Friday, November 15, 2013

Mason Chock Picked for Kauai Council

Mason Chock is the newest member of the Kauai County Council. He will finish out the term of Nadine Nakamura, who left to work as the mayor's top aide.

Mason will be sworn in this afternoon, and then immediately take the hot seat tomorrow morning, when the Council will again take up the issue of the mayor's veto of Bill 2491. Mason has indicated he will vote for an override, giving the Council the five-member majority it was lacking yesterday.

The vote was headed toward a deadlock between Mason and former Councilman KipuKai Kualii, who came in eighth in the last election. Councilmembers JoAnn Yukimura, Gary Hooser and Tim Bynum favored Mason, while Mel Rapozo and Ross Kagawa wanted KipuKai.

A tie would have left the decision up to Mayor Bernard Carvalho, which prompted Council Chair Jay Furfaro to pick Mason.

“I want to make sure the decision is made at this table,” Jay said. “I had a good relationship with KipuKai...but I can't end today's session with a 3-3 deadlock with the vote going to the mayor.”

Though casting his vote for Mason, Jay promised he would help KipuKai in the next election.

Mason is the president of Kupu A'e, Kauai Team Challenge, and the former director of Leadership Kauai.

He seems like a neat guy. I had the pleasure of doing a story on him a few years back, and thought I'd share it with you here:

Mason Chock never expected he’d be forced into a career change at age 30.

But when the helicopter he was riding in crashed into the side of Waialeale during a search and rescue mission five years ago, Chock’s days as a firefighter were over.

He just didn’t realize it at the time. Chock, accustomed to being super fit as a member of the fire department’s rescue team, was certain he’d bounce right back from his injuries.

He didn’t. Instead, the crash left him with three crushed vertebrate, chronic pain, and serious depression as Chock faced a lifetime of physical limitation and the tough question: now what?

“It was a heartbreak for me because I fully intended to stay a fireman,” says Chock, who retired in 2005 after 11 years with the fire department. “It was a big blow. It was hard coming to terms with this is where you are now, and this is where you’re going to be.

“But it was a wake up call, too, a whole process of transition,” he adds. “There are no accidents, only lessons to learn. If we just realize they’re all lessons, we can move forward.”

For Chock, that meant figuring out a way “to find beauty and fulfillment in other things,” and he had an inkling it involved helping others.

While boarding at Kamehameha School — a tradition passed down from his parents and now being carried out by the eldest of his own two sons— Chock found he enjoyed interacting with people and went on to earn a business degree at the University of Hawaii, planning to become an entrepreneur.

Instead, he joined the fire department, where he discovered “how rewarding it is to serve the community,” and began volunteering with various culturally-based youth education programs, including Waipa and Kanuikapono.

After his accident, Jessica Higa approached him about creating the Kauai Team Challenge, a program that teaches confidence- and team-building skills through the use of a ropes course. It employed some of the same skills Chock had learned as a rescue worker, so he helped Higa set up a course at Waipa and he took a group of orphans from the Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center through it.

“That’s where I really got the interaction with the children,” he says. “That really, really intrigued me. I could see the transformation in them right in front of me. It was a very satisfying and rewarding experience.”

While continuing to work with Kauai Team Challenge, Chock also began running a federally funded pilot program that provides mentoring for children of prisoners. Leadership Kauai tapped Chock to run its new youth program, Pi`ina Hoku, which places the same emphasis on values, leadership skills and service as its adult program.

Chock was first exposed to the program when its adult members came through his ropes course. “I was really attracted to Leadership Kauai,” he says. “I was intrigued by the diversity, the principles of leadership, the focus on values and also the cultural aspects. You really get an understanding of why people view things the way they do.”

Chock, who was born and mostly reared on Kauai, says kids also need “more role models,” and he’s aware that he is one. “They look at me and they see themselves. They know that I’ve gone through the same things they have. I don’t give them any excuses. I don’t baby the kids in my programs. I teach them they’ve got responsibilities, too.”

Besides his work with youth, Chock has an active real estate license and is co-owner of a promotional products company. He also raises Hawaiian herbs for medicinal use and loves to dive and get in the water whenever he can.

“I definitely have lined up a pretty intensive schedule in this lifetime,” he says. “But realizing, wow, I’ve made a difference in somebody’s life, that’s what keeps me going. The human spirit is pretty strong.”

