HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0855.061 2018-2020 . Sent: Monday, April 06, 2020. 3:58 PM
To: Council Testimony; Richards, Tim; Poindexter,Valerie;Villegas, Rebecca; Kanealii-
Kleinfelder, Matt; Chung, Aaron; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Eoff, Karen; Lee Loy, Sue; David,
Maile
Subject: NO to Resolution 568-20/Communication 855.000 201 in its current form
Aloha Councilmembers,
Thank you for your commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our island community. Please know I hold you
in the highest regard for your continued courage to challenge the incompetence of both our State and County
administrations concerning COVID-19 and its associated fallout. What is clear is the "PERFECT STORM" that
is now painfully evident in our communities is a direct result of decades of predatory extraction economics.
This MOA is another example of that same behavior and tactic.
I.oppose Resolution 568-20/Communication 855.000 2019 in its current form.
I am flabbergasted at the tithing of the submission of this controversial MOA. In my opinion, it is nothing short
of shameful for two reasons. First, there is no oral testimony allowed that is completely understandable and a
sad commentary on the continual predatory manipulation of what is heralded as a "democratic process". The
uprising demonstrated by actions on the Mauna and the opportunities that stem from it are hugely controversial.
Bringing this MOA to the council now- in the midst of a global crisis and economic collapse at a time when our
loved ones are in real danger, our businesses have shut down, our communities are struggling to provide basics
like food and medical care when our entire planetary family is upended in total chaos we have to deal with this
kind of predatory behavior from our elected leadership.
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on whoever submitted this at this time.
It demonstrates a lack of the basic integrity that ought to be a required quality of leadership. Is this really all our
political leadership has to offer us, taxpayers, during one of the worst crisis we have faced in modern history?
This is a time when we need a collective agreed-upon vision to make it through this pandemic and parallel
economic collapse. I am outraged that government officials would choose this time to push through something
so contentious when we are in a collective state of shock, chaos, confusion, and vulnerability. Its predatory
plain and simple.
My second objection has to do with the contractual procedure of this MOA. Mayor/County requests
reimbursement for expenses through December 31, 2019(beginning date)is logical but where is the end date in
the agreement? [MOA Section IV- "This MOA ... shall remain in effect ..., or otherwise upon mutual
agreement of the effective date or until terminated whichever occurs parties." Don't all multiyear County
agreements and contracts have to specify both beginning and ending dates?Note Section III.f. explicitly states
"that the County may have incurred response expenses prior to July 15, 2019, and agree that the reimbursement
procedures in this MOA shall retroactively apply to the State' s reimbursement of
these response expenses." This statement allows this MOA to act as a multiyear contract,without the
prior consent of the Council. In my opinion, this undermines the powers imbued in our County Council which
has been a consistent unscrupulous behavior demonstrated by the Mayor and his cabinet with regards to this
MOA. COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAI'I Comm.'No. 155 v Ger,.J •(DI
RECEIVED•
Time .5
-' BY tqf Ref. To: P'
Date
Ref. Date APR - 8 2.020
APR 0 6 2020
I also question the lack of a definition of "protest" and "protest response" expenses. Since this is occurring
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retroactively, as a taxpayer I'd like to see a line item of actual reimbursement expenses requested. Taxpayers are
entitled to see exactly how our tax dollars are being spent particularly when$millions of our tax dollars are
being lavished on a foreign corporation.
Mahalo for taking time to review my testimony. Your service and commitment are held in the highest regard.
Nawahine-Kaho'opi'i Ohana