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they didn’t know and that they blundered ahead. And our community is now better off by their being there. I know they’ve served my wife, me, our children and many of our visitors who’ve come who have gotten sick on the airplane ride coming over here. And often I know that when they’re dealing with people who don’t have deep pockets they just don’t demand payment. They’re truly good people doing good things. And the community overall is well served and grateful for the fact that they just blundered in and started. And we hope that they’re not required to stop. I know that the area is zoned Agriculture, Agricultural, and I’m certainly in support of invigorating the health of agriculture on the Big Island. That really needs to happen. We need to be more food self-sufficient. But, looking at the Hernandez’s property, to expect that property to be used in a commercial way for Agriculture is pretty unrealistic. And, in fact, the use that they’re making of it, they’re moving ahead farther in sustainable agriculture than anybody else in the neighborhood as far as I can tell; and they’re also educating their clients, their patients, about how to grow their own foods, how to eat healthfully. They even have given us seeds and starter plants to help us with our own agriculture, with our own home gardening. So I think that the agricultural interests of the island are actually well served by what they are doing. So I just wanted to come because I know everybody who submits an application of this sort has to state that they’re doing a good thing and that they should continue. All of us here obviously thought that it was important that you see flesh and blood people from the actual neighborhood who can say the presence of the Drs. Hernandez has been a gift to the community. We hope you won’t take it away from us. Thank you. Oh, one other thing too, we’re very grateful to the County for supporting a community development plan for Hamakua. This is very important. My wife and I have been involved also. It would be just grand for this matter to be incorporated into a CDP if that would not stop the Drs. Hernadez from being able to continue their service in the meantime. WOODWARD: Thank you, Mr. Pettus. Do we have questions? Commissioner Iwashita. IWASHITA: Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Pettus, I just wanted to ask you if you agree that the amount of supported letters that we’ve gotten is at like 75 percent, or in your estimation what amount of the community supports this or, based on what we actually received? PETTUS: I would say that the support is widespread and if not universal close to universal. I don’t know of a single exception actually. IWASHITA: Well, the person who complained. PETTUS: Oh, well, then there’s one. I don’t know who that is, but I feel that the acceptance is broad. I would agree 75 to 80 percent at least. IWASHITA: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. 13 EXHIBIT A