Aloha Kaua`i Ohana,

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Hawaii has long been in the slow crisis of the global economy pressuring our people out of their homes and off of the islands. This continues to be our number one difficulty. This year, Kaua`i faces critical and competing challenges between health and economic viability in this global pandemic of 2020. Closing off Kaua'i from outside travel has provided a reset opportunity that would have never been thought possible on many levels. Helping with the 2018 storm recovery in Wainiha and Haʻena underscored how competent is our citizenry and where our public policy has weak points; particularly when it intersects with nature. Of course, Ni`ihau has long experience with independence.

It is vital that we are pro-active and strategic in how policy is developed in our path forward. Many businesses and hardworking citizens are facing economic collapse as a result of government choices that have kept our health safe. Meanwhile, we need to prevent our people from being displaced from their homes as others are drawn to move to our island of safety. Balance is the keyword in how we carefully craft how we re-welcome visitors as a natural industry to the island while diversifying our economy in pathways that build our resilience and honor our heritage. 

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My first term in office has held the responsibility as Committee Chair for Public Safety and Human Services and as Vice-Chair for Public Works in which I have learned much and it continues to influence my goals.

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Ideas and Visions Underway:

• Housing - Continue policy development of allowing homeowners to invest in increasing density with a second, even third unit to provide for their families. - Tiny home possibilities for dignified housing for our people in crisis - Support the expansion of public housing and crafting an appropriate housing policy to encourage more privately funded homes. Fostering social enterprise partnerships to assist stability, progress, and health for our marginalized populations.

• Remote and Virtual Work - to be developed and encouraged - broadband improvements and support to design more business sectors that operate in this relevant and expanding virtual economy.

• River and Watershed Management - partnering with state & private ownership beginning with our recent grants

• Food Production and Agriculture - prioritizing community food production, crafting policies that support the different layers from export agriculture, small diversified farms, neighborhood food production, community agriculture parks, fishing, hunting, and ranching. The small retail allowance at farms, removable farmworker housing, facilities to support value-added products, and government encouragement for locally-based products to continue beyond the pandemic.

• Visitor Industry Renewal - working with our existing properties to emphasize a visitor base that arrives for longer time frames to a "clean, green and safe" island with a willingness to test and quarantine at the onset with the knowledge they will be able to comfortably integrate into a safe environment that applauds its rich cultural heritage with a framework that highlights the resilient legacy of the Hawaiian traditions. The visitor industry amplifies the example of locally-based resilience that is reflected in Kauai's reshaping economy.

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Prosperity is the end goal ~ We need to thrive whereas many of our people work hard to just survive. 

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Continuing to assist Kaua`i is my compelling motivation to run a second time for the council. With no competing job interest and with my sons who have now grown into independent young men, I have the capacity for the full-time commitment the county council deserves to ensure the well-being and health of the peoples and the islands of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. Thank you for your support with one of your seven votes for the Kaua'i County Council. 

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Mahalo,

Felicia Cowden

MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Business | Engineering | Education | Media | Agriculture

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Hanalei Surf Company, Intel, Akamai Learning, Kauaʻi Community Radio, and Regenerations Botanical Garden

My experiences over the past 36 years working with the government in a range of roles from an engineer, to a small business owner, educator, community advocate, non-profit board member and media programmer have given me a broad foundation to understand policy as it affects our people and environment.  Ten years as a public affairs/talk show programmer on KKCR has had me fielding community concerns, coupled with my direct participation in the public process to assist in creating solutions. This role has taught me that we need to work to solve problems without having to make anybody wrong. We each win when we all win.