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Home My WebLink About05/27/2020 Public Hearing minutes on C-2020-135 PUBLIC HEARING MAY 27, 2020 A public hearing of the Council of the County of Kaua`i was called to order by Arryl Kaneshiro, Chair, Committee of the Whole, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at 8.35 a 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 Felicia Cowden Honorable Luke A. Evslin (via remote technology) Honorable Ross Kagawa Honorable KipuKai Kuali`i Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro Not Present. Honorable Arthur Brun* Council Chair Kaneshiro. Good morning Today's public hearing will be conducted pursuant to Governor Ige's Supplementary Emergency Proclamation dated March 16, 2020, Sixth Supplementary Emergency Proclamation dated April 25, 2020, and Seventh Supplementary Emergency Proclamation dated May 5, 2020 Our schedule for today will be our public hearing, then our Special Council Meeting, and finally our Committee Meetings. The Clerk read the notice of the public hearing on the following "C 2020-135 Communication (05/07/2020) from the Mayor, submitting his Supplemental Budget Communication for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 and Proposed Amendments to the Budget Bills, pursuant to Section 19 02A of the Kaua`i County Charter," which was ordered to print on May 8, 2020, and published in The Garden Island newspaper on May 15, 2020. The following communications were received for the record. 1. Martin, M , dated May 27, 2020 2 Parsons, Steve, dated May 27, 2020 The hearing proceeded as follows. Council Chair Kaneshiro Thank you We do have one (1) testifier, Steve Parsons. Steve, you have three (3) minutes I am not sure if you can see that light STEVE PARSONS (via remote technology) Yes PUBLIC HEARING 2 MAY 27, 2020 C 2020-135 Council Chair Kaneshiro The light will turn green When you have thirty (30) seconds left, it will turn yellow. When your three (3) minutes is up, it will turn red If you need to, you can have an additional three (3) minutes You are the only one signed up to speak Please state your name for the record and you can start your testimony Mr Parsons My name is Steve Parsons I see that my time has started Thank you Councilmembers and Council Chair for the opportunity to speak. I will start with my topic statement I want the County of Kaua`i to stop buying any new, and I am emphasizing "new," fossil fuel vehicles Diesel, gas, or whatever Now I will get into why I am really angry about the climate crisis. I want you to be really angry too. I do not think there is another threat to our island and our kids than global warming If you have been to the beach lately, like to Kealia or elsewhere, we have a lot of erosion going on We do not have to go far I know the budget is getting slammed left and right with other things. We need to act a little faster on that I sent some articles about the Osborne Effect that is being proven out The sales of new fossil fuel vehicles are crashing and more so now with the pandemic All of the auto companies are suffering. Any cars that are being used are going to be crashing in value even more However, if you just take the cost of ownership, a five (5) year cost of ownership, you could buy a Tesla Model 3 or General Motors (GM) has got a brand new, all-electric truck that they are going to start manufacturing in January Some utilities on the mainland have ordered five hundred (500) of these trucks. I am working with Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC), I ran for that Board, and I am trying to get them to stop buying these too If you just look at the graphic for the difference between a purchase of an F-150 and a new GM Endurance, it is cheaper If you forget about global warming and you do not care about that I hope there are no members on the Council that are that way if there are, they should resign...that is my opinion on that if they do not and are dismissive about that...if you are going through it on a fiscal perspective alone, there is no reason to buy fossil fuel vehicles anymore. Being a United States Gulf War veteran, I was part of the forces that liberated Kuwait, I walked through burning oil fields, I am just really angry about it I am a former child abuse investigator for Child Protective Services (CPS) on the mainland and here on Kaua`i, in early 2000s I happen to be a believer...I see that my time is about up I am just going to yield the rest of my time and say that is where I am at I would also yield my last three (3) minutes just in case there is a quick question or answer...I know you do not usually do that I think you got my premise Buying something that is going to be fiscally useless in just a few years is a foolish and fiscally irresponsible and morally wrong decision to make I am done. If no one has any questions, then I will go back on mute and you can dismiss me Council Chair Kaneshiro. Thank you, Steve We do have your written testimony as well regarding information on the Osborne Effect on the automobile industry Thank you for your testimony PUBLIC HEARING 3 MAY 27, 2020 C 2020-135 There being no further testimony, the public hearing adjourned at 8.39 a.m. Respectfully submitted, 'All', JA► K FOUNTAIN-TANIGAWA County Clerk •ss *Beginning with the March 11, 2020 Council Meeting and until further notice, Councilmember Arthur Brun will not be present due to U S v Arthur Brun et al , Cr. No. 20-00024-DKW (United States District Court), and therefore will be noted as excused (i.e., not present)