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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON PLANNING <br /> DATE: December 3, 2019 Re: Comm. No. 625 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Hilo, Hawaii <br /> TIME: 9:30 a.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Communication No. 625, reports as <br /> follows: <br /> Communication No. 625, dated November 14, 2019, and transmitted by Mayor Harry Kim, <br /> nominates Judy Sigrid Howard of Council District 1 to the Water Board. If confirmed, she would <br /> serve a full five-year term to end December 31, 2024. <br /> Rose Bautista, Executive Assistant to Mayor Kim, introduced the nominee. Born in Hawaii, <br /> Ms. Howard is a farmer, a rancher, a Realtor, and a lawyer. She has an extensive background in <br /> water law and is not a member of any political party, Ms. Bautista said. <br /> Ms. Howard said she was a clerk at a water law firm in Colorado while in law school, and was a <br /> water lawyer in Colorado for five years,working for municipalities and assisting them in <br /> developing water systems. After returning to Hawaii, she practiced admiralty law and provided <br /> input for the drafting of the State Water Code. She was happy to serve if confirmed. <br /> Council Member Poindexter thanked Ms. Howard for stepping up and for her commitment to the <br /> Water Board. Ms. Poindexter mentioned her concern for water resources and diversion projects <br /> in District 1, as well as around the island. People are concerned about our water resources, she <br /> said. It's this balance that we need, and farmers need water, and we need water to survive, she <br /> said. Ms. Poindexter said she is glad that Ms. Howard comes with her skill sets and looked <br /> forward to working with her and sharing with her some of the concerns along the Hamakua <br /> coast. <br /> Council Member Richards said that he had known Ms. Howard for a long time. He referenced <br /> some "interesting things ahead of us" with regards to water, including the assignment of water <br /> licenses from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. <br /> Committee Vice Chair Sue Lee Loy asked Ms. Howard to elaborate on her work with the State <br /> Water Code. Ms. Howard said she did not review it the previous day, but she did recall that she <br /> participated in a very active way in submitting comments and testimony as the Water Code was <br /> being drafted. It seemed to her that their approach to the use of water was very similar to <br /> Colorado's with regards to the idea of minimum stream flows, control and sustainable use. <br /> PC Report No.: 38 <br />