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Last but not least Glenn would really like to see Kaua'i give the county manager style of Government a chance.
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| Mr. Mickens is locally known as one of Kauai county's political watchdogs and Nitpickers... Mahalos Glenn! |
Over 20 years of meetings
with no real results
I have attended most council and committee meetings for over 20 years; including many commission meetings---ethics, planning, police and Charter Review Commission; State transportation meetings and those held in our neighborhoods. I have been on ad hoc committees and attended and have testified at work shops regarding our government operations. Along with other government watchdogs we have fought for the betterment of Kauai and its people with no other personal gain to be had.
There is no way we could have stayed more "involved" but there is little or nothing to show for our efforts.
Councilwoman Yukimura, by her colleagues own words, the hardest working member on the Council hosted a work shop about " How to Have a Voice in County Government."
A great idea and sound bite if the results from this type of educational process for the people could ever be a reality.
After attending meeting after meeting and being vocally involved and seeing that your efforts are going nowhere (not even getting a reply) you realize that asking for public involvement is only a gesture to make you believe that your opinion is really going to make a change when, if fact, those in power have already made that decision. Sure, maybe an EIS or EA or a budget restriction will enter into the decision making but that didn't come from public participation.
For 20 years I factually showed our council and administration how we tax payers were being cheated out of millions of dollars by paying for AC (Asphaltic Concrete) to pave our roads that we were not getting--and who listened or at least investigated--NO ONE. Only when Larry Dill became our Engineer did the system change and we got what we paid for.
But why was there no investigation in the years prior to Mr Dill coming aboard when we were being ripped off? Or why no investigation on the multi-use path to find out why this 10 foot wide 4 inch slab of cement is costing us $5.2 million per mile? Or why no investigation on bridges that cost us millions of dollars more to build than another company would have build them for ? And why are we spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultant and planners to tell us that buses, bikes, shuttles and walking will solve our traffic problem--it will never happen. The vehicle is and will remain a way of life for the mass of the people and it is crazy to waste time and money on anything except wider and alternate roads.
There is your public involvement, JoAnn, but what good did it do? I and others like Ray Chuan, Walter Lewis, Ken Taylor and Joe Rosa have given you facts of what is wrong with our system but our voices in the wind just disappear.
As Ken Taylor said in a recent forum letter, "Isn't it way past time that we tried a County Manager style of government and get efficiency, transparency and accountability back into one that is broken?"
Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...
Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---
Check out Glenn's Wikipedia page;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Mickens
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With all the stress of the world, don't forget to
watch the sunrise or sunset, it's free!
Photo, James "Kimo" Rosen
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Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...
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20 comments:
Glenn Mickens said by way of email, "Like clockwork, Kimo, you have posted my letters--amazing! Too bad that you are not on that council and could do the same great job of getting things done without delay after delay after delay---with no practical reason. Not sure how you do it but please keep it up!!"
Your pal,
Glenn
Always my pleasure posting your articles. for the record, Joanne, Mel, and the mayor are on my mailing list. I am pretty sure they read my blog?
I like posting you on Tuesday since Council meetings are on Wednesday! This way if something is pending and testimony is desired for the week, you will have time to voice it in print in dakinetalk blog a day early.
You are also good for the blog. I get good numbers when you blog!
Mahalos for your contributions. Like you say we might not always agree however this is the beauty of living in America and a Democracy. Being able to even publish an opinion blog is a real honor. Many countries this would be taboo.
Count me among those who respect and admire you for being up front, expressive, thought-provoking, diligent, perceptive, and consistent! Sincerely, MrB
"You are the best, Kimo and, again, I appreciate all you do. Really glad that Mel, JoAnn and the Mayor get your blog and hope they read it. I am so out of touch with this IT world and it amazes me even more how you get this blog of your out with all the information you put in it. Keep it up--at least I know that SOMEONE is hearing what we have to say!!!"
