• Council/manager system needed • Wailua Golf Course delivered • Rethink dairy before it’s too late
Council/manager system needed
Having lived in Santa Barbara County, California, for 65 years and with a strong council/manager type of government in the county and the seven cities within the county for more than 40 years, I warmly support the four recent Forum opinions that our current form of government on Kauai is not working.
As was pointed out, our antiquated strong mayor/council type system is broken. But we don’t have to invent a cure. There is already the very successful one I lived under with a more than 95 percent success rate which is used all over the country.
Anyone who says that our current system is serving us effectively is unaware of what is going on. All thoughtful taxpaying members of the public should agree that our system as now structured is in a serious decline and desperately needs replacement. The only ones that might want to see the present system continue are those milking its inefficiencies. As the four opinions observed, too many negative issues are pushing our island in the wrong direction. Maybe if we had the proper, experienced people in our power positions, change would not be essential. But the fact that so many of our problems are continuing (some of them for 20 years or more) shows lack of good leadership.
With a manager who could be removed for mistakes, durable errors would not persist. Under the manager system, the council, which would include the mayor as a member, would direct the manager about the direction they would like the county to go. It would then be the manager’s job to work at moving in this direction. The manager, who would have to meet rigid educational and experience qualifications, would have to appoint qualified department heads, as his performance is on the line.
The council/manager system works well all over the world and what we need to do is get it on the ballot for the next election. Can or will you help?
Ken Taylor
Kapaa
Wailua Golf Course delivered
The spirit of aloha is alive and well on Kauai. Last week, the Wailua Golf Course hosted the John Burns Intercollegiate Golf Tournament, resulting in a resounding success on every level. It was indeed a great pleasure to witness the outstanding talent from the cream of the collegiate golf universe on a close and personal basis. The weather prevailed, the athletes shone, the coaching staff was challenged and the local sports enthusiasts were treated to and enjoyed a grand spectacle.
All of this was made possible from many different perspectives and I would offer many thanks and congratulations to all those involved. From a sporting standpoint, I would especially like to thank Rich Rapozo and his grounds staff for presenting the course in such immaculate fashion. With limited staff, the course was a remarkable testament to the hours of overtime Rich and his crew endured.
In addition, a special mahalo goes to all of the other employees at the course, including starters, check-in, office, cart guys and the pro shop.
Heartiest congratulations and aloha to Rich, his crew and the staff at the WGC!
Stuwart Mackenzie
Wailua Homesteads
Rethink dairy before it’s too late
Why would Steve Case, Warren Haruki, Dan Case, Pierre Omidyar, John Toner, Jeff Overton and many other bright people very familiar with the Poipu/Koloa area want to take a risk in harming this fragile environment, the lifestyle and health of residents and visitors because of an industrial dairy operation they are proposing?
Where are our Kauai politicians who are voted to serve us? What will they do when visitor counts drop as well as property values? Where will the tax revenues come from? Is the water department prepared with the increased cost to maintain our drinking water purity due to the contamination from the proposed dairy operation? Please, Pierre Omidyar and Steve Case, stop the proposed dairy before it really damages the beautiful and popular destination and lovely place to live.
What is truly sad is that too often people with a lot of money who do not live here destroy or terribly alter what we, who live here, cherish. Imagine what Poipu Beach Park will smell like on a beautiful tradewind day.
The residents and their families wanting to enjoy the beach park for their kids’ birthday parties won’t have the same experience as they do today. So sad. What is the true economic reason for the dairy? Who will it really benefit? Drinking water or some expensive dairy milk — which is more vital to our survival? There are many reasons not to do the proposed dairy at Mahaulepu. Hopefully, the responsible parties will realize that before it is too late.
Tom Bartlett
Koloa
