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Councilmember Bob Jacobson
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Newsletter December 2002 |
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Aloha and Happy New Year to all, Mahalo! I am grateful to have been elected to the Hawai`i County Council representing Mauka Puna, Ka`u, and South Kona. Filling the shoes of our previous council representative, my thoughtful wife, Julie Jacobson, will be a challenge. In addition to meeting with community groups and individuals, I have been meeting with Mayor Kim and Hawaii county Department heads and offices since being elected. I still have a few more offices to visit, but everyone has been helpful and open to me. I am visiting County worksites and offices in my district. I am already working with our district’s state legislators to draft appropriate legislation to help our district. The top three concerns I will be paying attention to are: economics; infrastructure; and the environment. There are many traffic problems in Puna. Like many of you, I drive to Hilo town to work in my office, and I am frustrated too with the traffic jams we have to deal with during the morning and afternoon rush hours. The closure of the Puna Emergency Access Road is an unacceptable action that must be reversed. The closure divides Mauka and Makai Puna, robs many people of time with their family, cuts into peoples’ incomes, and limits employment opportunities. I will be working closely with fellow Councilmembers, our Mayor, and others to get this and other infrastructure needs resolved. I am part of the "ice" task force working with the community and other public officials to address the "ice" (crystal methamphetamine) problems in our community. I am also working to enforce ocean access and public trail rights for residents, and to change our grubbing and grading laws to protect our cultural and marine resources. Feel free to contact me with your concerns at my office 961-8263 (voice) or fax me at 961-8912. A hui hou, Bob Jacobson
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