Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM. 51.20 from J Sanborn re Political realityNovember 10. 2011 County of Hawaii Redistricting Commission 25 Aupuni Street, Council Chambers Hilo, HI 96720 Good Morning Commissioners: My name is J William Sanborn and I have resided in District 9 Waimea since the `80's. I speak personally this morning to share a perspective and personal insight from my past volunteer positions as the immediate past president of the Waimea Community Association, immediate past chair of the Kona - Kohala Chamber of Commerce and as having been a candidate for various County and State offices over the last 10 years where district composition and community participation has always been part of the political reality of our representative government. I extend my aloha to all of you for your tedious volunteer time, efforts, consternation and volume of information that you've had to sift through in these past months. As the past chair of the County Salary Commission when it initially received its charter change with power to decide rather than just recommend, your decision will represent an independent view regardless of how many bus loads of community members come before you or politicians try to blow in your ear. My faith is in your character and hard work to make the appropriate decisions affecting this island community as it relates to the separate communities, neighborhoods, political realities and personal views within. My main point this morning is to share my perspective of Waimea's representation over the last 10 years as a split community. Prior to the current County boundaries, I resided in Lakeland as part of the "historical" District 9 and relocated into town some 10 years ago so I remained in District 9. However, as a former and distinct member of the Waimea community from Lakeland, the issues, focus and concerns were always Waimea- centric, not Hamakua. As one of the bedroom communities in Waimea, Lakeland area residents tend to serve mostly employment on the West side so such concerns as traffic, elementary schools and safety were again Waimea- centric. Geographically, Honokaa and Waikoloa are some 20 miles from Waimea at either end of our town's physical boundaries, with mostly nothing in- between but goats, turkeys and cattle. So although those communities may economically depend upon Waimea for services as the nearest neighborhood commercial location, in addressing such things as crime, Coqui frogs, development progress, traffic and emergencies, they are definitely in a different and distinct focus. Dissappointly, I can only recall one time early in the last 8 years where the Council representative charged with serving a portion of Waimea from District 1, participated in a Waimea Community meeting or even sent a representative to one. On the other hand, the current District 9 Council representative made a point of attending and responding to most invitations extended. Quite a contrast that both defeats the argument that a community benefits from having two representatives advocating for their district when split and that the step -child neighborhoods being served by a separate representative will get full, if any individual attention to concerns more aligned with another district. I mean no disrespect to either Council representatives personally but it has been the reality of focus and representation these past 10 years. To add to this perspective on representation in a split community, may I point out that most, if not all, of the testimony, and passion from both district's current COMM. 51.20 representatives in front of this body, has NOT been to restore Waimea to a complete County representative district, rather advocating for NOT splitting Waikoloa or Hamakua. So again Waimea is both the sought after affiliation (as in the case of Waikoloa and Puako), or just not spoke up for from the Hamakua side. What it says to me is that your decision may come down to districts with or without splitting distinct communities through paring them up within a different district vs. whom do we split due to the harsh and legal restraints of the law. My personal advocacy is simple. Waimea went first and has been split for the last 10 years. If there needs to be a split of a distinct community, I feel it is time for another community to step to the plate for the next 10 years. Population and perhaps better Census rules will most undoubtedly help correct any building communities that potentially may be split this time, but it is just not fair or reasonable to take a mature community like Waimea, whom has been generous and inclusive all these years towards emerging communities and erode the very essence of what Waimea community and people did to assist the new developing communities — especially for a second 10 year cycle. Waimea has always been a diverse and distinct composite of many sub groups such as the Hawaiian Homesteaders, Farmers, public and private school families and professional affiliations such as the Hospital and the telescope organizations. Although this aspect certainly represents a true and mature community, it also provides a colorful and daunting task of gaining consensus within, to properly address each segment of our community's needs and desires. In order to retain the health and well being for Waimea, it is my observation, opinion and appeal that only one representative for our community is quite necessary to insure cohesiveness and fairness in preventing under represented neighborhoods such as White road to Lakeland. After all, those neighborhoods of Waimea are where most of Waimea's affordable housing is located and occupied by our hard working historically local residents. The Waimea Community Association started it's advocacy for Waimea as the Waimea- Kawaiahe Community Association in 1963 so there is a history of Waimea being the "mother ship" if you will, for budding communities to eventually organize their own specific communities and advocate independently such as Waikoloa and Hamakua have recently done in front of your Commission. It is my hope that Waimea's sacrifice of going first on being a divided community in the past 10 years will not become the reason to think that it will be just fine to continue that decision into the next 10 years. I thank you for your attention to my perspective and advocacy for Waimea and wish you well in your decision. Aloha, J William Sanborn 64 -5176 A Kamamalu Street Kamuela, HI 96743 808 895 -1122