86 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mason CHok getting voted in is highly personal for me. I am so proud that he made it in. I was watching on my computer, and Iliterally burst into tears watching.
Bless you Mason.

We, on Kaua'i who know you and admire you and all that you have done are so happy for you!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Mason is a good man, but for the chair to say he was voting for him just so that the mayor wouldn't get the final say is BULLSHIT! fcking politics for you. he coulda just said what a great candidate mason is...can anyone else see how the council members (other than mel and ross) are voting nowadays???

and who the hell nominated FERN DUMBASS? i guess you just have to bitch and moan consistently to be considered for a position nowadays.

this council is pathetic. the only ones with real balls are mel and ross.

Anonymous said...

Interesting that the chair's animosity for the mayor runs so deep that he votes for Chock instead of Kipukai, yet will support Kipukai in the next election.

Pretty clear that #2491 was, after all, the "litmus test."

Anonymous said...

yup, you're absolutely right 1:35 and 1:32 PM!!!!

LOSERS = CHAIR, TIM, JOANN, GARY

Anonymous said...

Joan,

Can you find out if Gary, Tim, Joann, or Jay polled Mason PRIOR to today regarding bill 2491. I think they're in cahoots.

Please find out! if that's the case, can't mel and ross do something about that?

Anonymous said...

Itʻs a good day.

Joan Conrow said...

I don't know if Mason was pre-polled, but it's not against the law or county ethics to do so.

Anonymous said...

Wah Wah Wah - Hahahaha. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow, what is up with you sour grapes people? Can't you just let Mason have his moment in the sun?

Oh no, you vitrolic relics have to spew off like you all know something. The reason why Jay did what he did, is because Jay is an actual leader. He doesn't "Hate" the Mayor. How I know all of you have not lived here for long, is that none of you have any idea about the personal relationships that people have with each other.

If you all think that you are all so great, then get off your butts, pull your papers and run for public office.

Mason has years of service to this island under his belt, and so does Kipu. Both men were excellent choices but only one could win. If Jay had chosen Kipu, it would have become just like what you guys are saying.

The Mayor wants the bill to be stopped. How do you guys know that Kipu wouldn't have voted in favor of 2491? I can tell you that just because Ross or Mel nominated and voted for him, that doesn't mean Kipu would have voted to sustain the Mayor's veto. Wasn't the whole idea with Mel and Ross and their selection was that it not be about 2491?

The real reality, is that if he let it go to the Mayor, the Mayor would have been free to choose his own candidate, and that would have one hundred percent have been someone who would have voted to sustain his veto. And cause total chaos in the community, and make this whole issue even rawer.

And I can also guarantee you that he wouldn't have selected Kipu, because the Mayor has no idea how Kipu would vote on the issue, and he doesn't have enough time to find out. I can tell you that Kipu is not the kind of person you can manipulate like that. he doesn't roll that way.

He is an independent thinker, much like Mel and Ross, and will go his own independent way on things. he is the kind of person if you try to dig your claws into him, he is not about to cooperate with you.

Jay made the adult decision in the room. Kipu will be on the campaign trail and you can vote for him. Put him in the chair no problem.

But no one wants to punt anything back to the Mayor in the 4th quarter, because he fumbled the ball badly, and we need to take this across the goaline already.

So hey, all you armchair quarterbacks, go back to your knitting and eating cheetoes and pontificating, and let the adults handle this one, k?


And I am one hundred percent sure that none of you know either Kipu or Mason, personally. So don't even try to front.

Anyways Joan, that was a great article you wrote about mason. Thanks for putting it up on this post.


And congrats mason!

PS. I just realized, I hope poor Mason doesn't read these comments and think, OMG, what have I gotten myself into! :D

Anonymous said...

Why wasn't this meeting recessed like yesterday? And yes, Mason, your entire life just became public, so live with it! By the way, I think the ethical thing would be to not vote on 2491 because he did not participate in the entire proceedings.

Anonymous said...

Great decision Mason. You are ready to vote to override the veto without any consultation with anyone. Way to start your term bro. Hope you know what you're getting yourself into.

Anonymous said...

