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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/21/2018 Public hearing minutes on RES 2018-03 PUBLIC HEARING FEBRUARY 21, 2018 A public hearing of the Council of the County of Kaua`i was called to order by Mel Rapozo, Chair, Committee of the Whole, on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, at 1:31 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 Arthur Brun (present at 1:39 p.m.) Honorable Mason K. Chock Honorable Ross Kagawa Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro Honorable Derek S.K. Kawakami (present at 1:36p.m.) Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura Honorable Mel Rapozo The Clerk read the notice of the public hearing on the following: "Resolution No. 2018-03 — RESOLUTION PROPOSING A CHARTER AMENDMENT RELATING TO TERM LIMITS FOR COUNCILMEMBERS," which was ordered to print by the Council of the County of Kaua`i on January 24, 2018, and published in The Garden Island newspaper on January 31, 2018. The following communications were received for the record: 1. Barker, Melissa, dated February 20, 2018 2. Belardo, Maria, dated February 21, 2018 3. Bilbo, Peter, dated February 21, 2018 4. Burrell, Pamela, dated February 20, 2018 5. Caporuscio, Anni, dated February 21, 2018 6. Carter, Jamilee, dated February 21, 2018 7. Coan, Susan, dated February 21, 2018 8. Curran, Carol A., dated February 21, 2018 9. Dalessi, Tara, dated February 21, 2018 10. Dana, Hollis, dated February 21, 2018 11. de Vries, Diane, dated February 16, 2018 12. Dinner, David, dated February 16, 2018 13. Dolan, Robert and Lila, dated February 21, 2018 14. Fujimoto, Ashlee, dated February 20, 2018 PUBLIC HEARING 2 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 15. Gardner, Teresa, dated February 20, 2018 16. Hayes, Mary, dated February 21, 2018 17. Herndon, Sandy, dated February 21, 2018 18. Hoeppner, Judie, dated February 20, 2018 19. Holland, Fern, dated February 20, 2018 20. Kelley, Mary Lu, dated February 2, 2018 21. Kinzer, Jane, dated February 21, 2018 22. Lee, Jeremy Kalawaia, dated February 21, 2018 23. Levy, Joan, dated February 21, 2018 24. McHenry, Marion, dated February 20, 2018 25. McHenry, Robert, dated February 20, 2018 26. Olson, Lana, dated February 21, 2018 27. Penoff, Nadya, dated February 20, 2018 28. Politzer, Jay, dated February 20, 2018 29. Pollock, Sherry, dated 16, 2018 30. Rodrigues, Apelila, dated February 21, 2018 31. Roessler, Charles, dated February 21, 2018 32. Rudinoff, Reverend Jan C., dated February 21, 2018 33. Stone, Mary Isabella, dated February 21, 2018 34. Taylor, Gabriela, dated February 16, 2018 35. Young, Karen, dated February 21, 2018 The hearing proceeded as follows: JADE K. FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA, County Clerk: Council Chair Rapozo, we have received thirty-five (35) pieces of written testimony and we have six (6) registered speakers today. Council Chair Rapozo: Okay, thank you. Before we open up the floor, it seems some misinformation went out about this term limit Resolution that, in fact, the Council was going to be voting on that today. This is a resolution for a Charter Amendment, which means the Council needs five (5) votes to pass the Resolution. If it does pass, then it goes on the ballot. The Council does not have the authority to change term limits, add term limits, or remove. But by the E-mails that I received and I received quite a bit, it is very clear that the people who testified were informed that the Council was going to vote to change the term limits. So, that is not the case. If it passes the Council, it goes on the ballot at the General Election. I just wanted to make that comment before we take public testimony so everybody knows that the Council does not have that ability to remove the term limits. With that, we will take the first registered speaker. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: The first registered speak is Anne Walton, followed by Jerome Freitas. PUBLIC HEARING 3 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 ANNE WALTON: Good afternoon, Council Chair Rapozo and Councilmembers. In regards to Resolution No. 2018-03 and the removal of term limits for County Councilmembers, I oppose any action on the proposed Charter Amendment and support maintaining term limits in their current state for the following reasons: term limits create a regular opportunity for bringing in new blood and a more diverse pool of candidates that can reenergize any governing body where the tendency over time is to address and solve issues and challenges in the same way they were created resulting in a bottlenecked system. (Councilmember Kagawa was noted as not present.) Ms. Walton: It will create a faster turnover for those who come on the County Council with no to little experience or background in running a County government and have the tendency to get comfortable with the fault in their judgment and authority to unelected staffers and the deep pockets of the special