HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0014.02 - Testimony - CA-2 - Council Meeting locationsMargaret Wille
Attorney at Law
65-1316 Lihipali Road
Kamuela, Hawaii 96743
Tel: 808-854-6931
margaretwille@mac.com
December 14, 2018
To: Charter Commission
Fr: Margaret Wille, on behalf of myself
Re: Comm. No. 14.1 CA- 2 Re: Art. III Section 3-7 (Council Meetings)
Comm. 14.1 proposes to amend Section 3.7, while I agree with the general
principle in the proposed amendment, I would modify and expand that
amendment as follows:
Section 3-7. Meetings; Rules and Journal; Voting and Quorum.
The county council shall meet regularly at least twice in every month at such
times, and places as shall be established by rule of the council except that only one
meeting in December is required. and mcct at least quarterly in the judicial district of
North Kona or South Kona The Council shall meet an equal number of its regularly
scheduled meetings in East Hawai`i and West Hawai`i, however at meetings when
the budget is scheduled to be discussed with presentations by members of
Departments, such meetings may be scheduled solely in Hilo in order to
accommodate and increase attendance by members of Departments whose
principal office is located in Hilo without an equivalent number of meetings in West
Hawai`i. The council shall determine its rules and order of business and shall
provide for keeping a journal of its proceedings, which shall be a public record, in
which the ayes and noes shall be entered as required by this charter or at any other
time upon the demand of any member. The affirmative vote of a majority of the
entire membership shall be necessary for council action. A majority of the entire
membership of the council shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may
adjourn from time to time and may compel the attendance of absent members.
Whenever the term "entire membership" appears in this charter pertaining to council
voting, it means the entire membership of nine members, even if there are vacancies.
(1979, Prop. 13; 1990, Prop. 13, sec. 3; 2000, Prop. 13, sec. 1.)
Comment:
I appreciate the proposed revision of Section 3-7 (Council meetings) in Comm. 14.1
but suggest the above modification to take into consideration the meetings where
members of the Departments located in Hilo are asked to attend Council meeting
during budget periods. Great loss of time when they need to travel to Kona for the
day rather than be available to be called at the time of that item is addressed by the
council. Requiring a second meeting in December is often a waste of money. Allow
the Council Chair to determine if that meeting is needed.
Comm. No. 14.2