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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM. 045 aJ w` CT • HAWAII ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • ESTABLISHED 1897 180 KINOOLE STREET ROOM 203 HILO, HAWAII 96720 • May 1, 1979 • The Honorable Chairman and Members Charter Review Commission County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni St. Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • •Ladies and Gentlemen: We have made an in depth study of the Charter of the County of Hawaii with an eye toward possible revisions. Our Legislative Committee, in con- junction with similar committees of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii and the Hilo Contractor's Association, held a series of nine meetings on the subject. Input was received from the Mayor, the Director of Finance, the Corporation Counsel, the Manager, Department of Water Supply, the Chief of Police, the Director of Personnel Services, and the Director of the Department of Liquor Control. A report of our Legislative Committee on the Charter was presented to our Board of Directors and it was the unanimous decision of the Board of Directors that we pass on these recommendations to you. Our recommendations are attached. These proposed amendments are of vital concern to us and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss these recommendations further with you any time-in-the future when you may be considering them in your deliberations. Please feel free to call on us. Respectfully submitted, • • Robert J. Santos Vice President r K COMM. N0= -= . • • Member,Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America c , 6,Y • • ARTICLE III • LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COUNTY COUNCIL SECTION 3-2. COMPOSITION AND TERMS. ,It is recommended that the Charter be amended to provide that five councilmen be elected by districts, exactly as we elect our members of the State Nouse of Representatives -- each to be elected for a term of two years. Two councilmen to be elected AT LARGE for a term of four years. There would be a total of seven councilmen. ARTICLE V EXECUTIVE BRANCH . THE MAYOR AND STAFF AGENCIES CHAPTER 4 PLANNING DEPARTMENT CHAPTER 5 DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT It is recommended that these two departments be combined into a single department similar to the State's Department of Planning & Economic Development. The revision should provide that the head of this department need not be one whose educational and/or' work background is in planning. ARTICLE VI EXECUTIVE BRANCH ' THE MANAGING DIRECTOR AND AGENCIES UNDER THE MANAGING DIRECTOR CHAPTER 2 • DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SECTION 6-2.2 CHIEF ENGINEER It is recommended that title of the head of this department be changed to "DIRECTOR" and the requirement that he he a registered professional engineer be deleted. It is felt that this is a position requiring administrative ability rather than engineering skills. ARTICLE VIII DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY We feel that this department should no longer be the semi-autonomous body it now is. It should be just another department of the County's executive branch. The Water Commission should be abolished and their duties and responsibilities turned over to the Executive Branch or the Legislative Branch as may be appropriate to make the operation of this department consistant with the operation of other county departments. We feel that the head of this department 'should be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the County Council. We also feel that the requirement that the head of this department be a registered engineer • should be deleted as this too is a position requiring administrative ability rather than engineering skills. • ARTICLE X FINANCIAL PROCEDURES It is recommended that the Charter be amended to provide that there shall be an expenditure ceiling for the operating budget which shall limit expenditures to the total revenues of the County EXCLUSIVE of State or Federal funds or grants. It is further recommended that the Charter be amended. to provide that the net bonded debt shall not exceed five per cent (5%) of the full market value (as determined by the tax office) of real property in the County .of Hawaii. • ARTICLE XI INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM SECTION 11-2. LIMITATIONS TO POWERS. • It is recommended that this entire section be deleted from the charter. The net effect would be to eliminate all limitations to the power of initiative. ARTICLE XIII GENERAL PROVISIONS SECTION 13-4. BOARDS AND COMIISSIONS. A provision should be added which would provide that a person's occupation, profession, or business shall not, in itself, be a bar from someone serv- ing on any Board or Commission of the County of Hawaii. NEW SECTION SUNSET LAW. • We feel that a ''Sunset Provision" should be added to the County Charter which would provide that at least once every four years, the Council shall critically review every program supported by county funds and, unless. the Council favorably authorizes its continuation at the then current or modified levels, the program would be terminated. We feel that the Council should adopt procedures and details to implement this new section.