HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0843.002 2018-2020 COUNTY CLERK
• COUNTY OF HAWAII
• RECEIVED
Time 8:141 0.01 By
Fri 3/20/2020,8:47 AM
March 20,2020, Hawaii County Council emergency meeting Date MAR 2 0 2020
To: Council Testimony
Aloha Chair Chung, Vice Chair Eoff, and Councilmembers Poindexter, Lee Loy, Kierkiewicz,
Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder, David, Villegas, and Richards:
Your meeting on March 20 will be held as world, national, and state leaders-'are making dramatic
and tough decisions to attempt to reduce the number of lives taken by the respiratory diseases
caused by the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. Yet, on Hawaii Island, we sit with our hands folded
in our laps, doing nothing. Meetings occur,but the county administration has apparently decided
that until communally-developed cases present themselves,we are better off going about our
lives in a "business-as-usual" manner. This is a ridiculous strategy, if it can even be called a
strategy. Any online research of this virus tells us that waiting for evidence of the virus to present
itself(two weeks after contagions are passed) results in tens of thousands severe cases and
thousands of deaths. A vaccine is eighteen months away and testing kits have not been available
(and the time to use them to slow-down the virus spread passed weeks ago); social distancing is
therefore the ONLY mechanism that will keep the health care system viable by reducing the
number of cases being treated at any one time. This must be mandated.
In your discussion with the Corporation Counsel,please inquire as to the Council's authorities to
step in when the executive refuses to do what is necessary to save lives. Ours is a "strong
council, strong mayor" form of county government. We hope that as a body you will demonstrate
that to the life-saving benefit of our island residents and visitors.
Respectfully,
Douglass S. Adams
Hilo
Comm. o. _$10. -
Ref. TOCOLOV4(
Ref. Date MAR.2 0 2020