Response

Aloha my name is Herbert M ""Tim"" Richards III, the sitting Hawaii County Councilman for North/South Kohala; District 9. I am the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Water, Energy, and Environmental Management and the Vice Chairman of Finance. I am seeking reelection for my third term in the August 8, 2020 election.

I am a six generation ""kama'aina"" born and raised in district 9 and except for being away for college, I have always lived in district 9. My roots are deep in agriculture having grown up working on the family operated Kahua Ranch. A lifetime of experience and being mentored by some of the best, I developed a deep understanding of land and water management and stewardship, and an admiration for those people who manage those lands. I have also been a livestock veterinarian for over 35 years which has made me a better rancher and conversely being a rancher has made me a better veterinarian.

My platform is simple but consistent; I am an advocate for agriculture, affordable housing, and the greater economy. I have long believed that agriculture could become a greater portion of our Economy complementing the initiative for a greater food self-reliance. Long before it was trendy to support agriculture I spoke on its behalf. We will only have successful agriculture and food self-reliance with good public policy. I have the knowledge base and experience to craft that policy.

Affordable housing is one of the threads in our Community's fabric that without it gives the next generation little chance for success. Our county's success relies on the young people having good opportunities that include jobs and housing which wraps back into my support of a dynamic economy.

Hawaii island has an a vast land mass, fertile soils, enviable water resources, and a potential workforce; all ripe for agriculture. Additionally, the potential portfolio of renewable energy generation by wind, photovoltaic, geothermal, and hydroelectric is breathtaking. We have the desire and, as Corvid 19 has shown us, the need for food self-reliance. By expanding our crop and livestock propagation and establishing value added industries for that agriculture we can expand our economy creating job opportunities while building a future for the next generation.

But what if we think even further and use some of the renewable energy we generate for the value adding? Running water through turbines down the slope of our island can generate electricity for our needs. By collecting that water in a series of reservoirs, we could use some of that water for crop irrigation expanding agriculture. Adding wind turbines to this system creates a potential pump storage hydroelectric project that complements energy generation, agriculture enhancement, and technical job creation. By doing this we also seek the synergy between agriculture and energy while being environmentally friendly and building the economy. (For more information please go to my website and see my initiative; ""Agriculture, Water, and Energy; a Food Nexus"". )

Unprecedented times demand out-of-the-box thinking. I am committed to moving this forward.