interest groups. Term limits can serve as an equalizer for potential new candidates, especially the younger and/or more qualified and experienced ones that are running against longer-term incumbents who over time, have an enormous advantage in terms of fundraising and their ability to use their office to win re-election. Term limits would ensure that Councilmembers are not just using their position for private or personal gain, i.e., to improve their employment opportunities or as a potential retirement plan, but rather serving with the best interest of the entire island community in mind. As communities experience demographic changes, and more opportunities open up on the County Council, greater voter turnout might occur if the public feels there is a real race going on and their votes count. Finally, I would like to point out that the County Councilmembers taking a vote on their own term limits is a kin to voting on their own salary raise, a conflict of interest. This speaks to what Council Chair Rapozo was just talking about. As such, this Charter Amendment will require a vote of confidence from the people of Kaua`i. I hope you will listen to what we say and know that this is in good faith. Thank you for listening to me. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: The next speaker is Jerome Freitas, followed by Carl Imparato. JEROME FREITAS: My name is Jerome Freitas. (Councilmember Kawakami was noted as present.) Mr. Freitas: Council Chair Rapozo, Council Vice Chair Kagawa, Councilmembers, and staff. When I read about the term limits, what I thought about is this, the President of the United States gets eight (8) years, the Governor gets eight (8)years, and the Mayor gets eight (8)years. They are in a higher PUBLIC HEARING 4 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 ranking. They make a lot of decisions. We have term limits because if you do not have any term limits, you can run and run, and there are a lot of people back there outside that are young that are coming up who have a lot of ideas, too. So, I do not know if you folks were going to put it on the ballot, but the question I want to ask is, how much is it going to cost to put it on the ballot? Council Chair Rapozo: Nothing. Mr. Freitas: It would be free? Council Chair Rapozo: It is going to be on the ballot for the General Election. Mr. Freitas: So, we do not pay anything? Okay. I do not know how the rest of you Councilmembers feel, but I think term limits is the way to go. Term limits, yes. I think that is all I have to say now. Thank you very much. Council Chair Rapozo: Next. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Carl Imparato, followed by Ken Taylor. CARL IMPARATO: Aloha Councilmembers. My name is Carl Imparato. I strongly urge you to reject this Resolution. Less than twelve (12) years ago, Kaua`i's voters decisively voted by sixty-nine percent (69%) to thirty-one percent (31%) to impose term limits on County Councilmembers. It is almost unbelievable therefore, that this County Council would even contemplate overturning rather than respecting the overwhelming mandate of the voters. When the voters spoke in 2006, they clearly recognized that it was both bad government and unfair to allow career politicians to build ever-increasing power bases through their time in office, giving long-term incumbents overwhelming advantages over their opponents. Kaua`i's voters clearly recognize that Kaua`i would be better governed with term limits because term limits would temper some of the benefits of incumbency, enable fair competition in elections, and lead to a better balance between career politicians and new Councilmembers with fresh ideas and fewer political debts. Kaua`i's voters also clearly rejected the idea that any politician could be so indispensable that he or she needs to be allowed to serve without limit. Instead, they voted for a balanced approach that allows term limited politicians to run again as non-incumbents after a two (2) year leave. (Councilmember Brun was noted as present.) Mr. Imparato: Kaua`i's voters therefore, decided that County government would be improved by enacting term limits. The argument that the voters should be forced to vote again on term limit because times change, which is a PUBLIC HEARING 5 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 claim made by some Councilmembers in past, rings hollow. Under that argument, it would make far more sense for the County Council to put district elections, which lost by the tiny margin of less than one percent (1%), back on the ballot rather than term limits, which won by a resounding sixty-nine percent (69%) to thirty-one percent (31%) margin. Finally and perhaps most importantly, I remind you that it is a conflict of interest for any Councilmember to vote on any matter that would personally benefit himself or herself, and it is crystal-clear that for a Councilmember to vote "yes" on this Resolution would be to vote for a measure that would be personally beneficial financially and politically