Is it time for a West Hawaii non-partisan strategic planning group to stay on top of our pressing issues, updating the taxpayers regularly with facts to help the administration stay focused on critical issues and fiscal responsibility, transparency, even handedness and forward thinking governing?
It’s obvious that our county government hasn’t been able to address our pressing safety and fiscal responsibility concerns. Nor does the administration have a willing interest to think outside the narrow mindset of a seasoned union employee and the one-party political system in Hilo.
It’s time to encourage strategic thinking outside of this narrow point of view to carefully assess and deal with the systemic problems that face Hawaii County. This administration is too quick to demand more taxes, rather than pursuing overall accountability, transparency and fiscal responsibility in its departments and policies. County government needs to be rebalanced and become much more accountable to the people.
An immediate concern is water security for North Kona and South Kohala areas classified as arid, yet otherwise fiscally well endowed. The reason this portion of the island developed after the 1960s, per the old timers, is this location didn’t provide enough rainfall to sustain normal living, people couldn’t easily live at elevations much below Mamalahoa Highway. When deep water wells became available the population grew significantly and now represents a significant percentage of the island’s population and growth potential because of its other outstanding characteristics: great weather, lots of sunshine and a coast line protected by beautiful mountains. However, recent numerous well outages have required rationing and potentially jeopardize water security.
The problem, county administrations and civil defense officials haven’t called out or been willing to address this water security issue. Obviously, on the one hand, with about 70 percent of county revenues coming from North Kona and South Kohala, access to funds should not be the issue. However, policy makers in Hilo have restricted funds for the solution in favor of less meaningful spending.
Why the problem then? There’s been inadequate concern, vision and planning. Hilo-centric county government is reactionary to problems rather than visionary and very comfortable with the status quo and priorities in Hilo.
We need a West Hawaii County Administrator who’s professionally educated and trained as a municipal administrator. One with vision, dedicated to West Hawaii, who can and will knowledgeably speak up for our needs, rather than a political appointee with limited knowledge and thus little tangible concern for our issues.
What will we do if we have a different unexpected and related incident occur in conjunction with the current problems to further jeopardizes our ability to provide adequate water to this area? How long should it take to get a disabled well back into production? Do we have adequate parts and repair expertise on island? What have we done to correct the situation? And was a pay raise warranted for the leaders responsible?
It is time for a West Hawaii non-partisan strategic planning group to stay on top of our pressing issues, updating the taxpayers regularly with the facts to help the administration stay focused on the important needs in West Hawaii. Such a study group requires unified participation and funding.
Greg Gerard is a resident of Captain Cook.