I don't think it's right that the new council member gets to vote on this issue. He was not there from the inception of this bill, nor was he a part of the numerous, lengthy discussions on this extremely contentious issue. I do not feel he has enough adequate, unbiased information needed to make a decision that will have a huge impact on all the people of Kauai, no matter which way it goes. The council should vote on this with the 6 members that were originally part of the proposal of this bill. In my opinion, the addition of the 7th member is just to swing the vote one way. If that wasn't the case, they would not have deferred. I'm not saying I'm for or against the bill, but I do feel it is too important to allow a brand new council member jump on board and decide its fate.

Anonymous said...

Mason is one of the most intelligent, articulate, brilliant, even tempered, calm mannered people I know. he is soft spoken, and even handed.

He has a genuine love for families and children. He has done so much good for so many people for so long. To listen to this mean spirited, ignorant and just totally lacking in sense delusional comments is embarrassing.

Mason, if you are reading the comment section, I promise you, not everyone that posts here is this brain dead. Please disregard the obvious newcomers to our island. They know not what they say.


As for the rest of you, that can't seem to control your hatred and poisonous stream of words flying from your fingertips, take a breather. go outside and walk or something. Most of you could probably use a little exercising of your bodies, since exercising your brain seems to be a total waste of time.

WAY TO GO MASON! THUMBS UP!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't think it's right that the new council member gets to vote on this issue. He was not there from the inception of this bill, nor was he a part of the numerous, lengthy discussions on this extremely contentious issue. I do not feel he has enough adequate, unbiased information needed to make a decision that will have a huge impact on all the people of Kauai, no matter which way it goes. The council should vote on this with the 6 members that were originally part of the proposal of this bill. In my opinion, the addition of the 7th member is just to swing the vote one way. If that wasn't the case, they would not have deferred. I'm not saying I'm for or against the bill, but I do feel it is too important to allow a brand new council member jump on board and decide its fate.

November 15, 2013 at 2:24 PM


You, are extremely misinformed and completely incorrect. The whole reason this vote occurred today, was so that tomorrow, Saturday, at the 11 am meeting,Mason can caste his vote regarding overturning the Mayors veto. 7 council members made the original passing of the bill. Therefore, 7 council members will vote on the bill. period. end of conversation. yes, of course Mason will be casting a vote. DUH!!

Anonymous said...

Way to go, Mason!! Me and my Ohana know that as a born and raised local boy, your heart and soul is with the Mothers, Fathers, and Children of this island. And you will vote the way of your heart on 2491. But me, I know that you will vote on the side of the keiki always

Congrats again, brah!

Anonymous said...

Congrats to Mason! He's a good man with compassion ,Not like Rabozo the ex cop that keeps shaming us , bra use you heart.... Now for Ross Wow you got some skeletons in your closet bradda can't wait for the next election to clean these guys out! Now back to Mason do what they taught you In Kam school and don't sell out like Ross & Rabozo!

Anonymous said...

They didn't need to poll the applicants for the position. The two frontrunners are pretty known quantities. It was Chair Furfaro's reasoning/vote that was such a conundrum.

The mayor's veto will be overridden 5-2 tomorrow. The county will be responsible to enact the provisions of the bill.

The county will get sued, and will be stuck in litigation for months, if not years. It will not be possible for the pro bono attorneys to represent the county, and if they are able to, it is naive to believe that it will "not cost the county anything."

If the veto is not overridden, #2491 will die, then the pro bono attorneys will be welcome to step up and to sue the state, where it this issue belongs.

The issuance of the voluntary compliance statement by the State Dept. of Ag. is an admission that they are responsible for the enforcement, not the county. If the state wasn't responsible, it would not have the authority to issue such a statement. What more evidence is needed that the state is responsible? When the county asked the State Attorney General to render a decision if the state is responsible, he declined. The only way to get that opinion is to sue the state.

So, while passing the bill may superficially give us the right to know what/when is sprayed, who is going to monitor the air, water, soil, and enforce violations? Not the county, for various legal and practical reasons. Why would the county want to take it on, when it cannot even take care of low-hanging fruit, such as vacation rentals?

Good luck, Kauai. The mayor tried his best to save this canoe, but the council failed us with very poor governance. Shame.

Anonymous said...

Yup. Mason has a real soft spot for kids. And he is super intelligent too. He isn't snobby, or cocky, or rude either. He is respectful as well. he knows how to talk without getting everyone's feathers ruffled. But I also know that he would never vote up or down on something that could possibly cause harm to any child. His moral compass is way deeper then that.

If I was calling side bets on this one, I would say that Mason will vote to override. Well, too bad, 2491 becomes law. Move on and get over it.

