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support them in this vision and we encourage your favorable consideration of their application <br />and spirit. Thank you. <br />SPRINGER:You€re welcome and thank you Mr. Greenwell. Commissioners any <br />questions of the testifier? Thank you. Ma€am your name and address and then your testimony. <br />PETERSON:Aloha I€m Ann Peterson, 77-180 Kekai Place, Kailua-Kona, 96740. I€m <br />here representing PATH, People€s Advocacy for Trails Hawai i, that€s an organization formed in <br />1986 to address safety concerns on our roadways and trails. We started doing safe routes to <br />school studies in 1999 and we did a very comprehensive study of the Kealakehe area. I first just <br />want to say that I think you see how important this school is to our community. I just want to <br />talk about the traffic issues. We have gone in there. We did- there€s about 4,000 students in this <br />ahupua'a with the 5 different schools there. It€s a very active area with students. And what we <br />found is that, you know it€s almost counter-intuitive but the busier a place is, the safer it is. You <br />knowiftherewasjust1or2kidsyouknowit€snotquiteassafebutwhenthere€shundredsand <br />actually thousands here the awareness is greater. And, so I don€t see the traffic as a problem. <br />And there will be more cars coming in here that€s you know- that€s inherent. The one thing I do <br />want to say is if Kealakaa ever becomes a through street, I think we need some traffic calming on <br />that road if that€s going to be a connector road. And, hopefully that will be in the plans, if that <br />ever happens but I just want to really speak in support of this. If there€s any particular questions, <br />please let me know. <br />SPRINGER:Thank you. Commissioners any questions for the testifier? Seeing none, <br />thank you, you may all step back. At this time I€d like to call Kathy Buoncristiani, Heidi Koop, <br />Ginger Towle and Eric Von Platten Luder. Beginning at my right, if you could please state your <br />name and your address and then proceed with your testimony. <br />BUONCRISTIANI:Great, thank you. Good morning. My name is Kathy Buoncristiani. My <br />address is 78-128 Ehukai Street, Kailua-Kona, 96740. So good morning. I am here representing <br />the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa and my position at the resort is Director of Human <br />Resources. I am here today to support the proposal by Hualalai Academy to expand the number <br />of students allowed to attend the school. It can almost go without saying that the visitor tourist <br />industry provides one of the stronger sources of revenue for the island of Hawai i. In a global <br />market adaptation of the ever-changing needs and demands of the business requires that we <br />create and provide a unique experience with the need to grow and to meet those changes we must <br />attract leaders who can take up these challenges. And in today€s market leadership is not a place <br />or a position, leadership is a process which values continuous education. As many of you know <br />the unemployment rate on the Big Island is quite low. When I last checked it was 2%- it was <br />less than 2%. Candidates who are recruited for leadership positions keenly explore the <br />educational options when they consider a move to Kona. Our internal associates are employees <br />who advanced from the front line and find themselves now eligible for a more developed <br />position also make corresponding changes in their family€s educational options. In the 4 years <br />that I have worked as a Director of Human Resources in the Kona area, consistently the most <br />popular school of choice is Hualalai Academy. The Kona community needs leaders. I ask that <br />the Hualalai Academy be allowed to expand it€s student population. Thank you for your time <br />and consideration of this request. <br />EXHIBIT A <br />11 <br /> <br />