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Pahoa to Hilo and back to see his doctors, noting this would help the community in a positive <br />way. <br /> <br />Chairman Ishibashi commended the applicants in their attempts to provide much needed medical <br />services. <br /> <br />Maddie Green, past president of the Nanawale Community Association consisting of 4,000 <br />members, spoke in support of the request as many members in the community do not drive. She <br />said she sits on the Pahoa Regional Town Center Steering Committee and the Puna Community <br />Development Implementation Action Team who are also in support of the medical facility, <br />noting she was sure that other associations have the same problem and would greatly appreciate <br />such a facility. <br /> <br />Mark Hinshaw, Chairman of the Pahoa Regional Town Center Steering Committee, spoke in <br />support of the application, noting the project is in compliance with their design guidelines up for <br />adoption by the Council this year. He said they are pleased the applicant is stepping up for this <br />community and hometown in developing the much-needed medical services for Pahoa town. He <br />said he also serves as president of the Main Street Pahoa, Chamber of Commerce, who are also <br />in support of the request. <br /> <br />Dr. David Nakamura testified in favor of the project. He spoke of the difficulty of recruiting <br />new physicians to the area because of the lack of vacant medical office space and the lack of <br />funds to build an office because of having to pay off over $200,000 of educational loans. He <br />said the Hilo Medical Center has established a family medicine residency program in an attempt <br />to recruit doctors on the Big Island; and unless there is a practice opportunity all the effort to <br />training the doctors is going to go to waste as they will be looking for a place to practice. He <br />said the only thing that made it practical for him to establish his practice here after graduating <br />from medical school was an established physician actually shared his office so that he could <br />build up enough funds to go on his own. He felt this project would give other doctors a similar <br />chance to live and work in this community. <br /> <br />Chairman Ishibashi agreed with Dr. Nakamura on the difficulty of recruiting doctor, adding he <br />felt projects such as this really encourages new physicians to remain on the Big Island and to <br />serve our people. which is greatly needed. <br /> <br />Mr. Aguinaldo had no objections to a condition stating that the applicant shall comply with the <br />Pahoa Village Design guidelines as represented. <br /> <br />It was moved by Commissioner Henkel and seconded by Commission Moses that the application <br />be approved as recommended by the Planning Director, with the added condition. A roll call <br />vote was taken and motion carried with seven ayes (Henkel, Moses, Gonzales, Heaukulani, <br />Miyasato, Ono, and Ishibashi). <br /> <br /> 3 <br /> <br />