Anyways I will be voting for Mason Chock for council all the way, thumbs up!

imuakauai said...

Kipukai thank GOD wasnʻt chosen, and at the next election there is no jay to help, Kipukai. Kipukai is busy lining his pockets with a non-hawaiian 501c3 development corporation run by ROBIN DANNER. They control all of Anahola, have moved their grubby fingers into kekaha and have had free range within Hawaii-nei, Alaska, and D.C. These folks exclude 100% of the kanaka maoli with their "my way or the highway" management or clear endeavors to continue manipulating DHHL, OHA, STATE towards Federal recognition tribesman. ALL OF IT IS HEWA, this procedings is more of the same. Thankful for ppl like these bloggers, i know i see how it is and understand, thus iʻve gone underground

imuakauai said...

EARTH JUSTICE stands poised to ruin the rain on your parade

Anonymous said...

LOL!!! YOWWWWHYYYEAHHHH!

FRICKIN' HAT TRICK!!!!

Anonymous said...

hi joan, im a bit confused, does the state involvement supersede or negate any action by the county? why cannot have both? aloha Dean

Anonymous said...

Gary Hooser is an ABSOLUTE GENIUS!

Anonymous said...

Mason for Mayor, Gary for Governor!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Mason. Hope you aren't as corrupt as those who selected you.

Anonymous said...

I was shocked and saddened that Gary Hooser whom I've always liked played politics and DIDN'T keep his word. This all came down to bill 2491, Gary didn't trust that KipuKai would have voted to override the Mayors Veto. KipuKai without a doubt would have voted to override the Veto. Its a darn shame that 4 votes trumped the thousands of Votes that KipuKai received during the election. Joann needs to go, she's the fakest person I've ever met in my entire life. The one thing im happy with is we have a Native Hawaiian back on the council, now lets make it 2 come next election.

Anonymous said...

anyone calling shibai on the decision to go for the 7th member must remember that Ross committed the ultimate slime act by flipping his vote;even after jobs were no longer on the table. At least Mel was consistant.

Anonymous said...

5:06 pm,

ross is not slime, hooser, joann, chair, and tim are. they agreed to vote with the 6 that were involved in this whole process and then turned and cried for the 7th member when ross voiced his vote. remember, ross NEVER committed to what he was going to vote for. as for the other ones, they're just political scum liars.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I'm from out of state, but why are they still trying to get this illegal bill passed through?? The Mayor did the correct thing. Its sort of a joke to the rest of the country that they want to override the mayor!!...

Anonymous said...

5:28 p.m. - I agree with you 100%! Watch and see how all of this unfolds. In the end, Ross and Mel will prove to be the ones who made the right call on this flawed bill. Jay says the legal woes can be resolved quickly through a declaratory ruling? What a joke. Gary suggests that these pro bono attorneys will save the day for free. What a joke. Wait and see how "quick" this will all be resolved and how much it winds up costing the County.

Anonymous said...

Re 2:37 PM.

Quit acting like a local or a local want to be..... No local would degrade Kamehameha School by calling it Kam School. Get real!

Mason is a great person that attended Kamehameha School.

Anonymous said...

"The issuance of the voluntary compliance statement by the State Dept. of Ag. is an admission that they are responsible for the enforcement, not the county. If the state wasn't responsible, it would not have the authority to issue such a statement. What more evidence is needed that the state is responsible?"

There has never been a doubt that it's the state's responsibility but they lack the resources or the will to do the job. How ridiculous that the people in Waimea Valley have to sue in order to breath dust free air because the state does not enforce the air pollution laws.

Anonymous said...

The County is sending the TVR inspectors to do the chemical inspections. I predict half of the people anti-gmo will have moved off island by the time there is one inspection. The phony EIS will take a year, the set up for who will do inspections will take another year. After 2 years the County will realize that they must raise taxes to pay for this and whoopsee, no one will want to raise taxes. Jay will be off to the legacy retirement, Tim will be gone, Gary will be gone, Joann, Ross and Mel will be reluctant to tax. And then the lawsuit, this will cost a minimum of 2 million before it gets transferred to Honolulu, because it would be hard to get a fair jury on Kauai. Oahu could care less about Kauai, agricultural companies win via regulatory taking, County usurping State and Fed power and making it illegal to grow crops in ag buffer zone. What a wicked web we weave when Tim and Gary do deceive.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see the great voluntary program roll out next month!

