The actions of the Planning and Public Works departments intertwine and affect all aspects of residents’ lives, often in unimagined ways. That’s why my heart sank when, out of the gate, mayor-elect Mitch Roth made corporate-friendly nominations to head those powerful and critical posts. Ex-Puna councilman Zendo Kern is slated as Planning director, and defeated council candidate, Ikaika Rodenhurst, could head Public Works. Kern isn’t a land use planner, has no administrative experience, and has glaring conflicts of interest as a developer consultant. Rodenhurst also lacks the administrative experience needed to run a huge governmental department. Like Roth, both men are indebted to the development sector through work or the extreme campaign largesse of off-island heavyweights.
“Streamline” was the word Roth used to describe his priority for land use planning. After decades of advocacy for smarter, more protective land use, I’ve almost exclusively heard that term used by corporate or government leaders as a lead-in to plans to abuse or decimate our island’s critical and fragile resources, especially by limiting public input.
Thousands of residents have fought for the protection of our island’s natural, cultural, recreational, and social resources by staying true to concepts of Smart Growth and cultural tradition. Residents have sacrificed months, years, and even decades to insure that our island is protected from cancerous, top-down development, including giving birth to community development plans (ordinances that Roth gave only a tepid nod to in his campaign). Those achievements will have lasting positive affects for generations to come — unless they are undermined by individuals with conflicting loyalties.
Roth has a choice: Replace Rodenhurst and Kern with experienced nominees who can help lead us out of the pandemic and into a future based on balanced, sustainable growth; or take on the first major battle of his elected career — one that will pit him against some of his staunchest election allies.
If Roth doesn’t withdraw his nominations, it’ll be up to residents to pressure County Council members to deny their confirmation and insist that the new mayor finds less controversial, more akamai stewards of our island’s critical resources.
Janice Palma-Glennie is a resident of Kailua-Kona.