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TAI: Oh yeah, yeah.
<br />HALL: Okay, and January 291h you said?
<br />TAI: The 21st, 2019, right.
<br />HALL: Okay, thank you.
<br />TAI: Sure. Now, the letter says, you know, I can remove all the trees identified by, the trees that
<br />was identified by the inspector. If you look what was sent to me, he said, various trees and
<br />identification for the tree name and almost everyone, it says causing damage to dwelling and
<br />landscaping so that means damage have occur, okay? Now, so I'm given two options. The first
<br />option is to remove everything the report says although it's not clear how many trees or it says
<br />various trees. The second option is very important is, is that in lieu, in lieu of removal, a letter
<br />from a Hawai` i State certified arborist stating that the trees are deemed safe and healthy. Now, I
<br />wanted to go with option one in the beginning, just remove everything, but I have questions.
<br />What is everything, because it didn't say, it says various trees okay?
<br />And, also, and I've been asking the question, I asked a number of questions to the Public Works
<br />Department. So far, I have received zero, none replying to my questions. I believe my questions
<br />are legitimate and reasonable. First, is who decides which tree is posing imminent danger? Who
<br />decides that? Number two, what is the definition of imminent danger, okay? To me, those are
<br />important questions. Now, I've been in this building trade, or architectural and design,
<br />construction trade for almost 50 years, okay. I know inspectors. The Public Works Department
<br />inspectors, there are many. They are all very qualified, but they qualify for a very specific field.
<br />For instance, an inspector who knows about retaining walls, foundations may not know anything
<br />about electric substations, right? Now, I have to admit, I live in Honolulu. I don't live in Hilo
<br />here. And I know very little about trees. I know a lot about buildings. I know very little about
<br />trees. I don't have a green thumb. I planted many fruit trees on my property—only a few bear
<br />fruits, and I fail completely on vegetables. Now, so, I have to admit that I know very little about
<br />trees, and I own this property, and my only information is based on what my neighbors inform
<br />me. Now, if I know so little about trees, I wouldn't be able to tell which tree would pose
<br />imminent danger because I don't know the characteristics of the trees. I don't even know the
<br />name of the trees. In my, if I may say, I believe there are two inspectors in the Public Works
<br />Department. They sent out the two separate reports if you look at the reports. I have a hunch,
<br />and I cannot say for sure, these inspectors do not know about trees more than I do.
<br />Now that being said, when I look at the first patch, all it says is various trees, various trees, the
<br />property is causing damage to [inaudible]. Almost every single place, okay? So, what do I do?
<br />I ask a number of questions. These questions to me is crucial for me to understand what's going
<br />if anything happen. So, I have no choice but to go to my second option.
<br />Now, my second option is in lieu of removal. Now, the dictionary says in lieu means "instead
<br />of or "in place of right? That means, in lieu of removal, that means, I don't have to do
<br />removal. If I do removal, I would go to the first option, right? So, in lieu of removal, a letter
<br />from a certified arborist saying that the trees are deemed safe and healthy, a letter. Instead of
<br />EXHIBIT A
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