Anonymous said...

7;40 "making it illegal to grow crops in ag buffer zone".......i think that was the most stupid thing of all the amendments...that sounds like 'taking' to me.....wondering if yukimura was in sabotage mode for failure, and im suprised that no other council member saw that...or am i nuts????aloha Dean

Anonymous said...

Good stuff happens after 3 a.m. in bars and council buildings. Everybody is focused and razor sharp!

Anonymous said...

Just watched the Special Session, how sad that out of the 18 candidates that applied NO ONE but Kualii went up and spoke to make his/her case. Not even the eventual person selected. This system is so unfair, the next person in line should always be the next highest vote getter. The charter needs to be changed to reflect that. A sad day when politicians here on Kauai act like politicians in DC.

Anonymous said...

anyone know who the 18 candidates were?

Anonymous said...

it's a joke all you hippies and dumb ass worms need to go back to da mainland jay is a wiesel a coward and a kaipo wanna be this is so stupid so don't forget after you go to the bathroom and take a hoosier make sure you wipe your bynum clean else it will smell like the supporters of 2491

Anonymous said...

For some reason ( can someone remind me why?), I think of Tim and Jay (and eventually "good ag, bad ag, Joann")
as the last council members supportive of and responsible for the proliferation
of TVRs outside the visitor destination area.
I know this isn't on topic, but it's hard to see them in the same sentence as Gary Hooser. Again, I can't remember why....

Joan Conrow said...

Because Gary wasn't on the Council then. But his close buddy Lani Kawahara was, and she voted to allow TVRs on ag land and for the proliferation outside the VDA.

So really, they are all cut from the same cloth.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mason, Thank you for stepping up. We desperately need pesticide regulations that are well thought out to actually accomplish protection of health. When a company sprays 10 or 11 tons of restricted use pesticide and any number of tonnes of regular pesticides, this bill as written,gives them a free pass to poison.There is no disclosure unless you hit the bar of 15 tonnes of any one restricted use pesticide No crops in the buffer zone, certainly a taking. So please do us all a favor and vote no and then work hard to help introduce a real bill that deals with protection of the public and public places.Otherwise this one goes to court in a bad form and the people will never get the protection of the health and environment just a I told you so . So please don't cave to the screaming crowd, they haven't even bothered to really read what they got / Oh a lot of parties and a lot of flying time for off island organizers that are paid to actually get a shitty bill rather than achieve protection here for Kauai. There's more bs here than you can imagine. Scripted testimonies , this bill has been poisoned, it is time to stop pretending those of us that want pesticide disclosure and reduction in use are not getting it thru this bill. They can still use pesticide in the buffer zones just not grow crops. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

early, correction to comment above applies above 5 pounds or 15 gallons of any single restricted use pesticide, you can use any amount of regular pesticides with no disclosure and only if you use more than the 15 gallons of any one RUP, then disclosure kicks in the next year. Not protective.Nothin at all happens if the companies keep below the threshold

Anonymous said...

Why do you think Kauai's top grossing of gross real estate brokers are pushing for this. Wipe out AG, we can develop it. What, all the sudden they care?

Anonymous said...

I love these mainland transplants calling the pro 2491 people "Worms and hippies that need to go back to the mainland". That is so hilarious.

These people have never even heard of Mason, and have no idea who he is or the kind of integrity he has.

That is because they aren't from here, obviously. Everyone knows Mason. Everyone. He has one of the most sterling reputations on Kaua'i.

Because he is going to vote in favor of something he knows is the right thing to do people are blowing a gasket out.

But that is just because the ones opposing 2491 are relatively new to our island. yes, you may seed some Westside people working for the seed companies, but the rest are from Oahu, or the mainland. They aren't Kauai born and raised people as they are claiming.

So, they have no idea who mason even is. It's just wonderful to see the little men stepping out from behind the curtain. Welcome to oz Dorothy, the Great oz is revealed for what they really are. Just a bunch of rich, mainland transplants, trying to take over our island, and our government.

I will be so glad to see these carpetbaggers ship out. The sooner the better.

Anonymous said...

