HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM. 046 May 3, 1979
Chairman Kimiaki Sakata
and Members of the Hawaii County Charter Commission
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Please permit me this opportunity of submitting my concerns as
a private citizen for your consideration. I regret my unavaila—
bility at your public hearing of May 1, 1979 at the Hawaii County
Council Room. Attached is the text of my intended presentation.
May I humbly request that my thoughts be made a part of your most
momentous deliberations.
Yours very truly,
00/
Harvey Tajiri
Attachment
COM %,1, NO.
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CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION - MAY 1., 1979
GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE .CHARTER COMMISSION .' I 'AM HARVEY '
TAJIRI , SPEAKING TO YOU As AN ' INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN . I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT _SOME OF.MY CONCERNS RELATING
TO THE HAWAII COUNTY CHARTER . • .
ARTICLE VIII , DEPARTMENT OF WATER' SUPPLY •
ARTICLE VIII SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATES THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER
' SUPPLY AS 'A 'SEMI'-AUTONOMOUS AGENCY . I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND
THAT THE CHARTER COMMISSION GIVE SERIOUS THOUGHTS TO THIS STATUS ,
THE LEVEL OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY OF HAWAII SHOULD BE
BASED UPON ALL THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES WITHIN THE JURISDICTION
OF THE COUNTY, THUS THERE SHOULD BE ONE COUNTY OPERATING PROGRAM.
ALL DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY SHOULD
BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF THE COUNTY OF
HAWAII .
OUR ANNUAL EXTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS HAVE CONSISTENTLY CRITICIZED
THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING
SYSTEM, THEY HAVE ALSO CRITICIZED THE SEWER 'S BILLING PRACTICES
AND BOTH OF THESE CRITICISMS HAVE HAD SOME ASSOCIATION TO -THE-
SEMI-AUTONOMOUS POSITION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY. ONE '
CENTRAL EDP DEPARTMENT FOR THE COUNTY WOULD ELIMINATE DUPLICATIONS
AND PROMOTE. EFFICIENCY IN OPERATIONS .
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THE PLANNED FUTURE FOR THE COUNTY OF HAWAII MUST BE IMPLEMENTED
IN TOTAL BY. ALL AGENCIES . IT SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL
OF A SEMI-AUTONOMOUS BODY ,
THE REVENUES OF THE WATER RESOURCES SHOULD BE RETAINED AS A
SEPARATE FUND, LIKE THE HIGHWAY FUND . THIS WILL INSURE THAT REVENUES
GENERATED BY OUR WATER RATES ARE RETAINED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND
MAINTENANCE OF A WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM GEARED TO THE NEEDS OF OUR
COMMUNITIES .
ARTICLE X, SECTION 10-9 APPROPRIATIONS , REDUCTION AND TRANSFER
THE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL HAVE BEEN EMBROILED IN A BIT-
OF CONFLICT AS TO WHO MAY INITIATE TRANSFER OF FUNDS BETWEEN AGENCIES .
THE PRELIMINARY OPINION BY THE CORPORATION COUNSEL IS THAT ONLY
THE MAYOR MAY INITIATE REQUESTS TO TRANSFER FUNDS . HOPEFULLY,
YOUR COMMISSION WILL BE ABLE TO CLARIFY THIS CONFLICT, THE SECTION
SEEMS TO ENDORSE THE SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES . WHEN THE
MAYOR REQUESTS IN WRITING THAT TRANSFERS BETWEEN BRANCHES OF GOVERN-
MENT BE ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION ; THE COUNCIL CHECKS THE PROPRIETY
OF THE MAYOR'S REQUESTS , HOWEVER, THE CHARTER IS SILENT AS TO
THE COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO TRANSFER FUNDS BETWEEN AGENCIES , ESPECIALLY
AS THEY APPROPRIATE UNENCUMBERED BALANCES IN THEIR PROGRAM TO
OTHER AGENCIES . I FEEL THAT THE CHARTER IS SILENT HERE BECAUSE
THE MAYOR HAS THE FINAL CHECK ON THE COUNCILS APPROPRIATIONS BY
DETERMINING WHICH APPROPRIATIONS WILL BE FUNDED . THUS , I FEEL
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THAT BOTH .THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ARE CAPABLE TO INITIATE TRANSFERS
BETWEEN .AGENCIES , THIS MATTER. SHOULD BE CLARIFIED BY YOUR
DISCUSSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS,
IN CONCLUSION, MAY I IMPRESS UPON YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR
CHARTER AMENDMENT RECOMMENDATIONS . THE COUNTY IS ABOUT TO ENTER
THE 198O'S' WITH BRIGHTER HORIZONS AND THE CHARTER SHOULD BE IN
TUNE. WITH THE DEMANDS OF A BRIGHTER FUTURE ,' •