2012-04-19 Leeward Exh A - Tim Bostock

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My other concern is fire. I notice we haven’t talked about that yet. If you read the Star-Advertiser recently, there was an article published, and this article was published, actually it was a, Wiki Publication ran the article that talks about fire danger, okay, and the draught that we are about to experience. Waiki‘i Ranch rainfall is less than ten inches a year; we are one of the driest areas up in the Waiki‘i, up in the Saddle Road area. There is an anticipation of another draught coming to our vicinity in the months of May and June. The article reads, and I’ll read this one section here within the article talking about the draught in the western states, it also includes Hawai‘i: “The draught has produced an above-normal wildfire potential this season, 2012, along the leeward sides of the Hawaiian islands, including the western third of Hawai‘i Island.” So they are specifically indicating that this area -. And I’ve got a little map for you here as well, okay. This is from the Draught Monitor you can access on the Internet on a monthly basis. And I can pass this to you, if you’d like to see it, okay. And there is red, which indicates the Waiki‘i area and the Saddle Road area going towards Waimea has a severe draught climate for that particular time of year. We are such a removed area in the Saddle Road area up in that area; we are moved from fire vehicles, fire services that help us put out the fire. We are dependent on the water system in our Ranch, which is dependent on HELCO operating our wells. Our wells are 20 years old. They’ve never been replaced. If there is a fire up there, God help us, God help us. I understand that Tim has made an exceptional effort to try to mow the lawn where all vehicles we park to try to remove the damage, the potential for fire; however, the perimeter of Waiki‘i Ranch along the Saddle Road area where all the dry brush is, where people park alongside to listen to the concert with hot mufflers, throwing cigarette butts out, it’s a potential for fire danger, it’s a potential for fire hazard. If there are trades blowing up there and a fire develops up in that area, we are going to have one truck from our association, there is one water truck that carries water, but as far as I know, there will not be any other fire services up there available at that time onsite. If we do have a fire and we need extra fire vehicles up there to fight the fire, can you imagine a clogged Saddle Road, fire trucks trying to get up to that area to fight this fire from Pōhakuloa or from Waimea, or any other emergency vehicles trying to get up that area on an obstructed road, obstructed Saddle Road? It would be a nightmare. So that’s my second concern. And I hope you will take these in consideration when you are coming across the decision to offer this permit to Tim. If you do offer the permit, also I hope that you will make restrictions on this permit not to have it at 10:00 at night and to absolutely have no alcohol. Alcohol, music, young people do not mix, okay, and they are going to find a way to bring the drugs and bring the alcohol up there. I don’t care how much security you have, it will happen, okay. And so I, I hope you’ll take my consideration seriously and take the responsibility to the public safety and not, and not give this permit to Tim Bostock Productions. Thank you. GIFFIN: Thank you. Commissioners, any questions of the testifier, Mr. Gonzalez? Commissioner Bowman. BOWMAN: Thank you. In your opinion, cause you have been to the other ones – I know they were put on by the canoe club and young people and kind of with that young people venue – if it was like booked as a Waiki‘i Family Festival or something like that where you really, you know, the advertising – let me finish – would you think that would be better? And my second question: With the road improved from Hilo, do you predict more Hilo people coming, or was it kind of the same in your recollection of the other festivals? Thank you. GIFFIN: Mr. Gonzalez. 16 EXHIBIT A