2010-01-08 TCARLILE - Laserfiche WebLink

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DOMINGO: Yes, just a short question. Thus far how many locals have you folks employed? MARROW: Well, speaking for my company, Kapohokine Adventures, everybody that is employed is local, everybody except for one employee that I have was born here on the Big Island. I currently employ 18 people altogether. And that, again, was from a start in 2004 of two and one vehicle. And I’ve always felt it’s imperative for anybody to take, you know, me or my company seriously that the company needs to reflect the complexion of the community in general. So we do that very much, yeah. WOODWARD: All right, thank you. Okay, if you all may have a seat. And we’ve got John Cross and then Steve, P -. PRUEITT: Prueitt. WOODWARD: Okay, Prueitt. All right, if you gentlemen will have a seat and then raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth today before the Windward Planning Commission? TESTIFIERS: Yes. I do. WOODWARD: Okay, Mr. Cross, if you’ll give us your name and address, and then you may begin. CROSS: John Cross, 29159 Io Place, Hakalau, up Chin Chuck Road. For Wally’s benefit, this is Field F-20A, you have traversed this lot many times in your past. Basically I’m here as I have history upon the land. I am, I was the Crop Control Superintendent for the plantation. I‘ve known this land for sugar cane purposes, I’ve know it after sugar cane and I’ve known it now in new ownership under Mr. Carlile. And what I’ve come to realize after losing sugar is we need new business, we need new industry and we have to put our faith in the tourism industry, that’s where we can get money into our community. This area or this Hamakua Coast has something very special to offer all of our visitors. We have Akaka Falls, the second highest visitor attraction in East Hawaii. The first is Volcanoes National park. Well, just a little bit further down the road is Umauma. And I like this, Taka, us local guys all Uma uma, right, and everybody else is Umau ma, the debate continues, you know. We’re going to be drawing tourists either from Hilo or from Kona. It’s going to be a link. They’re going to go to Akaka Falls, they’re also going to go to Umauma, they’re going to go to World Botanical Gardens, they’re going to go to the Umaumau experience. We’re going to offer a palate, a plate of things for our tourists to see. And they’re going to see things of Hawaii that they could only imagine; and now they’re going to see and take a photograph of it first-hand. WOODWARD: All right, thank you very much. Any questions? Commissioner Domingo. DOMINGO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. John Cross -. 10 EXHIBIT B