monthly salary of between $70 and $80, and that's all before taxes are
taken out. Some the members come from as far as Hawaiian Ocean View estates and Waimea
to rehears weekly at Kealakehe Intermediate School -hardly enough for gas. Also, the band
includes a number of volunteer and student musicians who share the love of music.
The balance of the budget, about $3,000, covers such things as sheet music; instrument repair;
busses to take the band to Waimea, Honoka'a, Hawi and Na'alehu; and incidental expenses.
The West Hawaii County Band is operating on a very small budget. And yet, despite the
financial challenge that this band faces, its members have voted to continue serving the
community -even if the county cuts its budget. Band members say that if they can continue to
have use of county instruments, sheet music and the band room, they will continue to play -even
if they receive limited funds from the county.
While I find this position admirable, I feel that it is totally unrealistic.
With a budget of $149,000 for both bands, Hilo receives 87 percent; West Hawaii receives
approximately $20,000 -just 13 percent.
Comm. No. ~ / / . ~ 07
F51e No. g V ~
Ref. To: p?'esenled ~V'o61-
Ref. Date 3- 18 -99
These are the conditions under which West Hawaii County Band must operate. The position of
the Friends and the populace is that the community receives a wealth of service from the county
through its band -which performs about 26 times a year.
West Hawaii receives the majority of tourism in this county. It is in West Hawaii that the Band
services are sorely needed to maintain and promote the spirit of family and community that is the
cornerstone of Hawaii's culture. The people in West Hawaii say, "We enjoy the West Hawaii
County Band and it performs a service for us. It is always there and they play just fine."
It is the dedication of the people like members of the West Hawaii County Band that needs to be
cultivated, nurtured, and supported -not destroyed.
Please find funds to continue the West Hawaii County Band.
Thank you.
~ ~
Dr. Ted Leaf
President, West Hawaii County Band Friends
2