2007-05-24 TALLIANCE - Laserfiche WebLink

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SVENDSEN: Okay, okay. My name is Nani Svendsen. My address is Box 172, Hawi, Hawaii, Zip Code 96719. For myself I don’t come out to testify for people; I have been asked many times to do that to take a stand for a lot of Special – I shouldn’t say a lot – but for Special Permits. But I’m here today because this is something that I feel is important enough to take this drive to Kona. I work with men in recovery from drug addictions and alcohol, and I’ve been doing that for the past five years. Through working with them I have learnt many things. A lot of their problems started when they were children, and another thing that they’ve learnt through their program is about their connection to Higher Power. These two things are very, very important. And I think that come through working with me, I -. I have a taro patch. And they come and they help me in this taro patch, these men, and gardening. And it’s through this that we share our life stories, and it’s through this that they have learnt of their Higher Power. It is through the garden. And I’ve lived in Kohala all my life, born and raised in Kohala. I’m 51 years old. I’ve seen a lot of changes happen, and Kohala a lot of people have come. But a lot of people have come to take, not to give. And I think Jenny and Sully are here to give. We need more people that’s going to think beyond themselves, that’s going to open up their land, so that children can reconnect to what is being sold off. For myself there is much that I have learnt through working with men. There’s been over a hundred and fifty-some men that have come through this garden. And just recently, I want to say that they had asked me – there are seven that are graduating from Big Island Substance Abuse Counsel and the Drug Courts – and they had asked me if they could hold their ceremonies down at my taro patch because that was a time for them that really made a difference for them. So I think to have a prayer cabin is wonderful. I think to have gardens and people working together besides reasonable camping -. You know, a private ownership is when people really, really take pride in what they have; it’s yours, you’re going to make sure that everything flows right. Our Parks and Recreation can’t handle that anymore. Public has forgotten about how to be nice to each other and to be conscientious of their neighbor. So they trash, they drink, lewd behavior. And this is what our children need to be exposed to because this is the only public space that they can have? I don’t think so. So when someone comes along and offers their land to do good work, I’m behind that. Thank you. GRAHAM: Thank you, Ms. Svendsen. Do we have any comments or questions from the Commissioners? All right. You three may go back and be seated, please. And thank you for your testimony today. Is there anyone else in the audience here today that would care to testify on this matter before we bring the parties forward and proceed with our business? All right, thank you. So the three parties we have to this proceeding are the Sullivans who are the applicants; we have Kako`o who is an intervenor, and we also have Jean Sunderland who is an intervenor. Could you folks -, well, it doesn’t look like I’m going to get you all up there once but maybe -. Okay. Let’s see. Is Jean Sunderland not in attendance today? DARROW: No. GRAHAM: No. Jeff, do you know if Jean Sunderland was properly noticed about this hearing and all? EXHIBIT B 9