2012-11-09 Windward Transcript Connections

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I’d like to offer alternatives. About 50 percent, as we have heard, of the students come from rd Puna. Mr. Thatcher also stated publicly in his press conference on Oct. 23 that the Edita location provides land his students to learn on that is very similar to land in Puna. Yet according to their own EIS on Pages 15 to 16, none of the TMKs considered for the new campus locations were considered in Puna. This should be explored. You will hear many emotional and heartfelt arguments. However, this is about the construction of an institution into an area where there is overwhelming opposition from the majority of residents who will be most impacted. This is especially in an area where there are already schools along Kaūmana on a 4-mile drive, including Kaūmana Elementary, De Silva Elementary, and the Hilo schools. The institution seems to have acted on the presumption that this Commission will authorize their project: Boundaries have been cleared, fence installed, articles written in the Hilo-Tribune and plans have been made as we have already seen. We are just a community trying to advocate for our neighborhood against a larger institution. We do not have the benefit of hired representatives, professionals, or attorneys. You, the land commission are our equalizer. DARROW: One minute. PENG: Please deny this project. I’d like to add that by denying the special permit you are not stopping the building of the school, but allowing the school to search for more appropriate locations. Thank you. KERN: Thank you. Any questions for the testifier? Seeing none, thank you very much. Robert Wyman. WYMAN: Good morning. KERN: Good morning. WYMAN: Thank you for this opportunity. KERN: Name and area in which you live, and then your three minutes begins. WYMAN: My name is Robert Wyman. I live at 1840 Kaūmana Drive, just above the Kaūmana Elementary School. I’ve lived there for the last six years. And I’ve also lived on Kaūmana Drive for the last 9 years actually, just down by the 76 Station. I ride my bike to and from work via Kaūmana Drive two to three times a week. Kaūmana Drive is a very dangerous road on which to walk or ride a bike. And I fear for every pedestrian I see moving along this road, especially my 7-year old daughter who I walk to school at Kaūmana. The condition of the road is poor in many areas and there is essentially no curbside on which to walk or ride safely. I wish Donald Ikeda best of luck in getting the sidewalks put in. 20 EXHIBIT A