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• - Page ~ of water if it would be of fielp to you and your fellow council members to reconstruct these conditions. Memory cen be short. Other families at the October zoos citizens' forum In Waimea also testified to terrirying conditions ,vita children, caused by these and other floods and the poor planning at the County level for proper drainage in nur neighborhoods, and tha poor County maintenance of culverts and drains. WithOUt lasing lives, we have enough evi~Ience from our collective experiences in this region to tell us that approvals for subdividing land for residential development could endanger the health and safety of xcupams. It is not a safe thing to do. Our region is subject to periodic inundation off water. We do not have adequate systems in place to contain waters from our periodic strong storms here in Waimea. Steve and I chose not to sue the County or seek other avenues for remuneration. Rather, at our own expense, wF secured professional consultation after our property flooded, and we spent thousands of dollars to efficiently improve our own land conditions and to redirect waters from our living area to disperse within our privatelyc wneG large open pasture, in preparation for future heavy rains. Our intervention seems to be working well so far. Our immediate neighbors (the Johnstons), who own 21 acres, did a similar treatment on their property. We and the Johnstons are examples of residents who proactively spent dollars and effort to protect our properties and families, even though the problem was created by poor governmental planning. Likewise, we have met as < group of families (representing approximately ten or twelve propenies) to see how we can help protect ourselves and one another. We are now asking that the County Council step in and do its job to wrrect the problems that have come about from permitting building to occur without proper regartl to water management, and from other such events Specifically, we are requesting that the County allocate funds and take immediate steps to develop and implement a responsible strategy for the Waimea neighborhoods at large for water containment. We are IikNwisa requesting that the County not approve further housing developments in our area of Waimea until this problF=.m is fixed, in accordance v~ith professional standards. After existing conditions and appropriate drainage systems (and maintenance for them) are in place at the County's expense, perhaps any further local development could Sava sound plans at the developers' cost to ensure proper drainage and could carry the relevant liability to ensure that our properties and families are not damagetl as a result of their building. Gerry Williams of the referenced federal ofFice testified in the recent community forum and speaks from yetns ut knowledge on this topic. Between Gerry and others, we have the intelligence on our Island to understand the need for appropriate water wntainment and do the right thing about it. It is certainly time to do it. Thank you Tor your concern. Sincerely, 11 /8/2005