HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0109.005 2020-2022 P/GOREX
60W (0q
Testimony I Kuykendall to the Government
Operations, Relations, and Economic Development
Committee { } Meeting on November 2, 2021
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF AI'I
- CEI
Aloha a Time 1A..09 apt, Byjf
Date NOV 0 2 2Q2i
My name is Paul Kuykendall. My ohana lives on lower
Pohoiki Road on our farm that was 80 percent covered by
lava in August 2018. I'd like to thank the council for this
opportunity to give feedback on the County's lava recovery
proposals and to all the people working to help Puna
Makai recover from the Lava flow.
What I notice about the County recovery plan is that a very
small percentage of the recovery money is proposed to be
spent in Puna Makai, the area covered with lava and the
purpose for the recovery funds. The buyout program is
needed for our neighbors that need funds to recover
homes, but it gives an incentive for people to leave the
area and spend the money elsewhere. Nothing is
allocated to those who want to stay in Puna Makai.
Almost 90 percent of recovery funds for water systems are
proposed by the county to be spent outside Puna Makai.
Parks and Recreation is proposing a small fraction of the
funds available to rebuild Pohoiki and has communicated
no plans to replace our beloved Ahalanui Park.
Comm. No.,
Ref. To: I KP s
Ref. Date
quarterly v is being
spent wisely.
Mahalo nui for all the worka uncitizens r
doing Ip Puna Makai recover from the lava flow.
If the committees are given real input as to how funds are
spent, we can truly build Puna Makai back better. Without
that real change, our course will be the current one, which
can more accurately be described as Build Back
Elsewhere. Mahalo nui.