7:01 The big landowners have tried to keep their lands in AG. AG is the long term preference.
As far as Bali Hai and Hawaii Life real estate companies, yes they are the consistent chopper-uppers of eastside and North Shore Ag lands, have created the most big Ag estates and the most TVRS, but hey, they made their money, millions and millions, and that is what it all about. Hypocrisy and greed, Bali Hai and Hawaii Life, they are firm fanatical supporters of Hooser, Bynam and Joann, politics and money, "we love the land, the workers can find other jobs". Even as we speak, Hawaii Life Realty is cutting up Ag land in Kapahi for Ag estates, right on.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

it's a joke all you hippies and dumb ass worms need to go back to da mainland jay is a wiesel a coward and a kaipo wanna be this is so stupid so don't forget after you go to the bathroom and take a hoosier make sure you wipe your bynum clean else it will smell like the supporters of 2491
November 16, 2013 at 12:59 AM

This has to be the MOST ignorant commentator of ALL TIME!.

Bathroom humor. Is this all that you "Proud to be Brainless" people can come up with?

Perhaps that is why, ultimately your side of the issue lost. it's becasue you lack an adult gene amongst the lot of you.

Anonymous said...

7:15
Mason is a fine person. He will vote as he sees fit. The process is the process. He is under pressure and we should respect him, regardless of his vote.
The West Side workers are local. The owners and bosses may be Haole, but so are the owners of most of Kauai businesses and about 50% of every house, condo and lot on Kauai is owned by off-island mainlanders. The real issue is housing for the local kids, there is none.

Anonymous said...

5:06 PM, agreed.

Anonymous said...

Realtors push to urbanize ag land through cprs and tvrs. Hard to sell if Kauai has a rep for being drenched in pesticides.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

7:01 The big landowners have tried to keep their lands in AG. AG is the long term preference.
As far as Bali Hai and Hawaii Life real estate companies, yes they are the consistent chopper-uppers of eastside and North Shore Ag lands, have created the most big Ag estates and the most TVRS, but hey, they made their money, millions and millions, and that is what it all about. Hypocrisy and greed, Bali Hai and Hawaii Life, they are firm fanatical supporters of Hooser, Bynam and Joann, politics and money, "we love the land, the workers can find other jobs". Even as we speak, Hawaii Life Realty is cutting up Ag land in Kapahi for Ag estates, right on.

November 16, 2013 at 7:22 AM

So, supporters of Gary Hooser are "fanatical".

So are the supporters of the seed companies. "fanatical".

Frankly I will take Gary Hooser fanatical, over Seed company fanatical any day of the week.

Anonymous said...

"I do not feel he has enough adequate, unbiased information needed to make a decision that will have a huge impact on all the people of Kauai, no matter which way it goes."

No problem. None of the others have adequate, unbiased information either.

Anonymous said...

"Can you find out if Gary, Tim, Joann, or Jay polled Mason PRIOR to today regarding bill 2491. I think they're in cahoots."

They'd be fools if they didn't.

Anonymous said...

"Just watched the Special Session, how sad that out of the 18 candidates that applied NO ONE but Kualii went up and spoke to make his/her case."

He forgot to say, "I'll vote to override the veto!"

Anonymous said...

"It's just wonderful to see the little men stepping out from behind the curtain. Welcome to oz Dorothy, the Great oz is revealed for what they really are. Just a bunch of rich, mainland transplants, trying to take over our island, and our government."

Newsflash! Hawaii taken over by outsiders! Government controlled by corporations with offices in LA, NY, and points beyond!

Anonymous said...

"Frankly I will take Gary Hooser fanatical, over Seed company fanatical any day of the week."

I long for the good ol' days of just plain religious fanaticism.

Anonymous said...

"Perhaps that is why, ultimately your side of the issue lost. it's becasue you lack an adult gene amongst the lot of you."

Ultimately? This is only the beginning. The bill isn't law and if it becomes law, it may be challenged by the biotech/pesticide companies and their army of lawyers. And then there's the simple matter of implementation by the county, which is always good for an article or two by Joan.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

"Perhaps that is why, ultimately your side of the issue lost. it's becasue you lack an adult gene amongst the lot of you."

Ultimately? This is only the beginning. The bill isn't law and if it becomes law, it may be challenged by the biotech/pesticide companies and their army of lawyers. And then there's the simple matter of implementation by the county, which is always good for an article or two by Joan.

November 16, 2013 at 8:27 AM

Anonymous

First, I LOVE Joan's articles.

But let us expand on your statement, which shows you to be clearlyu, one of the "I am Proud to be..Brainless" minions.