to the Councilmember, so it would be unethical for most of the County Councilmembers, all except Council Chair Rapozo and Councilmember Yukimura, who would not be affected by this because they are already term-limited out, to vote "yes" on this Resolution. (Councilmember Yukimura was noted as not present.) Mr. Imparato: If Councilmembers want to eliminate term limits that apply to themselves and disregard the clearly stated will of the voters, then the ethical way that they can proceed would be to reject this proposed Resolution and instead, ask the Charter Review Commission to consider whether or not any proposal regarding term limits should be placed on the ballot. In closing, I ask that you please respect the very clear will of Kaua`i's voters by rejecting this harmful and self-serving Resolution. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Ken Taylor, followed by Mary Stone. KEN TAYLOR: Council Chair Rapozo and Members of the Council, Ken Taylor. Before I get started, I just want to be say that I think it is really disrespectful for the individual that brought this item forward not to be sitting at the table at this time. (Councilmember Yukimura was noted as present.) Mr. Taylor: I think it just shows the public how sad Councilmembers can be when they get up and walk out of the room when their issue is before the public. Can you start this machine over again, please? That was nothing do with the item. Council Chair Rapozo: That was part of your testimony, so just continue. Mr. Taylor: I am opposed to moving forward with Resolution No. 2018-03. When the Charter was first framed, the Charter Review PUBLIC HEARING 6 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 Commission was set at three (3) years out of every ten (10), I would think primarily because the Charter is not supposed to be tinkered with every year or on any regular basis. Under those circumstances, I think, the people that were putting the Charter together back then gave the Council the authority to move things forward primarily in the off-years in case something very important came up. I do not consider this to be very important and I agree with the previous speaker that this issue should be put to bed and the request sent to the Charter Review Commission for complete viewing. I think it was in 2006 when we passed the Charter Amendment and it is just now starting to kick in. I think we should give it some time and see if it is a problem, because personally at the end of eight (8) years, if you have to step down for a couple of years and then come back, so be it if you are so inclined to do so, but the Council position was never meant to be a full-time life ambition. It was supposed to be more of a volunteer, Good Samaritan activity for the community and that is the way it should be. Term limits opens the opportunity for new people to come in and participate, and maybe bring really new and wonderful ideas to the table. So please, under the conditions, do not vote to move this forward. Thank you. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Mary Stone, followed by Lenny Rapozo. MARY STONE: Aloha. My name is Mary Stone. I think the issues that Carl brought up were very relevant in terms of when it was discussed before, the overwhelming majority of our community members supported term limits. So, I support the idea of term limits for elected members of our County Council because our form of democratic governance is based on the principle of one (1) citizen and one (1) vote. I feel to encourage maximum citizen participation and engagement that for each of us, it is good to be involved in our communities and to know and understand all of the members of our community. This incentive of this way of the one (1) citizen/one (1) vote is a way we make a difference in knowing about our neighbors and their concerns. So, this idea of having ongoing members of our County Council without having periodic availability of members of our community to bring their concerns to the County Council, I think, supports the idea of term limits. (Councilmember Kagawa was noted as present.) Ms. Stone: The elected representatives makes decisions on a wide variety: the budget, money allocation, safety and policing, and resource management that affects our environment. These are complex issues to make decisions about and term limits of our County Councilmembers allows for and encourages members of the community to express their concerns in a legal and positive way. Being fully informed in these concerns and the opportunity is there to become a member of the County Council. If they do not get that opportunity, they can get another opportunity with better knowledge of these concerns of the community. Our form of democratic government is based on each citizen having an opportunity to express themselves through their vote based on their knowledge and PUBLIC HEARING 7 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 their concern. This form of government assures a legal and positive change, so I am definitely supporting the idea of term limits for our County Councilmembers. