• Given the opportunity • Wind power on Kaua‘i? • Maybe just golf in Oregon instead Given the opportunity Once again Judge Laureta misses the point about having the voters decide the county manager question (“Let the people decide intelligently,”
• Given the opportunity • Wind power on Kaua‘i? • Maybe just golf in Oregon instead
Given the opportunity
Once again Judge Laureta misses the point about having the voters decide the county manager question (“Let the people decide intelligently,” Letters, Jan. 3).
The question of whether the electorate will have the opportunity to vote on the issue does not depend on the content of letters to the editor appearing in The Garden Island. The determination is made by the Kaua‘i Charter Review Commission.
The county manager system is not “a pig in a poke” as Mr. Laureta claims. It is a local governmental system in widespread usage throughout our country. The Charter Review Commission has been provided with volumes of information about the system and has been given evidence to a great deal more data.
Mr. Laureta takes exception to the position stated in Carol Bain’s Dec. 20 letter that the people would like the chance to decide the issue saying that “no poll has been taken supporting” that position.
There is no requirement that a measure submitted by the commission for voter decision must be preceded by a poll on the question.
The closest thing to a poll ever taken was when public testimony was given to our previous commission and our citizens overwhelmingly asked that the county manager system be put on the ballot.
This year the commission is moving forward on a proposal to increase the term of members of the County Council from two to four years despite the fact that similar proposals have been uniformly rejected at least five times. There is no test that the preponderance of the voters needs to favor a proposal for it to be submitted for their decision.
What has happened is that beginning in 2005 testimony has been given to the commission urging favorable action by the commission on the subject by a substantial number of citizens. And there was widespread inquiry to the commission in 2006 questioning the absence of the issue that year.
Finally Mr. Laureta falls back on his oft statement that the choice of systems should only consider whether there are structural deficiencies in our present system. The real question for our voters should be which system would serve us better.
It may be that the majority of our voters would conclude to stay with our current system. But they should have the opportunity to make that choice.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
Wind power on Kaua‘i?
I would like to thank The Garden Island for keeping subscribers informed about the progress of the Kaua‘i Energy Sustainability Plan.
I was disappointed to learn that wind power was excluded from the plan’s recommendations.
The plan acknowledges that, “By 2010 wind farms at prime sites may be generating electricity at 2 cents per kilowatt-hour, making it one of the world’s most economical sources of electricity.”
This is a mature and affordable technology. General Electric recently received an order for 338 of their 2.5 MW wind turbines for the Shepherd Flats wind farm in northwest Oregon. Including construction cost, the wind farm is projected to cost $2 billion and produce as much electricity as a nuclear power plant. Incredibly, this wind farm can be built in just two years time, an average of 14 turbines a month!
The entire sustainable energy plan could be achieved with just 48 wind turbines which could be constructed in less than four months, and cost less than $300 million. (The Sustainability Plan hopes to achieve 100 percent renewable energy for Kaua‘i by 2030).
Fortunately, the county is not dependent on any one source of sustainable energy. The energy plan envisions 121.6 MW of electricity with a thoughtful mix of hydro (45 MW), biomass/biodiesel, conservation (30 MW each), and PV farms (15 MW).
But use of wind farms, or even individual windmills, has “essentially been put on hold” due to federal endangered species regulations and “possible” community opposition due to visual impacts.
Before accepting the recommendations of the draft Sustainability Plan, I would urge county officials to take a close look at a detailed map of wind speeds on Kaua‘i at www.state.hi.us/dbedt/ert/wwg/windy.html#kauai. (Click on the 70 or 100 meter above ground level maps since that is the height of typical wind mill.)
And then ask yourself if you have the political will to proceed. If so, there is much the council and mayor’s office could do to let energy companies know that Kaua‘i is “open for business,” including zoning the preferred areas for wind farms.
Since zoning, land use hearings, and EIS studies take much longer to accomplish than actually building a wind farm, this would take much of the risk out of an application.
Since I live in Hanapepe, and would probably be able to see any wind turbines that were sited on the ridges north of ‘Ele‘ele or Lawa‘i, I can honestly say I would view them not as an eyesore but with a source of pride that we took advantage of the God-given gifts of wind, water and sun, rather than imported oil, to power our homes.
Andy Tillman, Hanapepe
Maybe just golf in Oregon instead
What is with you, Mr. Hada? (“Just another tourist,” Letters, Feb. 5)
Are you not aware that local residents that pay state income taxes contribute to the upkeep of our municipal Wailua Golf Course? What makes you think just because you were born and raised on Kaua‘i then left the island you should be entitled to the rates the locals pay? Have you forgotten that Kaua‘i is dependent on the tourists?
If you want to feel you have been fleeced maybe you should visit courses like Princeville, Po‘ipu Bay and Kiahuna where the rates are very much higher than Wailua for non-residents. Or maybe you should do your golfing in Oregon?
Sonja King, Kapa‘a
