Why two food banks? As regular contributors to the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank (KIFB), we are disturbed by the actions of both KIFB and the Hawai‘i Food Bank (HFB.) HFB came to Kauai and raised allegations of questionable dealings at
Why two food banks?
As regular contributors to the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank (KIFB), we are disturbed by the actions of both KIFB and the Hawai‘i Food Bank (HFB.) HFB came to Kauai and raised allegations of questionable dealings at KIFB. These have been dealt with and could have been dealt with without opening a branch in Kaua‘i.
In taking over a large portion of the government supplied food, the stated reason was the lower overhead of HFB. When taken from a Kaua‘i standpoint, there are nowtwo overheads, with two boards, with two warehouses and two computer system — not to mention the unnecessary confusion. We now have donations paying for all this additional overhead.
It is time for the boards of both organizations to consider those who use their services and the best use of the limited donations. They should find a way to merge the organizations. This will reduce overhead, eliminate confusion and simplify the choices for donors.
Ray and Pam Pramuka, Anahola
Smart meters and choice
Normally I agree with Michael Mann as an informed writer with his well-crafted letters, but I must take exception to his letter , “To smart meter haters” (Letters: Dec. 30).
For him to assume that all of us living on Kaua‘i own and use multi- electromagnetic wave-generating devices is rather naive and uninformed, much less his ignoring the many reasons why smart meters should not be installed on anyone’s buildings. Some of these have been pointed out by Nataan Kauakahi in his Jan. 5 letter.
Any of us can choose whether or not to have a battery phone, TV, microwave, cell phone, etc., in our residences or attached to our ears. I personally do not think myself “strange” not to have a cell phone.
But, we are not being given the choice by the board of directors of KIUC to have a very questionable smart meter attached to our homes that may be directly behind our beds or computer desks, where hours at a time are spent 24/7/365.
Of course, KIUC is stating as hindsight that they will be offering an ‘opt out’ plan that apparently anyone may claim. But do you know, Mr. Mann, that if you choose to do so, once you have studied all the factual research that is out there for you to consider, the fee to opt out is now being discussed at $12 per month per meter, pending PUC approval?
Perhaps this would not be a financial stretch for you, but please consider the fact that there are many o‘hanas here on Kaua‘i that have more than one meter on their property, possibly adding two, three or four times that amount every month. In my situation, having three meters, the additional charge on our electric bills will total $432 a year plus tax.
For us, this means a deep cut into resources for food and gas in order to get to work, just to pay for a device that we did not agree to have installed in the first place. As a low -income senior, this is an additional burden, as it will be for many folks on Kaua‘i.
Should property owners, in order to protect themselves for future rentals, charge current renters an additional $144 a year for a device that may be acceptable to them with no health or privacy issues associated with EMF?
Potential renters in the future who may be concerned about the well-documented health, privacy and other issues associated with smart meters will have a smaller pool of rentals available to them if smart meters are installed on every building.
Why should I, as a property owner, be forced to jeopardize my ability to rent a home to them? Apparently, the meters can not be removed without a large fee attached to the service, if at all.
I could not agree more with the content of numerous letters that have been submitted to The Garden Island, with some of them being published over the last year, outlining the very alarming aspects of the smart meter, with many counties and cities on the Mainland refusing to allow them to be installed for very legitimate reasons.
Why then are the directors of KIUC ignoring the members’ testimony in letters sent to them and personally at meetings? After all, KIUC is a cooperative. Members have the right to decide what the board does and does not do, not just to elect them once a year and expect them to be well-educated enough to make the correct decisions for the betterment of the members and the entire community.
Should smart meters be included within the March 2012 board member election ballots that go out to every member with well-written and extensive coverage of the issue, not only on the ballot, but also in our many local newspapers, radio and TV stations?
And, please consider that only the name on a KIUC account has the privilege of voting on any issue. What happens to the spouses, and/or other adults living in a metered building, or renters who pay their electric bills every month but have no say as to whether or not they want a smart meter on their building?
Whereas we are encouraged to give testimony and write letters to the CEO and the board with our questions and concerns, are any of them answered by KIUC personnel? So far, for my efforts the last six months, I am still waiting.
Marj Dente, Kapa’a