When Mason votes to overridee the Mayors veto, today, 2491 becomes LAW.

What part of that didn't you understand?

Much smarter people then you, like oh say an ex judge have said that they will help the PEOPLE, of which I am sure you do not wish to be counted amungst them, and that is fine, in a class action lawsuit, simultaneously to challenge in court. These attorny's are amazing, intelligent and know what they are doing, and are experts in constitutional Law. So we also have a battery of attorny's of our own. Something that is probably far above your comprehension, since you made an utterly ridiculous error, by assuming that 2491 does not become law, by overriding the mayors veto. It instantly becomes law in that moment.

So, who don't you have a better breakfast next time before you start commenting here in the big arena, and snap those synapses into better gear first, huh?

Enjoy your day.

Anonymous said...

Oh all the red shirts are singing Mason's praises until he does something they don't like then they'll attack him like Joanne

Anonymous said...

The Truth well said! Just a bunch of rich, mainland transplants, trying to take over our island, and our government." Come on people think about it ! so very sad to see people like T Dizon selling out & wearing a Fire shirt, both her and the boyfriend both work for the seed companies shame on you guys .Any way Kauai lets think about US Kauai people and our future.

Anonymous said...

There are many of us who want pesticide regulation but not this bill.
If they approve, it becomes law. When or as soon as the chemical companies challenge the county legally, expect nothing to happen , no implementation. Will the county defend the bill beyond the first our local district court? The bill should have been written correctly if the council wants to win in court. The goal is for the county to lose, that much is obvious. What a PR machine going on.

Anonymous said...

What? T. Dizon wearing a Fire shirt? What is a fire shirt? T is a friend of mine---we are on the opposite sides of this debate---i live where the firing squad sprays pesticides 240 days a year--and have great concerns and need help---but she's still my friend and i like her----wish she would work somewhere else, but i am gladshe works for Pioneer cause her pay is way better than a teacher's pay!!!!! How great is that, no need go college and make big bucks!

Anonymous said...

Mason Chock, I hope you are ready for your personal life to be exposed. For one, maybe to speak to character, after the helicopter accident, you tried to sue the County and lost, which is probably why you chose to "retire." I believe there were other Firemen in that accident as well and they are still working with the department. Second, how you cheated on your first wife with that girl that now works at Dukes Barefoot Bar. Sounds like the perfect political leader. His public service and leadership roles mask his true inner colors which are just as shady as Yukimura, Bynum, Hooser, and Furfaro.

This bill should be killed and recreated to ensure that the rest of Kauai is not held accountable for all the millions of dollars you'll cost us by passing this stupid bill. If the County does get sued, which it will, all the red shirts and crooked council members should be held accountable for the cost.

Anonymous said...

is anyone able to watch the meeting online? i can't get through!!!

Anonymous said...

Listening right now to the county council meeting with the mayor on stand. The mayor did not do anything regarding this issue until it was thrown into his lap with the original 6-1 vote. Such a fake with only political talk trying to say that he was for the intent of the bill until he vetoed the bill and showed his true colors.

Anonymous said...

l6th November 11:18 a.m. Geez, what an a-hole u r! Such a sore loser or something---can't believe people like you and worst live on this earth.

And i can't get the meeting online! It seems like, it's not a scheduled event---

Anonymous said...

mason drank the coolaid!!!! yup, as long as it has to do with children regardless of studies and legality, he drank it!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

passed, 5-2.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Mason.....your love for this island shows!

Anonymous said...

Maybe this bill will turn out to be ineffective. But if the council has erred, it has erred on the side of transparency and attempting to protect the public. For which I support it.

Anonymous said...

And the first transparency will be the FOI request for the cost of the whole shebang so the public can appreciate the immense cost to the rate payers of this show. Or maybe the Council will voluntarily disclose that.

Anonymous said...

1:00
If that, or any other negative impact happens, the bill can be amended\discarded. Nothing says legislation is perpetually written in stone; it responds as circumstances dictate.

Anonymous said...

Ah, but taking a poorly written bill to court is a loosing strategy, unless that's the intention.

Anonymous said...

mason just showed he was not up to the job

Anonymous said...

Hey dumbass who posted on November 16, 2013 at 8:41 AM

Let's examine your statements:

"But let us expand on your statement, which shows you to be clearlyu, one of the "I am Proud to be..Brainless" minions.

