• Pasion serves county well • Why the ‘Y’ matters • What health crisis? • Bon dance a success • Difficult decisions must be made Pasion serves county well When I look at Ernie Pasion’s superior qualifications for becoming the first
• Pasion serves county well • Why the ‘Y’ matters • What health crisis? • Bon dance a success • Difficult decisions must be made
Pasion serves county well
When I look at Ernie Pasion’s superior qualifications for becoming the first County Auditor of the County of Kauai on Sept. 16, 2009 and when I look at the six outstanding audits that he and his staff have done highlighting shortfalls that if corrected will save us taxpayers millions of dollars; and then I see an administration aided by the council members cutting his operating budget so drastically that the auditor’s office cannot continue to successfully function as it has for three years, I have to question them and ask what is going on?
How do you take a dedicated, honest person like Ernie and stop him from doing a job he excels at? The people admire him as a person and as our auditor.
According to a recent Garden Island story, the Peer Review Team of the Association of Local Government Auditors (an evaluating group who oversees government Auditors across the U.S.) said that our Auditor’s Office was in full compliance and “excelled with implementing changes to comply with standards and that the Audit Staff excelled at professional growth and certification.”
My friends and I compliment and salute Mr Pasion and his staff for what they have accomplished in less than four years and advise our council to restore the budget cuts that the mayor made (along with the council’s cooperation ) to make sure that he and his staff have the necessary funds to continue their outstanding work.
Lynn Spears
Kapaa
Why the ‘Y’ matters
To quote Tom Tannery, as we watched a keiki swim class (in the special teaching pool), “Swimming opens up a whole new world for these kids. There is something empowering, when anyone learns to swim.” At the “Y,” it’s not only swimming, but it’s the entire facility that provides new vistas in health and fitness, as well as opportunities for self-improvement and healing.
This magnificent facility is some of the best that Kauai has to offer. Often, after my daily swim, I look around and I’m the only one in the pool.
How can this be? Doesn’t everyone on Kauai know about this place? Apparently not. So what’s keeping people away? The monthly dues are very reasonable. The pool is squeaky clean, as are the locker rooms and the surrounding area.
The staff is courteous and well trained. So why are there only 325 family members?
Kauai, we are very fortunate to have this monster in our midst.
For the sake of our entire island community, dig deep and help keep the “Y” alive. You and everyone on Kauai will benefit from your generosity and kindness. Come join me and the other 324 members for a workout and a daily swim.
Michael Diamant
Kalaheo
What health crisis?
The fate of agriculture on the west side of Kauai is something I feel strongly about. My grandfather was a factory shop supervisor for McBryde and I also have worked for “Big Ag” most of my adult life, in the office at Gay & Robinson and before that for C. Brewer.
As a Sunday school teacher and active community member, I have seen the value of the jobs provided by the seed companies and Kauai Coffee. The children I have taught in Sunday school and have mentored all have a parent or some other family member who have worked or still work for an agricultural company. Some of my “children” are now young adults and work for the seed companies themselves. Most of the west side community really appreciates the jobs the seed companies and Kauai Coffee provide.
I know of no health crisis on the west side. At G&R we have retirees and their spouses living into their 80s and 90s. If Mr. Hooser and Mr. Bynum really want to help our children, they should give us money to fight underage drinking, smoking and drug use. Furthermore, what will happen to our children if their parents are unemployed?
When looking at this bill, let’s look at the big picture and remember that just because you hear something repeated a lot, read it on the Internet or see it on YouTube, that doesn’t mean that it’s the truth.
Lissa Dunford
Makaweli
Bon dance a success
Lihue Hongwanji Mission’s Bon Dance Festivities on July 19 and 20 were once again a great success at our temple grounds in Kapaia. We extend our wholehearted thanks to our church members, Boy Scout Troop 83, Girl Scout Cadette Troop 540, LHM Preschool, related martial arts clubs, friends from Kauai and off-island, dancers, drummers, intermission performers kA Dynasty and Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko, and all who attended and enjoyed our offerings of food and goods. We also appreciate the talents and hard work of everyone who helped during the weeks leading up to and during the two nights. Thank you all very much.
Ted Inouye, chairman
Wayne Fujioka, president
Lihue Hongwanji Mission
Difficult decisions must be made
I am writing to voice my strong support for Bill 2491. We all have a right to know. We are all brothers and sisters, and we are all neighbors. No one in support of this bill wishes for anyone to lose their job.
No one who opposes this bill wishes for anyone or their children to become sick. No one wants to divide our island on either side.
There is no debate on whether or not human contact with RUPs has negative health effects. Agreement on what those specific effects are is not unanimous however, but it is undisputed that they are in fact hazardous chemicals.
Listening to the more than 10 hours of personal testimonies a couple of weeks ago, I heard many Dow employees say “Do you think that I would intentionally do anything that would endanger my kids or my community?”
No, I don’t think that you would intentionally do that. I do however think that many of you have found yourselves in a very difficult situation. You don’t want to know the truth about what you and these companies are doing to our island and its people. You all have good hearts, but you also have bills.
Start planning now. Dr Lee Evslin, my child’s pediatrician, read the names of over a dozen local pediatricians in support of the bill that day. Did he mention your child’s? Think about it.
Adam Dooley
Kapaa
