The groundwork was laid in 2009 for substantive change across the board. We hope 2010 marks a year composed of more action than words. Multiple areas critical to Kaua‘i’s future must be effectively handled if we are to move progressively
The groundwork was laid in 2009 for substantive change across the board. We hope 2010 marks a year composed of more action than words.
Multiple areas critical to Kaua‘i’s future must be effectively handled if we are to move progressively forward.
Here we present a rough list highlighting some of what we believe urgently needs our leaders’ direct attention this year. We hope the powers that be resolve to act.
• Education. The short-sighted plan to help balance the state’s budget by closing Hawai‘i’s already struggling public schools 17 Fridays this academic year and another 17 next year must be rectified immediately.
Students are being punished unnecessarily while state officials squabble over teacher contracts. For starters, how about more teachers and less administrators? Let’s get our ducks in a row; prioritize the children and put your money where your mouth is.
• Government transparency. An unfortunately limited sector of the public has for years hollered for a more open government. Fortunately, Council members Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara stood up in June and went all in.
While no real change was made to council rules, the pair brought a critical discussion to the council floor — at least for a brief stint. We hope the council continues to change its practices in a way that provides greater openness.
They should start by developing a system (supermajority vote seems reasonable) to release county attorney opinions on matters of law. The council should also come more into the 21st Century by taking full advantage of all the Internet affords. How about live Web casts for public meetings? Posting more public documents online?
• Communication. The county should fund a public information officer for the Kaua‘i Police Department so the community can stay better informed on the latest news regarding the variety of crimes that happen here. Instead of channeling everything through the one busy PIO who is scrambling to serve the entire county, streamlining the system to have such a position just for the police department makes sense.
• Coco Palms. The county’s opportunity to blaze a trail forward on the eyesore that is the former Coco Palms resort passed months ago when permit extensions were granted to the current owners, but that doesn’t mean we should take our eye off the ball. If the current owners fail to meet any of their permit conditions, we expect the county to take strong, decisive action and hold them accountable.
• Beach driving. Driving four-wheel-drive vehicles on remote Polihale Beach should be allowed, but only if Kauaians use that amazing privilege responsibly and avoid abusing it. Let’s not give the Department of Land and Natural Resources an excuse to make it a priority for the state to enforce the law on the books banning such activity. But if it should come to that this year, the DLNR must do so consistently — none of the haphazard random enforcement we saw in 2009.
• Collaboration. Volunteers banded together last year to reopen a storm-damaged Polihale State Park way earlier than it would have been otherwise. Nonprofits are merging to keep programs alive. We hope to see more of this all-around teamwork next year. It’s healthy for the participants and the public at large.
• Aloha. With things as hard as they are today and no relief on the horizon, we need to pull together to keep the island afloat. We should strive to excel at our jobs and not let exceptional customer service fall through the cracks. Disrespecting potential customers or even your fellow motorist or passer-by will simply bring us all down together. A smile and a shaka can help us walk away without regret.
• Health care. A health care reform bill is going to pass this year and it’s high time one did. We are happy to see our fellow Americans get the medical coverage they desperately need and certainly deserve.
This is the most significant reform of our nation’s health care system in decades. We hope the remainder of the work steers clear of the back-room deals, stall tactics and political power plays that played such a huge role in its development.
• Crime. We can point at all the reasons why an assault, a burglary or murder remain unsolved. Or, we skip the excuses, fill the vacant positions and get to work. Let’s close the books on a few key cases this year.
• Let’s resolve to materially advance our solution to reducing our dependence on oil. KIUC, that means you. County, state and federal officials, legislate a “green” road ahead.
• Path. Either move forward with the makai route along Wailua Beach or not at all. Pursuing the mauka route would only bring us back in a few years to where we are now — squandering resources by allowing this debate to run in circles. Ultimately, there are much bigger projects that the county needs to focus its attention on and we’d like to see them choose that path this year.
2009 dealt a hand of personal tragedy and financial hardship shuffled with community togetherness and individual strength. With these cards on the table, the new year begins.
While we don’t know what kind of luck we’ll draw from the 2010 deck, these are some of the issues we hope to see our leaders pick up as we move forward.
