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them. If Golden Bay had made the improvements that they said they would make and were <br /> required to make the quality of this road for the application. It sounds like it would not be an <br /> issue but regardless, if everybody else dropping the ball I do want to point out that the Hickey's <br /> are now volunteering to do the exact road improvements that Golden Bay International should <br /> have been required to do. The people who bought these subdivided parcels from Golden Bay <br /> have all signed the petition opposing the Hickey's application and the reason they did was <br /> ironically the quality of the road. Their properties benefited from the promise to improve the <br /> road, it was never improved and now for some reason I can't understand they are opposing an <br /> application even though the Hickey's are offering to make these improvements. <br /> Also, I do want to point out that Golden Bay itself is not registered in the State of Hawaii which <br /> is far as I'm aware is not legal. They also owe eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000) eighteen <br /> thousand seventy-four dollars and thirty-five cents ($18,074.35) in back property taxes for their <br /> properties on Waiono Ranch Road. I do also want to just conclude really quickly that as a real <br /> estate agent I study the local market pretty extensively here and if these farmers are forced to <br /> sell, a buyer right now in this area would likely be a multi-million dollar all cash buyer to be able <br /> to obtain a property here and most of those buyers come from off island. They would likely be <br /> somebody who would just make Sunshower Farms their private residence not a farm because as <br /> has been demonstrated it is very hard to be profitable farming here. So, they would just be <br /> enjoying the tax benefits of the Ag land and I'm certain that the majority of us here would rather <br /> see our local agricultural grow, family farmers survive, thrive, see local jobs created particularly <br /> right now with what's going on the dead sitting effects of the pandemic on our local economy. <br /> VITOUSEK: Thank you very much. Moving on to Michael Haley. <br /> M. HALEY: Aloha, thank you for having me I'm Michael Haley "- - -"on the Big Island and I <br /> am Amber Haley's husband. In 2005 <br /> VITOUSEK: Can you please state your area of residence. <br /> M. HALEY: Oh, I'm sorry. My area of residence is East Hawaii in Kea`au, excuse me. <br /> VITOUSEK: Thank you. You have 3 minutes. <br /> M. HALEY: In 2005 some of the residents got together to address the road by trying to get a <br /> road maintenance agreement in place. The neighbors in the Hickey's CPR were opposed to this <br /> road maintenance agreement and refused to agree upon. Which then made it, so no one was <br /> responsible for the road maintenance and improvement and so to be clear the same neighbors <br /> that are spearheading the opposition to this permit due to the quality of the road are the same <br /> neighbors that were refused to agree to improve said road when they had the opportunity to do <br /> so. They are creating this problem and then using that same problem as a justification to oppose <br /> this permit of which actually addresses the quality of the road ironically. <br /> The opposed neighbors that circulated the petition do not farm. They own 20-acre parcels that <br /> have beautiful homes and that is it and yet they pay taxes as though they are farming. So, when a <br /> farm in their neighborhood that is actually farming and contributing to the `aina and the local <br /> 9 <br /> EXHIBIT B <br />