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Agenda today. I just want to let you know that we’ve run into some complications with our pump, and
<br />we’re cooperating with our contractor, the Department, our consultant team, as well as the owner, working
<br />to resolve the problem with the pump. Our intent is to fix it, and to address the Department’s concerns
<br />prior to your June meeting. So I just wanted to let you know that we’re (in) cooperation with Lanihau’s
<br />attorney and the Department’s attorney; we’re deferring this Item to a future Board meeting. Okay. Thank
<br />you.
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<br />CHAIRPERSON KANESHIRO: Thank you. I’d like to call Bill Shontell.
<br />
<br />(Mr. Bill Shontell, representing Surety Kohala Corporation, testified on North Kohala water. The
<br />following testimony is verbatim.)
<br />
<br />MR. SHONTELL: Hi, aloha. My name is Bill Shontell; I’m a resident of Hāwī, and um…North Kohala-
<br />born, raised, um…Kohala High School graduate…married a Kohala girl, raised my family in Kohala, so
<br />basically I live in Kohala. Uh…I’m also the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, of Surety
<br />Kohala Corporation, and we own and self-manage what used to be the assets of the former Kohala Sugar
<br />Company. So I have some familiarity with the North Kohala community and land use issues in North
<br />Kohala, so… Why am I here wasting you guys’ time? North Kohala is what I want to talk about; it’s not
<br />on the Agenda, but I did want to make a Public Statement. The reason I’m here is this newspaper that is
<br />printed in North Kohala, the Kohala Mountain News. And specifically, this issue is the May 24, 2014,
<br />issue. And this is a very good newspaper, actually. We cover a lot of subjects in Kohala, um…sports
<br />stuff, community stuff. Actual news. And they do a real good job of researching and presenting a
<br />balanced view on things. So I’m reading through the paper, Page 1, Page 3. Oh! A letter…somebody
<br />complaining about the postmaster in Hāwī, May Day, Mahalos, Margaret Wille, a report on Council stuff,
<br />Viewpoints, blah, blah, blah, blah. Articles, more sports, a lotta sports in Kohala…um, but I get to Page 9,
<br />and the title on the particular article is “NKCDP AC Reviews Recommendations to DWS”…North Kohala
<br />Community Development Plan Action Committee… Now, what these guys are doing is, apparently,
<br />they’re generating an extensive and detailed report in regards to water supply in North Kohala. These are
<br />given with the goal of improving… I’m reading from the article: “Improving public relations between
<br />DWS and the North Kohala Community, and for assuring an adequate water supply system for present and
<br />future needs.” They give a bunch of recommendations, but the two that stand out…that attracted my
<br />attention was: 1. “Add more wells and connect wells (for) redundancy.” The other one was: “Lift the
<br />moratorium on new water commitments in North Kohala.” Interesting article. They get other things for
<br />read, so keep going. Page 12, Page 15, Page 13. Page 16 and 17. Ho, my goodness! Talking about
<br />porosities and permeabilities…cones of ascension… All kinds of good stuff…sustainable yields, water
<br />management, so on and so forth. Now, why I bringing this thing up? Uh, for years, I’ve had to listen to
<br />people in Kohala whine to me, complain to me, express concern to me about their inability to develop their
<br />family parcels… Uh, their inability to divide something up for their kids to live there. So…I live in
<br />Kohala. Other people want that, too. But every time these guys tell me this, I say, well how come? What
<br />do you do? And the answer is…oh, I cannot get water meter; I cannot do what I wanna do for my kids. So
<br />to make a long story short, why am I here, yapping at you guys about this thing in North Kohala? Well,
<br />over the years, I’ve been thinking…well…what can we do to help? Uh, I didn’t say “solve the problem.” I
<br />said “help.” So…one of the things I wanted to put on the table…put in you guys’ ears…something for you
<br />guys to think about is…we have a well, which we drilled in 2006-2007, outside of Hāwī. And the reason
<br />we drilled this well was for a resort development that we were gonna do in Māhukona. We’ve lost that
<br />project; we’re not gonna do ‘um. So I got a well that we cannot use. Maybe it’s something, you know,
<br />that we can throw into the, you know, pot of stew for everybody here to think about…trying to come up
<br />with a solution to the problem in North Kohala. No more water. People cannot, you know, plan for their
<br />future. No can develop; no can get affordable housing. Kids gotta move out of Kohala…families gotta
<br />move outta Kohala… Lack of economic development, blah, blah, blah, blah. So…since I had to drop my
<br />son off at the airport this morning, who’s went to Mānoa…they just had finals. He came back for the
<br />weekend, so I dropped him off at the airport; he gonna fly back Honolulu. And I think about him, and I
<br />Page 2 of 27 Water Board Minutes 5-27-14 js
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