Mail us our
new licenses
Regarding the state changing our driver’s license, by looks only, as ours already comply with the federal RealID law: Why doesn’t the state just mail replacement licenses to those of us whose license doesn’t expire until years after the required deadline of Oct. 1, 2020?
This would actually save the DMV money as it would alleviate all the extra work to service all of us who will not be renewing our licensees until after the deadline. It would save at least two more years worth of people jamming the already incredibly long wait lines at the DMV. On top of this, it would be much needed good PR for the DMV.
I will add that 11 years ago, it only took me 20 minutes showing the proper paperwork and taking both the written exam and eye test to walk out of the DMV with a license in my hand. Yes, they printed it right there. Last time I renewed my license, it took two trips as, after waiting two hours on the first visit, I had to leave. The second trip had an equally long wait. Please DMV, hear my plea to just mail us the new looking license.
Cindy Whitehawk
Kona
Board should share how it rated manager’s performance
During both its November and December meetings, the six attending members of our Water Board retired into closed door, executive session to evaluate Manager/Chief Engineer Keith Okamoto’s performance over 2017, as well as to consider his compensation for 2018. Presumably that review is concluded, but to date, the board has disclosed nothing to the public about its conclusions.
Meanwhile, three of our North Kona wells remain inoperative. We are one malfunction away from a return to mandatory restrictions. We are inexplicably told there is no timeline for repairs to the three out-of-commission wells. And, of course, we still know absolutely nothing about the causes of the widespread and repeated failures, nor whether the equipment and procedures currently in use are adequate.
The 362 consecutive days of water restrictions imposed very real hardships on our community’s residents and businesses. Under the circumstances, there is compelling reason for the board to make public its conclusions regarding the adequacy of the leadership provided by the current chief engineer. And if this board has concluded the performance was adequate, then in the words of Ricky Ricardo, it “has a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.”
Daniel F. Knox
Kailua-Kona