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Ms. Stone: Mahalo. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Lenny Rapozo, followed by Anne Thurston. LEONARD A. RAPOZO: For the record, I am Lenny Rapozo. I am here as a private citizen. I ask you to support this Resolution, reinstate my right to choose. We heard about the democratic process from previous speakers and it is a democratic process of our right to choose. Since I have been back from college since 1988, this body has seen changeovers not due to term limits, but by the people who have voted people out because they felt their time was done. In the last election, you folks all saw that some of these people are no longer sitting here not by term limits, but because of the people's right to choose. The democratic process is about us having that right to choose who we see and deem fit to govern and help govern. If the people so choose to see that they continue to do a good job, then they are kept in. So, I encourage you to support this Resolution and reinstate our right to choose who governs us. Thank you very much. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Anne Thurston, followed by Lani Kawahara. ANNE THURSTON: Thank you. Anne Thurston. I strongly oppose the Resolution to amend the County Charter to remove the term limitation for the office of the Councilmembers for the following reasons: rotation is a healthy way. It is practiced across the Country of providing change and necessary transformation for the Council. Bringing in new Councilmembers on a regular basis prevents stagnation and gives the Council an opportunity to renew itself. It is a means of including diversity into the Council's composition and keeping in touch with the constituents, all of them. It offers a built-in balance of continuity and turnover. It enables fresh ideas and new perspectives. It provides an easy exit for passive and ineffective Councilmembers. Without term limits and change among the Councilmembers, we would risk stagnation, the perpetual concentration of power within a small group, and manipulation by special interests. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Lani Kawahara, followed by Annette Oda. PUBLIC HEARING 8 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 LANI KAWAHARA: Hey, good afternoon, Councilmembers and Council Chair Rapozo. My name is Lani Kawahara and I am testifying as an individual on Resolution No. 2018-03, which proposes eliminating term limits for Councilmembers. I am here just to provide information and some experience that I have with term limits. Right now, Councilmembers can serve four (4) consecutive terms, as you know, or in other words, eight (8) years; eight (8) years to effect change and do work here for the people. As somebody who ran only because many Councilmembers termed out, I want to say that the limit creates open seats that give other citizens the incentive to run and win. The way that it is staggered at this point, prevents a complete turnover in members. This allows fresh voices and perspectives to be heard. It also allows for a change in power dynamics, how little they may be, and/or can cause a disruption of a stale, unengaged, or even repressive Council. In this way, Council terms address the power inherent in incumbency. I agree that it is the democratic process and people can be voted in and out. However, a large part of anybody actually running and being incentivized to run is that there is not one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) of money standing there against them to get a seat like this. As it is written now, unless there is something to replace this that addresses this power of incumbency, I do not support taking out term limits for Councilmembers. Each one of you on this table who decides to run has that advantage of name recognition and fundraising/networking advantages that somebody new who wants to run cannot even attempt to meet from the start out of the gate. This clearly shows a strong issue that really discourages and prevents others from running and being elected. Unless again, there is another process in place that addresses incumbency, please keep the Charter as-is. We are talking about eight (8) years. Eight (8) years is a reasonable amount of time to serve the people and pass legislation at the Council level. Furthermore, termed out Councilmembers can work on this side of the rail. I have seen them do this in the two (2) years that they are off, getting reenergized, learning more about their constituents, and not having to be at that table. It works. It can be done and it has been done. Council Chair Rapozo: Lani, I have to stop you there. Ms. Kawahara: I am sorry. I forgot there were lights. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there anyone else wishing to testify on this? Is there anyone else registered to speak? Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: We have two (2) more. Council Chair Rapozo: Oh, okay. You have to come back for your second time. Ms. Kawahara: Okay, I am almost done. Okay. Thank you. PUBLIC HEARING 9 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 Councilmember Kawakami: Wait, I have a clarifying question. Lani, thank you so much. It is good to see you here. Ms. Kawahara: It is good to see you. Councilmember Kawakami: I got to serve with you originally, and you know what type of learning curve is required in our first term. Ms. Kawahara: Yes. Councilmember Kawakami: The first two (2) years are literally getting our feet wet, learning the process, and learning to get involved. Ms. Kawahara: Yes. Councilmember Kawakami: With that being said, would you be open to amending the term limits the way that it is structured, so instead of four (4) two-year terms, that perhaps we would have two (2) four-year terms so that we are not distracting new Councilmembers from doing the job and then having to campaign? It is just food for thought, something that you do not have to answer now. Ms. Kawahara: I can answer it now. Councilmember Kawakami: Sure. Ms. Kawahara: It is food for thought and I have thought about it because there are ways to move it around. But in my experience, I was able to introduce several pieces of legislation and resolutions within my first two (2) years as a Councilmember. So yes, it is and you were, too. Councilmember Kawakami: Yes. Ms. Kawahara: It is clearly possible to get up and running within at least six (6) months or maybe a year. But it gives you a lot of time because other people at this table are working on things, too, that you can assist or vote with or vote against. So, you are not totally disabled as a first-year member. Councilmember Kagawa: I have a question. Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you, Council Chair Rapozo. Council Chair Rapozo: Go ahead. PUBLIC HEARING 10 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you, Lani, for your testimony. What are the two (2) most important pieces of legislation that you are proud of that you passed in the two (2) years? Ms. Kawahara: Is that what the Resolution is about? Council Chair Rapozo: That is not. Ms. Kawahara: I do not think that is what the Resolution is about, Councilmember Kagawa. Councilmember Kagawa: You said that you accomplished in your two (2) years, so what did you accomplish? Council Chair Rapozo: That is not...thank you. Ms. Kawahara: Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Next speaker. Ms. Kawahara: Thank you, Councilmembers. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: The next speaker is Annette Oda, followed by Rupert Rowe. ANNETTE ODA: Good afternoon, Councilmembers. This is on term limits and the hair on the back of my back just rose when I saw this because this is outrageous, totally outrageous. (Councilmember Kawakami was noted as not present.) Ms. Oda: It is like letting the cows run out of the barn. I mean, just do whatever they want. No. Never. I do not support this Resolution, as you can see. I am a simple Kauaian. I like things put simply just like most Kauaians. Using the scientific process and basic Christian and American values, whenever I see red-flags, that tells me, "Forget it. Stay far away from it." If you delete term limits, it is like a free for all. Never. That is not appropriate and that is not rational thinking. There is no wisdom in that. We cannot have that because people do not follow the laws, they do not follow the rules, and they think they can do whatever they want because it has not been enforced. This is going to add into more corruption. No, we cannot have that. It leads to more complacency, apathy, and more rise in special interests getting in there and going, "Okay, all you need is money." No. I represent the people, I represent most of the people on Kaua`i, and our thinking is we want Kauai to be sustainable to live on and go on forever and ever for our children, PUBLIC HEARING 11 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 grandchildren, or whatever all the way through. At this point, if the Council does not make laws that solves our problems now, what they are doing is dumping all their problems on the next generation. That is not fair. I mean, I would not want my parents to be dumping their problems on me and then I have to not only make a living, I have to go solve their problems that they never took care of. So, no. Never. Unless any one of you are going to find out that you are perfect and God is backing you, hey, I might consider it. But no way. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you very much. