Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/07/2016 Public hearing transcript on BILL#2635 PUBLIC HEARING SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 A public hearing of the Council of the County of Kaua`i was called to order by Arryl Kaneshiro, Vice Chair, Public Works / Parks & Recreation Committee, on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, at 1:36 p.m., at the Council Chambers, 4396 Rice Street, Suite 201, Historic County Building, Lihu`e, and the presence of the following was noted: Honorable Mason K. Chock Honorable Gary L. Hooser Honorable Ross Kagawa (present at 1:41 p.m.) Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro Honorable KipuKai Kuali`i Honorable Mel Rapozo Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura The Clerk read the notice of the public hearing on the following: "Bill No. 2635 — A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 19, KAUAI COUNTY CODE 1987, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE WAILUA GOLF COURSE)," which was ordered to print by the Council of the County of Kauai on August 3, 2016, and published in The Garden Island newspaper on August 9, 2016. The following communication was received for the record: 1. Petition in Support of Bill No. 2635 (165 signatures), dated August 11, 2016 The hearing proceeded as follows: JADE K. FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA, County Clerk: Committee Vice Chair, we have a petition that has been filed with one hundred sixty-five (165) signatures. This is in support of Bill No. 2635. We also have three (3) registered speakers. The first registered speaker is Corey Aguano. Committee Vice Chair Kaneshiro: Corey, you will have three (3) minutes. The light will turn green, then when the light turns yellow, you have thirty (30) seconds. When it turns red, your time is up. After everyone speaks for the first time, you can have another three (3) minutes, so you have a total of six (6) minutes if you need it. State your name and you may begin. COREY AGUANO: Corey Aguano. I am here in support of Bill No. 2635 to have liquor consumption throughout the golf course. I currently hold a concession there at the Wailua Golf Course. So I am pretty much here to support that. I also provided some signatures of support from golfers and people within the community. That is all. Thank you. Committee Vice Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. PUBLIC HEARING 2 SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 BILL NO. 2635 Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: The next speaker is Dick Ueoka. DICK UEOKA: Good afternoon, Members of the Council. It is my pleasure to come see you folks working. I am representing the Kaua`i Golf Association. I have been the President of this organization for too long. This must be unofficial because I did not have a chance to call our meeting of the club, but I did interview several golfers and made phone calls, and every golfer that I spoke to was in favor of this. There was only one (1) person who said that it will slow down play. When we looked at the course, nobody was playing on hole number 9. So I am officially in favor of the Bill. Thank you very much. (Committee Chair Kagawa was noted as present.) Committee Vice Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: The last registered speaker is Anne Punohu. ANNE PUNOHU: Aloha. My name is Anne Punohu. It is nice to see that the golfers are in favor of this, but did anybody ask the moms, the golfers' wives, or some of the women about this issue? Why did you not ask the underage kids what they thought about it? I have stated my feelings before at last meeting, but I am going to restate them because I guess this is a better and more appropriate time to repeat what I said before. I do not believe, because this will set a precedent for public golf courses across the state, because I know there is already alcohol in the restaurant now. So if you want to drink, you can go in the restaurant and have your drink. I think that this would unbalance and encourage drinking around underage minor children. We have youth that go there and golf. I feel that this could open up "Pandora's Box" for other publicly-funded sporting events, such as soccer and football. "Sure, hey, why do we not offer beer at the football games?" That would be really good, right? Why do we not offer alcohol at the soccer games? What is the difference? This is a public golf course for the public people of Kaua`i. I know that the one hundred sixty-five (165) golfers may like it, but I am just thinking in totality. When I testify on an issue, I always look at the whole picture. It is easy to look at just that little tiny part. But when we are setting precedent, that is very different. You have to look at all of the effects across the board in the future. I think that although it sounds benign, it could become a malignant cancer that we do not want to support. Earlier today, we were talking about alcohol and drug abuse prevention and about alcohol and drug abuse programs. My aunty and my uncle both golf. They are there all the time and I know for a fact that they would agree. Do you know why? They are Mormons and they do not drink. They are prolific golfers. In fact, I just saw them the other day. I can tell you that not all prolific golfers that use that golf course are going to be in favor, because some of them do not believe in alcohol in public places, especially if it is for a sport. I am not opposed to it if it was privately funded golf course. It is their business. Private enterprises can do whatever they like. I have nothing to say about any other golf courses on this, but this is the one golf course that is for the people. I just think that it is setting a bad precedent to say that it is okay to have alcohol in publically funded facilities. I have nothing against the people who are here. I love them to death. Please think along those lines. Mahalo. Committee Vice Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you, Anne. Anyone else in the audience wishing to testify? Bruce, you may come up. PUBLIC HEARING 3 SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 BILL NO. 2635 BRUCE HART: For the record, Bruce Hart. I agree with everything that Anne said and I would add that, like I said last time, in general, in regards to County-funded facilities where the public has a "say-so," as opposed to private facilities; I do not think that the promotion of alcohol, and I know that is rather strong, the promotion of alcohol, but that is how I see it. It sends a message • to the youth of this County that sports and alcohol are somehow interrelated. Now if Budweiser and the rest of them want to do that on national television, I cannot stop them. But I have something to say about what goes on in the County. It is part of the public and I do not approve of this. I do not approve of it in any way, shape, or form. We have enough encouragement to our youth to drink. There are other facilities and other places designated for the service of alcohol. This is not one of them. I do not want to take any youth out on a golf course where alcohol is being served right out on the course. Now, I thought about this since the last testimony and I do have a suggestion and would welcome any suggestions. If you want to increase the use of the golf course during the off-hours or during ,those times whenever the flow is not what it could be; how about if the County take into consideration getting together with somebody like Hawaiian Airlines and offering a coupon to the families or even the individuals that are coming over and encouraging them, maybe a discount, for their first-time visit to the golf course, where it would encourage them to go out onto the golf course and play? Let them become familiar with the County golf course. It is a wonderful course. I think things like that could increase flow; therefore, increase revenue. Thank you. Committee Vice Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. Anyone else for the first time? Anyone wishing to testify for a second time? If not, this public hearing is adjourned. There being no further testimony, the public hearing adjourned at 1:47 p.m. Respectfully submitted, JADE . FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA County Clerk :cy