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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-09 Game Management Advisory Commission MinutesGame Management Advisory Commission June 9, 2014 Council Chambers in Hilo Present: Tom Lodge (TL), Willie Joe Camara (WC), Tony Sylvester (TS), Ike Yoshina (IY), Paul Bueltmann (PB), Mark Bartell (MB), Kalani DeCoito (KD), Corp Counsel Bill Brilhante (WB), staff member Bobby Command (BC); recording secretary Barbara Kossow. No one in the audience signed in although there were about five people in attendance, including videographer Kerry Marks, council staff and guests Richard Hoefflinger and Glennon Gingo. Richard Hoefflinger (RH), president, gave an update on the On Target range at Waikoloa and will make copies of his presentation available to the commission. On Target represents those who would like a shooting range in West Hawaii. The range will be for skeet, trap and sporting clays shooting. He talked about recent noise tests; the lack of open -range standards anywhere; Hoefflinger said this will be a facility that will be "somewhat self-supporting." MB asked if the resorts don't want the range near the Waikoloa Resort. RH said the opposition was initially based on sound, but those concerns have been proven false and they still dont want the range. He said opponents, including the resort association, are now conducting a misinformation campaign. Opponents now say they don't want bullets raining down on them. Glennon Gingo, On Target vice president, said shooting ranges are all about safety. The perspective of the resorts is flawed. He said there is a need for the facility, which will also be a great economic driver. TS spoke about outdoor heritage month. He said he preferred to celebrate it in June to align with state efforts but it is probably too late at this point. He said we are not holding an event this year. TS said he had a draft from Rep. Cindy Evans for a proclamation. TS said he would like to have a resolution signed by all four mayors. Mayor has offered up to $10,000 to fund a County outdoors event. TS nominated to be chairman, with WC and MB part of the investigative committee. WC second. Unanimously passed. It was announced that Stan Roehrig is the new Hawaii County member of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, replacing Rob Pacheco. TL introduced a letter from Hilo resident Jean Fujiyoshi about the pig problem. TL says this is because of too many fences in our forest. TL said the solution is actually a game management plan. GMAC is behind HB 104, which is a Constitutional amendment to reinstitute game animals as a protected resource. Game is a sustainability resource, management resource and income resource. Hawaii forests are reputed to have millions of value but were being ask to provide millions to protect it. Tony asked what she is asking us to do. BC asked who owns the animals. Tony said the people. BC said it's up to the people, and what is up there is what the people want. WC asked for a statement to get DLNR to do something. TL said we need to have a compelling argument, which is a Game Management Plan. MB said fencing is part of the future. We're seeing collateral damage. DLNR should be accountable. MB spoke about the effects of fencing. The fences have created a situation where animals are destroying property because they are prevented from going into their "natural habitat." Fencing is now being erected by NARS and watershed. Ike questioned the state's response to protect the palila by saying that the palila habitat decision said the animals could co -exist. WB said the state is protecting the watershed. The state is protecting the public resource. TL said there is no threat to the watershed and the state's arguments are flawed. He said the people in Hawaii should be able to choose what to do with resource. TL also said the constitutional protection was lost by slight of hand. There are some weird things going on. Mayor offered to match $110K from the state. TL asked what happened to the bill. TS said DLNR was concerned about where the money was going to come from and talked the Leg out of it. WB said GMAC ideas are not bad, but GMAC needs to know what the hurdles are before they start the race. WB said GMAC should convince the state to give greater consideration that our wild animals are just as important to the public as endangered plants or birds, and so there should be better balance. Maybe we can find a better funding source. TL said this is because there is no game management plan. He suggested a $25 license fee and getting the money into the wildlife revolving fund. We need to get the rules changed. BC said draft a letter from the mayor that says the fencing has unintended consequences and we humbly ask that the state address those things. WC said the other side of the sword is eradication. He said this is part of a grand plan to eradicate all the game animals. I agree that we be proactive but we gotta be careful. IY said GMAC needs to define what we're talking about. State is schzo. In one part of HRS it talks about animals as game. In others it talks about animals as invasive. MB moved that we write a letter saying that there are unintended consequences. TS seconds, IY said this should be written with the entire state in mind. TL said the problem is not the pigs but the fencing. DLNR wants DOA to do something about it. MB said he would draft this letter. WB said to draft and submit at the next meeting for approval. Motion was unanimous by voice vote. Public meeting is closed Executive Session called to clarify the duties and responsibilities of the commission.