Eight years ago a group of citizens proposed to the then Kaua‘i Charter Review Commission that it should consider allowing the voters to decide if they might want to have a different form of government for our county. The group
Eight years ago a group of citizens proposed to the then Kaua‘i Charter Review Commission that it should consider allowing the voters to decide if they might want to have a different form of government for our county.
The group pointed out a number of instances in which the citizens were not being well served by the terms of government which had been established in the County Charter and tinkered with by minor amendments but not fundamentally altered.
The Mayor–Council system that had been formed demonstrated multiple deficiencies which prevented the regime from operating efficiently. They included the ongoing controversies between the council and the mayor, the too frequent use of political criteria in selection of county department heads instead of choosing more experience and qualified people and numerous inefficiencies that resulted in undue taxpayer costs.
The citizens suggested that a newer and a better system was being employed in about half of the municipalities comparable to that of Kaua‘i in size and nature and that the number of communities using the system was growing.
While minor modifications of the system existed, its basic format was to authorize the council to employ a county manager who would be given the responsibility for the various county operating functions.
The mayor would be elected and would become a member of the council and have as further duties management of intergovernmental and ceremonial matters, but would no longer be the county’s chief executive officer.
A goodly number of universities have curriculum for training the county manager in municipal management and leadership and the many locations using the system are able to provide the managers with needed experience.
The logical advantages of a manager system are apparent by answering this question – who would you believe to be a more efficient administrator of the $160 million annual county expenditures a mayor whose qualifications are being 35 years of age and a resident of the county or a manager who has had education training and on hands experience in municipal management?
The 2005-6 Charter Review Commission actively considered the proposal in many meetings, but because of a combination of factors, it ultimately concluded by a split vote that it would not submit it for voter determination.
Among the obstacles that arose were the failure of county officials to provide key information, the county Attorney failed to offer an appropriate legal opinion, and former county personnel played on apprehensions and innuendoes about the dangers of altering the status quo.
When the Charter Commission was reformed in 2007 it seemed that its new chairman had been instructed to prevent active consideration of the manager proposal and, despite the valiant efforts by member Mr. Walter Briant, the obstructions employed by the Chair prevailed.
Following Mr. Briant’s untimely death, further efforts were made by his widow, Ms. Carol Davis Briant, to obtain action of the succeeding Charter Commission on a manager proposal were unavailing as administration opposition was rallied to dissuade the commission.
The continuing instances of county mismanagement of its affairs are abundantly noted by citizen watchdogs or “nitpickers.”
They include the problems on the landfill for waste disposal, the Kilauea gym repairs, the cost overruns for county roads, losses on golf course mismanagement and a number more.
Proposals for electorate vote to amend the Kaua‘i County Charter as would be required to create a County manager included system can arise in three different ways – from the Charter Commission, from the County Council and from a citizens petition executed by 5 percent of the County’s registered voters.
The reality is that the administration is implacably against any program that would reduce or question the Mayor’s power. Just look at the episode involving disciplining the police chief and the dispute over the mayor’s power to intervene.
As the mayor appoints the Charter Commission, while in theory its members should be uncommitted history suggests the commission is unlikely to act. Although the council would benefit from a change that would provide it with authority over the handling of county functions, exercising leadership has not been one of the council’s strong points and it seems highly unlikely that the council would initiate a proposal for a manager.
It appears increasingly probable that if citizens would like to have the opportunity to decide if a manager system is the better choice to obtain a more responsible government, it will be necessary for a citizens petition effort to be organized.
While this route has been successfully implemented in the past, it is one requiring substantial effort and perseverance and strong and diligent leadership. Any volunteers?
• Walter Lewis is a resident of Princeville and writes a biweekly column for The Garden Island.
