• Non cooperative • Objects in mirror • Respect is a two-way street • A renter’s lament Non cooperative I was under the impression that KIUC was an acronym for “Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.” I also thought that as a
• Non cooperative
• Objects in mirror
• Respect is a two-way street
• A renter’s lament
Non cooperative
I was under the impression that KIUC was an acronym for “Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.” I also thought that as a cooperative, it meant the members had some say about how the organization conducted its business. The board of directors of KIUC have convinced me that KIUC is just another corporate entity whose main concern is the bottom line on profit and what it will provide for them.
There was an election recently for new board members along with the resignation of two board members. One would assume that the members’ votes would be considered in the appointments of the resignation replacements. Because both of those in line for appointment were too progressive on alternative energy to replace the ever rising cost of oil-burning generators, the board spit in the face of the membership and picked those who were not even on the ballots.
A cooperative KIUC is not.
Anybody who doesn’t have their head buried in the sand is aware that having half of electric production by alternative sources by 2023 will be too late. None of us will be able to afford electricity by that time, if there will even be oil available to keep the other half operational. All predictions are for $200/per barrel of crude by January 2009. Over half of our electric bill is currently for fuel surcharge. What will it be by 2009?
There is a recall option that probably wouldn’t go anywhere, but I personally will be looking at all options to get off the grid to have power, while KIUC rates keep climbing until they will be unable to provide power that will be affordable by most island residents except millionaires.
Rich Hoeppner
Wailua
Objects in mirror
I am comforted by seeing the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative board replace its two vacancies with people who have already served.
They certainly have the experience and demonstrated their interest in the future of KIUC by electing not to remain on the board.
This forward looking move should reassure the community that the KIUC board will move forward, looking through the rear-view mirror.
Monroe Richman
Koloa
Respect is a two-way street
I was very disappointed at the tone of sarcasm and disrespect in the responses of Police Chief Darryl Perry (“Understand what police officers do,” Letters, May 26) and Police Commissioner Tom Iannucci (“Police Department operates on the real world,” Guest Viewpoint, May 27) to a recent column by Juan Wilson (“Toward a Kaua‘i police mission statement,” Island Breath, May 24).
Wilson’s piece raised a number of observations about policing on Kaua‘i. One may agree or not with his analysis, but at least show some respect for a community member voicing his opinion about appropriate police tactics.
It has become woefully commonplace in our public political discourses for people to resort to pettiness and name-calling in order to avert the substance of intelligent debate. I find this deeply insulting and damaging to the potential for vigorous free speech and dissent.
We are always told that the police work to “protect and serve” the community, that they work for “us.” But when a citizen who expresses a dissenting point of view is met with derision and ridicule by officials of the Police Department, I get a much different impression.
I hope that the Police Department will re-evaluate its chosen approach to discussion of an issue of critical importance to the community.
Katy Rose
Hanalei
A renter’s lament
This is in response to “My beautiful Kauai,” Letters, May 25:
To the comment, “Our people are living on the beach because they can’t afford the rent or pay for their houses.”
I’d like to comment on the rent. Could it be that homeowners who rent their homes, apartments, or studios, are tacking on their property taxes and insurance cost and passing it on to the renter? Because they can. Who’s to know?
Is that why the cost of rent is so high these days? If this is so, it is a very unfair practice. When renting, you already pay for a month’s rent and a deposit (which is usually a month’s rent or more).
I understand that a landord is taking a chance by renting his property to a stranger. But through the landord’s interview with a tenant, he (the landlord) makes his decission of whom he chooses (good or bad).
I’ve rented many places (here on Kaua‘i and the Mainland) and in many cases no matter how good a tenant you are and how well you care for and clean the property, after leaving, the majority of the time you lose most or all your deposit because a landlord will always find an excuse to take it. On my last rental I hired a professional cleaning company to clean the rental and still lost most of my deposit.
My girlfriend (who is now my wife) was renting for many years and the landlord wouldn’t repair any major problems that occurred (such as the cesspool backing up or a roof leak). She too lost all of her deposit even after cleaning the house up. I’m sure a lot of you who rented and left the property in mint condition can say the same or better on how you lost your deposits.
These days people are here to make the fast buck and spend little on repairs on the rentals. Who’s going to rent these rentals when cost of renting is so outrageous?
Howard Tolbe
Kaumakani
