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From: Michael Shewmaker
Sent: Friday, July 01, 2022 6:41 AM x t
To: Council Testimony # t s
Subject: Bill 174
Testimony in Support of Bill 174 Department of Building
My name is Michael Shewmaker. I have been a licensed Realtor in the State of Hawaii for more than 35
years and have lived and worked in East Hawaii for all of that time. I served as President of the Hawaii
Island Board of Realtors in 1992 and was Realtor of the Year in 1993. My wife, Keiko and I own and
operate commercial and warehouse property in Hilo and have applied for many building permits for various
projects over the years.
I would like to register my support for Bill 174. Over the 35 years that I have followed the Building Permit
issue the timeline to receive a permit has gradually lengthened. I remember more than 25 years ago
having a conversation with my Realtor colleagues about the pressure this problem was putting on
everyone in the community and we all held out great hope that something would be done. Since that time
the problem has gotten much worse and every time we try to improve the situation the timeline seems to
lengthen.
In my opinion there is nothing more important on the County's agenda than the inability of the Public Works
Department to come to terms with this issue. It is time that we remember why the permitting process exists
at all. It is there to protect the health and safety of our citizenry. When the County is unable to fulfill its part
in such protections it inflicts more harm than the process is meant to prevent. The economic damage that
this broken system does to our community cannot be overstated.
A separate department will, at the very least, allow those within to focus their energies on the task at hand.
Please help us to make a genuine difference and support Bill 174.
Sincerely,
Michael Shewmaker
69 Railroad Ave. A19
Hilo, HI 96720
Comm. o. ' let
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