SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2018 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM $1.25
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com INSIDE
KA LAE — For a
moment, Marek Zak was
flying.
Leaping from atop a
boat hoist, Zak took off
before gravity caught him,
sending the 30-year-old
down from view, nothing
to catch him but the ocean.
There was a splash,
and moments later, Zak
climbed the ladder 40 feet
back onto the cliff, where
his father and sister waited.
Zak, from the Czech
Republic, had visited Ka
Lae, or South Point, twice
before in the two months
he’s been staying in Hawaii.
Now with family visiting, it
was his last chance to visit
before they all head off on
a tour of the islands and
then he makes his way to
New Zealand.
“To feel free, you know,
like a bird,” he said
about why he liked
the jump. His favorite
jump is into a hole a few
yards from the hoist.
That one drops into the
churning waters below,
and connects back out to
the ocean.
His sister, Karolina
Zakova, also made the
leap from the cliff on
Thursday.
A fan of roller coasters
and zip lines, Zakova
said she wanted to check
it out — the heart-andblood
pumping adventure
Hawaii Island’s southern
tip is famous for — after
hearing about it from her
brother.
“Definitely way too much
adrenaline,” she said after
her jump, “because you’re
actually just free falling,
it’s not like you’re strapped
into something.”
Caution to the wind
Every day, visitors make
their way down South Point
Road to the cliffs, which are
often lined with the poles
of ulua fishermen. Most
who take the leap jump
from a boat hoist 40 feet
into the sea below before
making their way back up
a ladder that extends from
the water back to the cliffs.
Rescue officials and
the Hawaii Tourism
Authority, as well as
some guides for that
matter, warn of the
dangerous currents
in the area and advise
against swimming
there.
Nonetheless, many
take on the jump every
day.
HILO — The county Salary
Commission stands by the big
raises it doled out to county
officials, and this week voted to
oppose a charter amendment
opening its process to greater
public scrutiny.
Commissioner James Higgins
called the measure, “the
Sunshine Law on steroids.”
The commission, at a meeting
Wednesday, voted unanimously
to oppose the charter
amendment, giving Chairman
Hugh Ono authority to speak
to the council on behalf of the
commission.
Many commissioners seemed
to take the proposal personally,
asking what gives the council
the right to oversee their work.
“Aren’t we here because they
want to keep it out of the political
realm?” asked Commissioner
Thomas Fratinardo. “There’s no
backroom deals going on. Our
integrity is above reproach.”
Deputy Corporation Counsel
Amy Self cautioned board
members not to take Hilo
Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy’s
Bill 98 personally.
“It’s not something you did
wrong. In fact, you should be
applauded for doing your job,”
Self said. “Everything was done
in public view.”
The commission in the past
three months gave double-digit
raises to top county administrators
as well as the mayor
and County Council members.
It based decisions about raises
as high as 40 percent on the
length of time since the last
raise, whether subordinates
were making more than their
bosses and by comparing salaries
with Maui and Oahu.
The raises, which including
benefits added more than $1.3
million annually to the budget,
have been met with public
criticism, especially coming at
the same time the mayor and
council are mulling a half-cent
surcharge on the general excise
tax. Salaries come mostly from
property tax revenue.
In response, Lee Loy offered
the charter amendment that
is scheduled to be discussed
Tuesday. The council Finance
Committee meets at 9 a.m. at
the West Hawaii Civic Center,
with videoconferencing to Hilo
council chambers, the Pahoa
and Waimea council offices, old
Kohala courthouse and Naalehu
state office building.
Lee Loy’s proposed
amendment slows down the
approval process to provide
safeguards for the public by
requiring, at least 30 days prior
to the approval of any salary
adjustment, public notice of
the proposals in at least two
daily newspapers in the county,
a public hearing videoconferenced
so both east and west
Hawaii residents can participate
and a “detailed report” of
how the commission reached its
recommendations, which would
be open for public inspection.
In addition, any proposed
increase or decrease of more
than 10 percent would be subject
to a two-thirds affirmative
vote of the entire membership
of the commission.
“The Salary Commission
is the only commission that
directly impacts the county’s
operating budget,” Lee Loy said
Friday. “This ballot initiative
provides a framework for the
public to engage
with future salary
commissions
and provide
them meaningful
comments
on increases,
similar to the
way the council
makes adjustments to the real
property tax or the fuel tax.”
If approved by the council in
three hearings by at least a twothirds
vote of the membership,
the measure would proceed to
the general election ballot for a
public vote.
“I’m looking forward to the
discussion with Mr. Ono and
other members of the commission,
and I trust that whatever
emerges can be placed on the
ballot for the voters to decide,”
Lee Loy added.
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HI 80 LO 68 WEATHER, PAGE 8A
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VOL. 50, NO. 49 34 PAGES
INSIDE
ADDING TO
THE PAIN
Helicopter crashes
while helping in
aftermath of Mexico
earthquake, 13 dead
PAGE 3A
▼
IMPOSSIBLE
IS NOTHING
Celebrating
Ironman
turning 40
SPORTS, 1B
▼
Commission stands by raises, questions scrutiny
SALARY GROUP, COUNCILWOMAN AT ODDS OVER PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
Kona councilman Dru
Kanuha weighs in on
proposed GET hike.
Opinion, A6
Lee Loy
Allison, Makua, Jared and Kalai
Spencer check out the bug
display at the Mason Termite and
Pest Control booth Saturday at
the Living + Design Show at the
Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at
Keauhou Bay. LAURA RUMINSKI/WEST
HAWAII TODAY
SEE SALARIES PAGE 7A
More yet
to come
HAWAII ISLAND LIVING
+ DESIGN SHOW
CONTINUES TODAY
BY CAMERON MICULKA
WEST HAWAII TODAY
cmiculka@westhawaiitoday.com
KAILUA-KONA — Moseying among
the booths and tables at the 13th annual
Hawaii Island Living + Design Show,
those who call Hawaii Island home
browsed for inspiration while local
business owners connected with potential
new clients.
For those who missed the event’s first
day, it continues today from 9 a.m.-3
p.m. at the Sheraton Kona Resort &
Spa at Keauhou Bay. The event is presented
by the Kona-Kohala Chamber
of Commerce and sponsored by West
Hawaii Today, among others.
“These are the local companies,
because this is the way to connect to
the community,” said Kona-Kohala
Chamber of Commerce executive director
Wendy Laros.
The event features more than 40 vendors
across the home construction and
home design industry, offering something
for everyone, from the first-time
homebuilder to the long-time resident
looking to renovate their countertops
or floors.
SEE DESIGN PAGE 7A
HAWAII A DESTINATION FOR
ADVENTURE — SAFETY BE DARNED —
YET OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR
PRECAUTION IN A DAUNTING FIGHT
BY CAMERON MICULKA
WEST HAWAII TODAY
cmiculka@westhawaiitoday.com
Marek Zak of the Czech Republic jumps from the boat hoist at
South Point on Thursday. LAURA RUMINSKI/WEST HAWAII TODAY
SEE DANGER PAGE 4A
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