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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-28 Redistricting Commission Public Hearing minutes (District 6) 2021 HAWAII COUNTY REDISTRICTING COMMISSION COUNCIL DISTRICT 6 PUBLIC HEARING Portion of North Kona, South Kona, Ka`u, and the Greater Volcano Area Thursday, October 28, 2021, 6:00 p.m. Rodney Yano Memorial Hall 82-6145 Mamalahoa Highway Captain Cook, Hawaii 96704 CALL TO ORDER: HUSTACE: Aloha, everyone. Welcome. Good evening. Welcome to the sixth public hearing for the County of Hawaii Redistricting Commission. Today is Thursday, October 28h. My name is James Hustace. I'm the Vice Chair for the Redistricting Commission. Just a quick announcement before we begin. Because of the Coronavirus Emergency and State and Federal guidance on large meetings or gatherings, and pursuant to the Mayor's Proclamations regarding COVID-19, the Redistricting Commission's meetings are at limited capacity and not for a large gathering, unfortunately, until further notice. Members of the public may attend the remote site we have set up for this evening or provide oral testimony via the Zoom platform. You can request access to the Zoom platform by sending an email to redistrictingcommission@hawaiicounty.gov. This information you can request is also posted up on the County website, under Boards and Commissions, as well as our agendas, and hopefully our maps going forward. Thank you for your understanding. It is 6:02 in the evening, so I will call this public hearing to order. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC HUSTACE: We are grateful to have our County staff join us in Captain Cook at the Rodney Yano Memorial Hall for our remote site this evening. As always, we'll give some time and opportunity to those of the public that wish to join us, either physically at the site in Captain Cook, or here online. To my knowledge, we do not have anyone on the call right now or in person, but we will wait and give members of the public at least half hour here to join us. And hopefully they can share some mana`o with us and guide the commission going forward. Mahalo. Please note that during this time, Commissioners and support staffwere on stand-by. HUSTACE: Aloha, good evening. If you could introduce yourself and the community you reside, it'd be wonderful. And we'll give you some time to share with the commissioners. LORBERBAUM: Okay. This is a first for me. My name is Nanny Lorberbaum. I'm a resident of South Kona. One of the silent people that never speak up ever. And I don't know if this will do any good but, I just seen the redistricting, South Kona has been stolen from Kona district. We've been lumped together with Ka`u. And as each redistricting has taken place over the last couple times, it's shrinking and shrinking it. And South Kona, it isn't a huge population, but they totally identify. North and South Kona, they're like twins. They're the same communities. Same weather. Same farming. Same schools. Same everything about them, yet you've taken South Kona and put them with Ka`u, which we have no identity what soI have nothing against Ka`u. But we have no identity whatsoever with Ka`u. And I realize you're going by population, but I think that there should be some way to skim some off, you know. Even if it's off of Puna into Ka`u. So, Ka`u could give South Kona back to Kona. Where it belongs. So, that's all I have to say. I've never said anything, but we've shrunk to almost nothing. We're not even represented now. I mean lumping us with Ka`u, we're basically not represented. So, that's all I have to say. HUSTACE: Thank you so much. And you said South Kona. Do you mean,just for clarification, the Kealakekua, Captain Cook area? Or further beyond that? LORBERBAUM: South Kona goes from the hospital down to Mac Farms. You know, once you pass Miloli`i, you know, you're not talking too much population south of Miloli`i. But, from Miloli`i north basically, you know, if you could take Mac Farms, it would be good. But at least from Miloli`i north. In a worse case scenario, I mean absolute worst, Papa Bay Papa Bay north. But, you know, it's just like I said, they have no identity with Ka`u or Puna. Which is where they're being, you know, tagged onto. And it's not fair representation for the community. There's, in fact, it's no representation for the community actually. So, okay. HUSTACE: Thank you for the clarification. It's just good to know some of those areas. So, thank you for mentioning those names. LORBERBAUM: Yeah. I mean, I might—You know, if you went below Kona Paradise. But I think you're really skimming the community if you cut it off below Kona Paradise. I really think it should go at least down to Papa Bay. And like I said, it's the same weather pattern. The same schools. It's the same school districts. Why would you take a community that's in those school districts in Kona and slap `em with Ka`u, you know? And the Ka`u schools are down in Pahala. Which who goes there? Nobody in Kona goes down there. I mean, and nothing against them but it's just a whole different area. So anyway, thank you. HUSTACE: No, thank you for your time. We appreciate you joining us and being here with us this evening. 2 LORBERBAUM: Okay. Alrighty. Good night. HUSTACE: Mahalo. Please note that during this time, Commissioners and support staff were on stand-by. HUSTACE: Aloha, Relley. Just checking in with you. It is 6:30. Seeing if there is anyone else there joining us this evening. ARACELEY: Thank you, Chair. There are no folks here in the physical room nor on the Zoom platform. HUSTACE: Okay. Well, thank you so much. ANNOUNCEMENTS 1 CLOSING REMARKS HUSTACE: On behalf of the other commissioners, I just want to thank you, Relley, and the rest of the staff that joined us this evening, for making the trek there to Captain Cook to set up the remote site. I also want to thank the commissioners for joining us on the call. There are a number that were here. And appreciate the testifiers this evening and the community coming out to these events and sharing with us. It's well appreciated. Our next public hearing is scheduled for Monday,November 1st. So,this coming Monday. This will be at Hale Hdlawai in Kailua-Kona. And also, that week we will have our eight public hearing on that Thursday,November 4th, at the West Hawaii Civic Center Council Chambers. As we reach the end, kind of moving towards the end of our nine public hearings. We had a full meeting today with the full commission. Grateful for everyone's time and have a nice evening! Aloha. Respectfully Submitted, Nicole Bello, support staff to the Commission 3