HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0024.096 - Testimony - CA-9 - staff for PONC fund and Maintenance fundMarch 8, 2019
TO: Hawaii County Carter Commission
From Deborah Ward, Chair, Sierra Club Moku Loa Group
RE: PONC Amendments
Thank you for helping us strengthen the PONC allocation to make protecting our
natural, cultural and agricultural resources before they are developed for private gain.
You are well aware that the public has demonstrated support of this program through
three separate votes, and we encourage you to strengthen, not weaken the program.
CA -9
We OPPOSE ambiguous language proposed by Commissioner
Hopkins;
We SUPPORT improving the clarity of the amendment by substituting
the following language;
Pay for the salary, wages and benefits
of one staff member dedicated only to advancing administering the activities
contained within this section and Section 10-16 of this charter.
It needs to be clear that a single staff member in the Finance Department shall be funded
designated with sole responsibility to administer the PONC activities. The PONC funds should
not be used for non -dedicated activities related to the Finance department.
We SUPPORT CA -18 as amended, for Initial Approval; Proposal to
amend Section 10-16, Public Access, Open Space, and Natural
Resources Preservation Maintenance Fund, as submitted by
Commissioner Rice
To date, less than 9% of all the Maintenance Fund money has supported the work of
local non -profits. The balance has been allocated to off -island consultants.
These are the reasons why we are proposing these amendments:
1- The application process will be administered by the Department of Finance.
They already assist with a $1 million grant program for social program non-
profits.
2- Streamline the stewardship application process
3- Have the Public Access and Open Space Commission help with
recommendations and oversight.
4- Allow the building, installing renting and maintenance of toilet facilities, sheds
and structures.
5- Allow for the creation of trails or paths.
Comm. No. 24.96
6- Allow officers, board members and employees to be paid by the non-profit for
their work with fiscal oversight by the designated Finance Department staff.
We OPPOSE Comm. CA -27 - Initial Approval; Proposal to amend
Section 10-15, Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources
Preservation Fund, to add language to place an emphasis on the
acquisition of Easements and that the County may exercise eminent
domain to acquire Properties and easements for the purposes of this
fund; as submitted by Commissioner Roehrig.
Proposed Section g) would be duplicative; Conservation easements are a
regular part of the acquisition process currently, and added language to the
charter is not needed.
Proposed Section h) would introduce a threat to landowners that would not
reflect the need to acquire land strictly for public health and welfare.
Eminent domain actions would open the County to lawsuits, and the PONC
funds should not be used to defend the County in such litigation. We should
be making a maximum effort to obtain matching funds to purchase the
lands at a negotiated price, rather than extracting the resource by "taking"
it. Eminent domain is highly unpopular and might cause more harm than
any possible benefit.
Please support our proposed language in CA -9, support CA -18 as
proposed by Commissioner Rice, and do not approve CA -27.
Thank you!