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CHR. SIRACUSA: Thank you, Zendo. Thank you for starting us off on the high road. <br />Our next testifier is Alita Warner, who lives in Hawaiian Acres; and she is representing <br />herself. <br />ALITA WARNER <br />(At this time Alita Warner came forward via videoconference from Kona to address members of <br />the Commission.) <br />MS. WARNER: Good morning Commissioners. I also want to echo Zendo's remarks. I <br />feel like you guys have done a tremendous job. You have had to put up with a whole lot of <br />people coming in and whining, screaming and - - -And I really appreciate the effort and time <br />and energy that you have put in and the civility that you all have brought to the process. I <br />just have a comment about the division in the Puna districts between Volcano being <br />included, or Kea`au being included. I wrote my statement down so I can just zip through it <br />quickly and be done. As a Hawaiian Acres resident, I am sympathetic to Volcano wanting <br />to be included in Puna during the current redistricting process. I am at the far end of my <br />current district, District 6, and I have not even seen my Council representative, since she <br />was elected to office; although I supported her. So I understand the feeling of isolation. <br />However, I feel it is important for Kea`au to be part of the Puna district. <br />The Commission has looked at many overlays in your efforts to define regions; some <br />considered are subdivisions, school district boundaries, shopping and service patterns, and <br />community development plans. In my mind, Kea` au is the gateway to Puna. It is also the <br />central meeting point for Puna residents from Volcano and Kalapana, due to the <br />intersections of Highway 130 and Highway 11. All, if not most, of the CDP Action Plan <br />Committee meetings have all been held in Kea`au. It is central to the district. It has been <br />stated that Kea`au has more in common with Hilo. That is true; Kea`au has many more <br />infrastructure improvements, water, sewage, roadways, and Shipman Industrial Park, than <br />most of the Puna district. It is for these reasons that Kea`au will develop at a faster rate. <br />When I have heard rumors of major retailers coming into the east side of the island, the <br />location always mentioned is Kea` au. If Community Development Plans are a factor in <br />how new zoning districts are decided, Kea`au should be part of the Puna district so there is <br />no disconnect between representation and Puna population. Kea` au may be the furthest <br />that Puna residents will go for services in the not too distant future. The next ten years are <br />critical. To not have Puna representation in the Puna area that is most likely to develop <br />over the next ten years seems like a serious disconnect. For this reason, I support Kea`au <br />being included in the Puna district. Thank you very much. <br />CHR. SIRACUSA: Thank you very much. Do we have a testifier in Waimea? <br />MS. HANANO: Yes, good morning and thank you Madam Chair. We actually have <br />eleven testifiers here this morning. My first testifier here this morning is Mike Price, and <br />he is here representing himself. He is speaking in support of Plan _B and opposing Plan _A <br />and commenting. <br />3 <br />