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: The last registered speaker is Rupert Rowe. RUPERT ROWE: Aloha. My name is Rupert Rowe. I am for term limits. The reason that I am for term limits is that I want to make a suggestion, that we have four (4) years of two (2) years. There are six (6) moku on this island and you represent each moku, rather than running at-large like we are right now so that the integrity of the community is heard the right way and not the wrong way. (Councilmember Kawakami was noted as present.) Mr. Rowe: Without term limits, we are bringing back the nineteenth century cowboy-style politics. That cannot happen. The public must be upfront with how we feel that we pay you. You do not pay us. Remember that. Secondly, having the moku—each moku on this island, you represent them. If you go like the way we are, it is freelancing. The top five (5) will always be there no matter what. It is set up to be like that. That is the nineteenth century mentality of politics. We are in the twenty-first century. We made some changes by adding the term limits to bring the integrity of this Council to the forefront, like every other County. Only on Kaua`i, you run freelance. There is no other place in the State of Hawai`i that operates like our County. Secondly, the seventh person has two (2) four-year terms. He runs at-large. So we have six (6) moku, one (1) at-large. The six (6) moku, you have four (4) terms, two-year terms, and the seventh person, you have two (2) four-year terms to make the seven (7). I am very concerned because out there in the general public, they ask me, talk to me, and share their thoughts with me. We kind of cleaned up a little, but let us clean it up all the way. That is all I have to say. Aloha. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Ms. Fountain-Tanigawa: Council Chair Rapozo, there are no further registered speakers. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there anyone else wishing to speak for the first time? PUBLIC HEARING 12 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 JOE ROSA: For the record, a short little thing that I remember as a youngster about the United Stated (U.S.) Constitution, the Amendments, and all of that. If I am not mistaken, the Seventeenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution had a statement in it where it limited terms of political officers, the Seventeenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I do not hear people mentioning that. That even goes for our U.S. Congress. We have all these old fogies up there that is still serving, but nobody looks into it. I do not know why. But correct me if I am wrong if I am mistaken by the number of the Seventeenth Amendment. Well, there is something in the Constitution that mentions about terms of our representatives; that would be the Senate or Council. Check it out. If I am not mistaken, it is the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Is there anyone else wishing to speak for the first time? Mr. Mickens. GLENN MICKENS: Thank you, Council Chair Rapozo. For the record, Glenn Mickens. I think the people have pretty much said it all today. I have not heard anybody in favor of it, and I am not either. You remember the Judge when we had our `Ghana Kaua`i Charter Amendment, he said that if it is not broke, do not fix it. I did not agree with him on that, but I agree with it today. Councilmember Kawakami's suggestion about two (2) four-year limits might be okay, but I think the way it is right now, I would not change it. I just do not think it needs fixing. Like Joe just said, with our Federal government, these folks stay in there forever and ever and they know how to play the system. I do not think that is what the people really need or want. Granted, it is tough. It is like Gary Hooser. I think he had to run twice before he ever got elected. I think that is why you have to know what you are doing, but it takes work, a lot of time, and everything to get elected to what you are doing. I would say that if everything in the County, whether it is roads, or traffic, or whatever it happens to be are okay, I would say you folks and those folks across the street are doing a good job. If things need fixing, then you are looking for someone else to come along and do the other job. Thank you very much. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there anyone else wishing to speak for the first time? KLAYTON KUBO: Klayton Kubo, Waimea, Kauai. As for term limits, I am going say this, I agree with term limits. I agree. Let us look at this way, you folks have seven (7) people right there. If we, the people, wanted to put something on the ballot, we are going to have to go through how many signatures? Whoa. But you folks just have seven (7), so it is like, where do we, the people, stand? That is kind of a tough thing that I have to think about because you folks know what happened the other time. In a way that just seven (7) can put something on the ballot, wow. I got to repeat myself again, wow. But I would like to see a resolution that is PUBLIC HEARING 13 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 going to come out from this body that is going to say that if you want to be a Councilmember, you will not be affiliated with any job, nonprofit, company or companies, or big land holder. That is what I would like to see. But hey, it has nothing to do with what we are talking about. I just had to fly that out anyway. Mahalo and aloha. