2020-11-05 HCHA Approved Minutes

Home

HCHA meeting November 5, 2020 Olson: Good morning. John Olson here. Members of the Committee. I have several problems with this document starting with some of the vendors that were brought on board to do the various reviews. Taking it to the level of what is to be gained and what is to be lost both for Puna and for the island overall. There are several things that are missing from this that on our side of the table, documents that we have not been supplied with for review and here we are being asked to comment on that. The concept that the county has as an entity has last something, when in fact it has lost nothing. Leilani Boulevard was a roadway that was built to the county's standard and dedicated to the county during the creation of Leilani Estates, the county never paid a dime for the construction of that roadway. In the past 50 years the county's contribution has been to mow it. The same can be said of Pohoiki, the same can be said of all of the water infrastructure that goes down there. That water infrastructure was paid for by other entities there was not a donation to the county, by the county. In the next two minutes that I have left or so there is also this issue of lifestyle, Oh you're from Puna!, well this a choice that I made 40 years ago because it was a lifestyle that I wished to live. I would not live in Hilo, I would not live in Kona. I lived where I lived in Leilani because I enjoyed the environment, that is a choice that I get to make. We need to stop this process immediately until we have the possibility of reviewing all of the documents. I still cannot know ... I still do not understand how the county went to an independent geologic firm when they had USGS. (Inaudible) we have only to go knock on the door and they will come out and tell you what is and what isn't going on with 0auea. I did that 40 years ago. Had a wonderful day long conversation with the then scientist in charge, Reggie Okamura, she explained to me what risks I was choosing to take and I accepted those. There are people there who are producing agriculturally because of the climate. It is unique. They are able to grow things that you could not grow otherwise in Hawai `i. The list goes on and on [time tone] and on. The perception is that this is something that we need to get rid of and I would strongly suggest to you that just to opposite is the truth. Thank you. Aiello: Thank you Mr. Olson. I don't see Rachelle or Rachel Nack on the list so I'm going to go to Eileen O'Hara. O'Hara: can you hear me? Aiello: I sure can. Go ahead please. O'Hara: Alright. Mahalo and I hope all have recovered from the election day trauma and congratulations to Councilmember Kanealii-Kleinfelder for his return to Council. Speaking of which its important to note that the change in Council with new members on boarding and possible changes in leadership as well as the introduction of a whole new mayoral administration greatly effects the discussion today with regard to this action plan with this CDBG Disaster Relief Page 8 of 36