•We felt very safe! •KIUC’s unnecessary expenses •Aloha on the road We felt very safe! On Wednesday I went with a female colleague of mine to the Lihu‘e Civic Center to the advertised Kaua‘i Preserve America Ceremony. We put out
•We felt very safe!
•KIUC’s unnecessary expenses
•Aloha on the road
We felt very safe!
On Wednesday I went with a female colleague of mine to the Lihu‘e Civic Center to the advertised Kaua‘i Preserve America Ceremony.
We put out a few benign information signs and three flags at the entrance to the Mo‘ikeha Building courtyard. Shortly after our arrival, one of two plainclothes police officers came to greet us and confirmed that we were just exercising our citizenship rights and we didn’t want to disturb the ceremony.
Ten minutes later, 12 uniformed police officers came to surround us, apparently to assure our safety. They let us move around, were all friendly, professional and set a good example of a community police action. We even had jovial conversations with a few of them, and while we were sitting there and occasionally listening to the speakers, they kept their watchful eyes constantly on us.
Then they took some pictures of us and we took a few of them. We could feel the true American spirit coming through their behavior! They stayed with us for an hour and a half, and then left with Iesu pu and a hui hou when the ceremony ended.
It was utmost comforting to feel that Kaua‘i is a safe place and these fine policemen were not needed elsewhere on the island, instead, following orders, they guarded our safety for one and a half hour. It is terrible to think what the participants of the ceremony might have done to us! Taxpayers’ money well spent!
Thank you very much Kaua‘i Police Department for your malama. We can assure you that none of the participants wanted to take our life. They were content with taking the land of the Hawaiians.
János Keoni Samu, Kalaheo
KIUC’s unnecessary expenses
Mr. Proudfoot makes some valid arguments on why KIUC thinks a rate hike is necessary (“KIUC’s rate increase,” Letters, Aug. 30).
If times are so hard, then why does KIUC continue to dole out those rebate checks? These profits should be put back into the company to pay its operating costs or to seek and input other forms of alternative energy.
I understand that the rebate check is accompanied with a statement claiming KIUC’s bylaws mandate that any profit is returned to its members via these rebate checks. I’m sure there’s also something in those bylaws stating that these bylaws are not set in stone and can be amended if necessary.
I could be wrong, but doesn’t a rebate check equate to a profit by KIUC? Meaning no profit, no rebate. Why can’t the rebate amount be deducted from one’s current bill or via direct bank deposit? Thus, saving costs by having no checks to print, less manpower to stuff those envelopes, and no postage costs.
Wouldn’t cutting the KIUC Current magazine mailings also be a cost saver? Why not put it on the KIUC Web site? In this day and age, almost every household has a computer. Those who don’t can pick up a copy when paying their bill or if necessary, have one mailed to them. Check the trash receptacles at the post office and you’ll understand how many that are mailed out are really being read.
Unless all of those items that were given away at the Membership meeting held earlier this month was all donated, then that is also another unnecessary expense. Hold the Membership meeting and those that are really interested and have the time will attend.
KIUC shouldn’t be bribing people into attending the meetings via free bags of rice or chili. Especially when the main points of the Membership meeting and annual Profit and Loss Statement is then printed in the KIUC Current magazine and mailed out to its members anyway.
When times are hard and finances are tight, any household or business would consider any unnecessary expenses and cut them out. Maybe KIUC should first look a little deeper and cut out any unnecessary expenses, before requesting a rate hike of its already cash strapped members.
It’s not like there’s a choice to go elsewhere for electricity as most of us can’t afford the cost of alternative energy sources alone. I thought that was the whole idea of Kaua‘i Electric becoming a co-op in the first place, so no one business or household would have to go it alone.
Francine M. Grace, Lihu‘e
Aloha on the road
Like elsewhere on our Garden Island, there have been long lines of cars waiting while the road is repaired as was the case yesterday between Princeville shopping center and the Princeville Spa.
I hesitated to enter the melee and run my errands once I saw the crowd but was pleasantly surprised by the supreme patience and courteousness as drivers let cars from side streets merge onto Kuhio Highway.
Great show of aloha and a reminder of “lucky we live Kaua‘i”.
Petrina Britt, Princeville