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there anyone else wishing to speak for the first time? If not, second time? Mr. Freitas: Okay. We are talking about term limits, maybe two (2) four-years, so that would be eight (8) years, right? That way, the Councilmembers get more time to just learn the first two (2) years and then another two (2) years would be good. Let the people decide. Put it on the ballot and see what happens. There has to be term limits right now. Like I said, two (2) four-year terms can maybe work. Maybe that would be good, too. That is all I have to say. Thank you very much. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Mr. Freitas: You are welcome. Council Chair Rapozo: Is there anyone else wishing to speak for a second time? Ms. Kawahara: Just one (1) more thing in case the public is concerned. New Councilmembers get training on how to actually draft bills and how to do the table. Uncle Phil Tacbian teaches us about Rules of Order. There is training that goes into place. I do not want the public to feel like you are not going to get your two (2) years' worth of voting your Councilmember in. You can be quite effective in two (2) years. Once again, any person that has termed out can run again in two (2) years and work on this side of the table during the time, or they could run for a different office any time immediately after they term out. So there are a lot of options. It is not the end-all, an eight (8) year thing is not an end-all. That is all. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Is there anyone else wishing to speak for a second time? Ms. Oda: Hello, everyone. Annette Oda, for the record. On the term limits, I would strongly recommend that if there is a revision, it should be one (1) term of four (4) years, which you can accomplish a lot, according to the former speaker, and that is fine. This is just to delineate anybody trying to think of ulterior motives, including special interests. I like the idea of the other speaker who said that there should be conditions as to who can run for Council, and one of the biggest things is that no special interest connections or no special organization PUBLIC HEARING 14 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 connection. You are going to be voted in for your own individual character and your own individual history, experience, knowledge, and skills. That is it. No one, no other special interest group that has tons of money or little bit of money should be supporting any of the candidates. That is wrong, including the media. No. No endorsements through the media, including anything else that has money connected to them because right now, as it is, in every part of government, all we have to do as an American citizen is we can follow the money and we can see the corruption all the way through. So if you do not have ulterior motives, you have nothing to worry about. If God is your guidance, no problem because he will see you through. But if you are connected in any way, sinfully, it is bad news for you. We should never have any government offices be supported by any other interests, period. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Is there anyone else wishing to speak for a second time? Mr. Rowe: It must be important because I came back a second time. Anyway, two (2) four-year terms for six (6) of you folks and one (1) two-year term for a Councilmember at-large. The reason it has to be that way is because then, we can have true representation. Since this is the year of the Hawaiians, we would like the moku to be the districts for each one of you to run from if you live in that district, so the integrity in the community is well-taken care of than what happened in the past. So we have to look ahead. Right now, I believe two (2) four-year terms and one (1) four-year at-large. The most important thing is that we must have district representation by using the moku to divide the island. That is all I have to say. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Anyone else? If not, the public hearing is now closed. Thank you. Councilmember Yukimura: Council Chair Rapozo, will this item come up back to the Council for a vote? Council Chair Rapozo: Correct. Councilmember Yukimura: Not to Committee. Council Chair Rapozo: No, it will come back to the full Council. Councilmember Yukimura: Right. What date is that? Council Chair Rapozo: March 14th. PUBLIC HEARING 15 FEBRUARY 21, 2018 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-03 Councilmember Yukimura: March 14th is when the Council will vote on the Resolution. If the Resolution passes, then it will be placed on the ballot at the General Election coming up. If it fails, then that is it. Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. There being no further testimony, the public hearing adjourned at 2:13 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 1 JADE K. FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA County Clerk :aa