• We share in the loss • Don’t lead us off a cliff • Self-serving narcissists We share in the loss All we ever want is to be loved. All we ever liked to do is make our parents proud.
• We share in the loss • Don’t lead
us off a cliff •
Self-serving
narcissists
We share in the loss
All we ever want is to be loved. All we ever liked to do is make our parents proud.
Andy Irons did that and more — for more. Ten thousand on the beach, with another thousand in the water, paying last respects with the sun glistening, the surf rising and all of us together as one. This is what Andy’s passing has left: an island, a surfing world, a civilization unified for a few glorious moments on the shores of Hanalei Bay.
We share in the loss. We marvel at how it joined us together again on his day of rest.
Andy Melamed, Hanalei
Don’t lead us off a cliff
Let’s expand on the fine In Our Opinion editorial Nov. 7 in The Garden Island, “We’re counting on you.”
It is imperative that we do all we can to get this Council and Administration to truly represent us, the people.
Let’s be candid and point to one very specific issue that so well typifies the Modus Operandi of so many of our elected officials. Regretfully this methodology has become more the norm than the exception in the way our county is run and if we are to get true representation then the direction must change.
The last paragraph of this editorial so accurately said, “Together we chose you to lead us in the right direction. The burden is heavy but we the community are counting on each of you to make the hard calls for a better future. AND we ask that you do so UNDER THE LIGHT OF DAY” (emphasis added).
This last sentence means that those in power WILL abide by the sunshine law, will refrain from Executive Sessions (ES) except when legally required, and will accept the advice of the OIP (Office of Information Practices) whenever recommended — not just when the advice is in their favor, or, so counter to what they want that they have to sue OIP to keep information from the public!!
ES 144 cost the tax payers over a million dollars in legal fees simply because our county sued OIP to keep the minutes of that meeting from being seen by the public.
At the time of ES 144 HRS 92-17, Charter section 3.07e and Charter Section 23.06 required that ES should be held only as to claims. ES144 did not relate to a claim. In its lawsuit the County argued that the attorney-client privilege precluded ES 144 being made public. Although OIP and a number of attorneys disagreed, the Court denied opening ES144 to public view.
For over 15 months members of the public had been protesting all ES being held that were not related to a claim as required by the Charter. Yet not one of our Council members ever did any due diligence to see if the ES being held were legal.
Despite the fact that County Council members treated ES not related to claims as legal, the Charter Review Commission was induced without any public input to put a proposed charter amendment on the ballot to change Section 3.07e. The Commission muddied the explanation of the change and the people voted to end the provision of 3.07e which protected open government by allowing only one reason for an ES, so now we have eight reasons to allow the secret ES.
In other words, by ambiguous language the people were “tricked” into giving our Council 8 reasons to go behind closed doors instead of the one that was in our wisely worded charter. AND, that one was never abided by in the ES sessions!!
This is but one glaring example of our elected officials not representing the people nor their charter that they swore to uphold.
As the article said, we expect them to lead us in the right direction, not off a cliff.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
Self-serving narcissists
I would like to respond Mr. Burns letter to the editor of Nov. 11. He criticizes me for calling political candidates narcissists; please let me explain.
Most politicians are nothing mote than a bunch of egotists running in a popularity contest, and most times the one with the largest bank account and better ad agency wins.
When people display huge signs with their name in bold text littering walkways, highways and private lands, how can you not call this narcissistic abnormal self-admiration?
This is the reason the State of Hawai‘i should make a provision as other states and have an option to write in a candidates name, thus allowing someone who has not campaigned holding signs glorifying their last name and subliminally telling everyone how great they are (or really how great thou art).
I do believe most politicians are self-serving narcissists who care more about winning the election than serving the people.
Remember too, county council members make $53,000 a year, a hefty monthly car allowance and some of the best health-care insurance available. All they are required by law to do is attend the weekly Wednesday meetings, granted some do more, some do less.
The county chair position makes $6,000 more a year, so for those of you who think they’re not going to compete for that position left vacant by Kaipo Asing, be ready to fasten your seat belts for the battle of the self-serving narcissists round 2.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
