HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0689.008 2018-2020 Comca
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LAW OFFICES OF JEANNE L . O ) BRIEN
January 11 2020
To the Honorable Harry Kim. Mayor
&the Hawaii County Council
c/o Rose Bautista J.D.
Executive Assistant to Mayor Harry Kim
County of Hawai'i
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720 via email
..............
Re. Recommendation for Mark Van Pen-ds
To Serve on the Hawaii County Leeward Planning Commission
Dear Mayor Kim and the Hawaii County Council:
I am writing to voice my support for Mark Van Pernis' candidacy to serve on the
Hawai'i County Leeward Planning Commission.
I have known Mr. Van Pernis since 1985 when he served as my supervising
attorney during a semester in practice during my last year of law school, and he hired me
as an associate attorney when I graduated in 1986. 1 worked with him for many years
after that before opening my own practice and eventually serving as a Per Diem Judge in
the Third Circuit.
During my time working with Mr. Van Pernis, he prepared mortgages and deeds
for Title Guaranty, had a lot of experience with real estate development, and managed
complicated quiet title work. He was always the 'go to guy' for any real estate or
development matter. One particular experience stands out in my mind was when he and I
worked closely together on drafting a statute defining the people's right of access to the
beaches. This work is one of the reasons that Hawaii's people can still go to the beach at
the Four Seasons. Mauna Lani, and the Mauna Kea Beach, etc. He also was instrumental
in seeing to it that Kua Bay became a public beach.
Hawai'i would certainly be very well served by having Mr. Van Pernis on the
Leeward Planning Commission. His land use expertise and many years of service to and
interest in the people of the County of Hawai'i, particularly his interest in the rich
heritage of Hawai'i and in maintaining a prosperous, safe, and beautiful place for all of us
to live and enjoy. He has always been sensitive to the environmental issues and
challenges we uniquely have in Hawai'i, and the cultural importance that places hold here
117 JUNE CT .
THOUSAND OAKS , CA 91360
TEL : ( 805 ) 696 - 8613 FAX : ( 805 ) 870 - 4261
EMAIL: il:,.(�)(",,I,-C')rt,\')-IIZ /.(::�N ,\E'I A.
Comm. No. It
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Ref. Date. JAN 2 2 2021
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to the native Hawai'ians and other groups.
providing thoughtful consideration, innovative
ideas, and smart solutions to balance good land use and development practices and needs
with these other important concerns. His love of the Big Island has been the major
motivating factor behind his willingness to speak out when he sees an injustice or
problem that needs solving. I can emphatically state that he is a fair person who is
willing to hear all sides of every issue before reaching a conclusion.
It is my understanding that the reason he has not yet been confirmed was because
of a question that was raised late in the process about something that happened to him in
2003, more than 15 years ago, involving the ODC. Because it was so long ago, I don't
remember all the details but I do remember, that in my opinion. Mr. Van Pernis did not
deserve the 3-month suspension that was imposed at that time. As I recall, the issue was
an allegation by a female attorney in Kona who was acting as a foreclosure commissioner
and Mr. Van Perris represented someone with an interest in the property. The attorney
Nvas supposed to give various interested parties notice about some process that was
happening concerning the property. When Mr. Van Perris advised her that she had not
given the required notice, and that she needed to do so, she reportedly became upset at
being criticized and instead of giving the required notice she reported him to the ODC
alleging that he had 'threatened' her, Mr. Van.Pernis is not the type of person that stays
silent when he sees something wrong and he does have a direct and straightforward way
of speaking [he is a lawyer and zealously represented his clients], but I never believed for
a minute that he had 'threatened' that attorney. When I worked with Mr. Van Pernis and
during the entire time I have known him, he never acted in a 'threatening' way. There
were several other women working at his office too, including Lani Ng who went on to
be one of the outstanding Clerks of the Third Circuit, and he always treated all women in
his office, and his clients with fairness and respect- and encouraged them. I also did .not
believe that attorney's allegation about Mr. Van Pernis because I personally had several
cases involving that same attorney and found her to be an exceedingly 'difficult' person
to communicate with, who did not always treat people with respect, especially men. I
certainly hope that one long past dubious and unsubstantiated allegation would not
prevent the Council from appointing a good man like Mr. Van Perris to the Leeward
Planning Commission.
I know he loves Hawai'i and he is smart, thoughtful, and enthusiastic to be able
to serve the County on the Leeward Planning Commission. It would certainly be a great
asset for the County's future to have a Commissioner like Mark Van Pernis.
Thank you for your consideration..
Best regards and Aloha,
Jeanne L. O'Brien