LIHUE — A number of amendments to the organizational document of the County of Kauai are before registered voters in the upcoming general election.
The five amendments to the document, known as the Charter of the County of Kauai, have been put forth by the Charter Review Commission and will be adopted assuming a majority of voters approve each one.
Charter amendments may also populate from citizen petitions or the county council, although that is not the case in this election cycle.
The amendments, which commission members feel will improve county government, address the following issues: police commission investigation, cost control commission, properties protected by a public access fund, surety bonds and ex-officio youth positions.
The Garden Island newspaper has not taken a position on any of the amendments to the Charter, which was adopted in 1968 and created the mayor and county council form of government.
The police commission investigation amendment would afford the commission “adequate time to conduct thorough investigations when members of the public bring charges against the (Kauai) Police Department or its members,” the Charter Review Commission said in an explanatory on the proposed amendments
The language of the Charter states the police commission is obligated to: “Receive, consider, and investigate charges brought by the public against the conduct of the department or any of its members and submit a written report of its findings to the (Kauai Police Department ) chief within ninety days.”
The amendment would obligate the police commission to submit a written report of its findings to the police chief within 90 days after an investigation has been completed. The idea is to separate the investigation and the reporting thereof.
The Cost Control Commission Report amendment calls on voters to determine whether to give the body greater flexibility to achieve its goal of “reducing the cost of government while maintaining a reasonable level of public services.”
The commission is authorized to recommend measures that eliminate programs and services, as well as reducing costs. Of note, any recommendations from the commission requires the approval of the county council and mayor before being enacted.
The Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund amendment would free up some money, 5 percent, from the fund to support the stewardship of lands acquired by the fund.
The fund primarily acquires lands for the purposes its title suggests. But the county has run into some difficulty in getting nonprofits or volunteer groups to cover long-term stewardship.
Should the amendment pass, the money would be used to support stewardship, such as buying supplies to help volunteers with costs they might not be otherwise able to afford.
The Surety Bonds amendment would give the county the option of buying either insurance or surety bonds to cover employees and protect the county against potential financial loss or theft.
In the past, surety bonds have been used for such issues, but may not be as readily available in the current environment. Insurance is seen as providing the same protection for employees, but at a lower cost. Passage of the amendment would give the county the choice of opting for surety bonds or insurance as needed.
The Ex-officio Youth Position on County Boards and Commissions amendment would afford high school juniors or seniors to learn about civic duty and government by sitting on boards and commissions.
The students would be able to participate in discussions, but would not vote nor be counted toward quorum. They would also not participate in executive sessions.