When Mason votes to overridee the Mayors veto, today, 2491 becomes LAW."

Notice when I posted, the vote to override the veto had not taken place, so it was still only a bill and not a law. Basic civics, but maybe you skipped that class.

"What part of that didn't you understand?

Much smarter people then you, like oh say an ex judge have said that they will help the PEOPLE, of which I am sure you do not wish to be counted amungst them, and that is fine, in a class action lawsuit, simultaneously to challenge in court."

Dipshit, it's not a class action lawsuit. The seed/pesticide companies will file suit to invalidate the law. I would imagine that the company or companies will style it as a complaint for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief. Class action? That is reserved for cases where large groups of similarly situated plaintiffs bring a lawsuit on behalf of a class of people, such as cigarette smokers or people who worked with asbestos. The offers that the County received for free legal services were to defend the validity of 2491 and not to bring a class action. Understand? Probably not, but as stupidity is generally genetic, don't blame yourself.

Anonymous said...

Chock has a tendency of starting projects and not knowing how to finish them.

Anonymous said...

Or class action in the residents of Kauai file for years of poisoning.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Chock has a tendency of starting projects and not knowing how to finish them.

November 16, 2013 at 3:53 PM

Care to elaborate or is that some form of personal resentment?

He finished what he started when he took that seat!
I honestly thought he may have tricked everyone saying he was for 2491 but he did not - he came through on his word and integrity.

So lets hear what you got to say.

Anonymous said...

And you are totally naive for thinking honest politics is at work here. Especially since the council members themselves stated they did not want to select the new member until after the vote.

Anonymous said...

Like Ross, they changed their mind.

Anonymous said...


Ah yes. But Ross did not agree to support the override or the veto the way four of his fellow council members agreed to go with six. Makes an ethical distinction- not that ethics played a luminous role in this piece of obfuscation.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, ethics are soooo important to biotech/pesticide companies that don't want to disclose what they're spraying or modify their practices to stop dust from blowing into neighboring residences.

Anonymous said...

@November 16, 2:30 PM...To the person who shut down the idiot thinking he knows about politics:

YEEAAHHHHH!!

Anonymous said...

All of you who complain about the "haole worms" who wear red shirts should realize that most of them love the aina and all life forms. You, i hope, realize that the biotech managers and higher paid workers are caucasions from far of places--not from Hawaii. What do we call them? Here in Waimea, we are aware of a lot of stuff going on with the biotech companies---hey, some of the higher ups come from places like Puerto Rico. Wake up and realize that these companies desire is to one day be in charge of the entire world. Aliens they are, read up on their history, it will scare you!!!!

Anonymous said...

Dipshit, it's not a class action lawsuit. The seed/pesticide companies will file suit to invalidate the law. I would imagine that the company or companies will style it as a complaint for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief. Class action? That is reserved for cases where large groups of similarly situated plaintiffs bring a lawsuit on behalf of a class of people, such as cigarette smokers or people who worked with asbestos. The offers that the County received for free legal services were to defend the validity of 2491 and not to bring a class action. Understand? Probably not, but as stupidity is generally genetic, don't blame yourself.

November 16, 2013 at 2:30 PM

and also, this gem:

Anonymous said...

@November 16, 2:30 PM...To the person who shut down the idiot thinking he knows about politics:

YEEAAHHHHH!!

November 18, 2013 at 7:31 AM

To the first anon poster:

Er, duh, yes class action lawsuit is exactly what i meant. A Class of Kaua'i citizens whose home and work environment are being affected by the actions of the Industrial Seed harvestors. you said it exactly perfectly well. I was referring to a class action lawsuit, and not to the separate action of the Seed Comapanies suing in court. The law, 2491, is the law. That hasn't changed. So, a class action lawsuit on behalf of the citizens who sign onto it, will of course be brought forward at the same time as the Seed Companies are attempting to stop the law in court. As you said, yourself, stupidity is inherent. But then I don't call people names. It just makes me look silly. Much like you did, with your lack of reading comprehension.

As to the second poster, so typical male and patriarchial assuming that of course, God, and every poster, must be a male.

Anonymous said...

Er, duh, these brilliant attorneys have never offered to represent anyone in a class action suit. Go back and read their statements. Whoops, I can tell from your comments that you need remedial reading and writing. But, stupidity being genetic . . .