Mahalo,
So, the question arises: Might you....and/or people like Glenn, Ken, and Joe, as well.....consider the possibility of running for office? Someone recently pointed out how those in public office seem to be caught in a bureaucratic stranglehold of some sort which might take "new blood" to bring about changes needed. I can't help but wonder whether our system of party-affiliation and attitudes have simply created a "we against they" attitude which perpetuates the never-ending opposition of forces vying to maintain control-----like the North against the south; the liberals vs the conservatives, etc. When in office, the fight still goes on, and the sides are still clinging on to looking better than the opposition. Just like kids waiting for their moment of glory!
I have to add: As a teacher in the classroom, the presence of a myriad of attitudes, strengths, capabilities, interests are ever-present. As a teacher, I kept in mind these "realities" that I shared with the students: "Who is in charge? Who is in control? How do we negotiate plans of actions for ourselves, individually, or as a group?" There IS a difference in what happens and HOW the teaching and learninga experiences are when we approach the process of education from these shared perspectives and in negotiating how results may be attained!
Mr. B, I've personally asked both Ken and Glenn since they attend every county council meeting anyway, why not get paid for it? Plus they are passionate about almost every subject on the agenda. Ken has run a few times, never had the numbers to qualify for the General. Glenn is not interested. For me. I would not run unless approached by a group of people urging me to run. I would not run to fulfill self serving narcissistic goals. That's what I believe is wrong with politics. wink emoticon
Your points are well-taken. Again, there is the entrenchment of "business as usual" in the ways elections are held, primarily through the tried and true principles of what has become traditionally established. Time for some changes, huh?
I am please to see many new people running for our County council this time around. I would need to Google to list the names but there is a young lady in her 20's. quite impressive resume.
found the article her name is Juno-Ann A. Apalla~~
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/apalla-files-for-kauai-county-council/article_940da4e9-ad06-53dd-a09c-0bf54a262791.html
Photo of Juno Apalla
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/apalla-files-for-kauai-county-council/article_940da4e9-ad06-53dd-a09c-0bf54a262791.html?mode=image&photo=
oui,we need Kimo on our side against the money hungry politicians who squander our tax $s on the Honolulu rail now in trouble dying a slow death !!!
The next council should be a pretty dang good one, Derek Monica Kawakami is leaving his state job and is running for a seat. He is pretty much a given as the number one seed. I believe Derek will bring much needed unity to help get things done with Aloha! Vote Kawakamai!!!! I predict Derek will run for Mayor Carvalho's position when his term limits expire in 2018, and my crystal ball tells me after Derell serves 8 years as Kauai Mayor ---- in 2026 he will run for Governor for the great state of Hawaii. I only hope I am still alive to see my prediction come to truism. wink emoticon
Yes, Kimo! There ARE a number of "new faces" vying for council positions this year. Another exciting prospect is Dominic Acain from Kekaha (representing west Kauai communities). Along with the incumbents and some returnees, it will be interesting to see how this election will unfold in 2016!
Except for one council member I am hoping for a clean sweep, all change. I will not say whom that council member is at this point. He knows I'm with him! Mel Rapozo. OK I admit, Mel Rapozo Mel is another square shooter. Every time I have contacted Mel with any kind of county problem he has bent over backwards to get it done, from trimming over grown brush along sidewalks to getting crosswalks painted even though it was a state job, not even a county job. Mahalos To Mel Rapozo
Glenn Mickens said by email,"Again, Kimo you are the best!! Great idea by Jose----put on your "running" shoes and "run"!! Not sure you would like to be inside that rat race as as politics controls so many decisions and not whether or not the decision is good or bad for the people. And sometimes there are a lot of important issues on the agenda but the council only goes after the ones that they want to and so many others are deferred or just received."
Glenn
Glenn,
My haters would have their hey day.
No desire to run at this point... Th e only way I would ever run is if 100 people begged me. But never only for self serving reasons.
Unc understand why Bill Gates , Soros etc don't run for offices,they just dig up all the trashes in your life and broadcast to the world,if you loose,the trashes still circulates
that's why I would never have run even if I thought about it. When I am on the audience side I can say what I want and never have to be accused of testifying for political reasons. Like you said, I can never be accused of self serving motives--just the betterment of this paradise we live in.
Keep up the great work.
Glenn
Ha Ha ha,politics & religions , has anyone solved these problem throughout history yet ? more corruptions for money, powers & sectarian wars !!!
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