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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0365.002 2022-2024 / a 5, w2 JULY 24, 2023 COUNTY OF HAWAII COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS PULBIC MEETING WRITTEN TESTIMONY– LAND OWNER IN HAWAIIAN PARADISE PARKS LAURA LEE COLES QUICKLY WRITTEN–SHORT NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY REGARDING RESOLUTION 204-23 -: EXPANDING POST OFFICE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE DISTRICT OF PUNA w w 4 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Thank you for the opportunity to provide written testimony related to this critical need for updated post office infrastructure in the Puna District, if not the entire island, if not many parts of the State of Hawaii. I just became aware of this opportunity, and therefore apologize for this quickly written statement. I am a land/home owner in Hawaiian Paradise Park, HPPA which has a not-for-profit corporation and board of directors assisting owners in various elements of our infrastructure needs, but until recently, primarily road maintenance of mostly dirt roads for which they collected road way fees.The bylaws authorize a 5% portion to be moved into a special accounting for future infrastructure needs beyond the basic roadway maintenance. HPPA is a private planned community and the BOD recently sought out legal opinion/advice regarding improving our mail infrastructure to include the building of Cluster Mail Box areas on deeded acreage from the Wutermull family in 1977.The restricted uses are: no residential, commercial/merchantile, or business. It was set aside for recreation, schools, public parks and playgrounds.They also received an opinion about the ability to use their designated 5%fees for building a series of Cluster Boxes so that USPS employees would be safe and not tending boxes along the roadways. When 1 first purchased in 2016 it took six months for me to obtain a mailbox (Hilo). During that time I was unable to do any of the important, vital and necessary transactions that govern s one's life: banking, credit, medical, receiving bills,voting, insurance etc. While I barely survived that period of time without a serious issue, many must stand in line for hours to get their mail from the desk. Many people must stand in line for long periods of time to do necessary postal transactions, and drive a distance to have this public service. Many elders are finding it difficult also, and people without vehicles. I find this to be putting our community at risk.The number of new homes built and households has expanded in HPPA and if I understand the statistics, it will continue to grow ALOT by 2030, which isn't very far off.There are critical infrastructure needs beyond mailboxes, such as road way, emergency roadways, and increased crime. Comm. V�Y • Ref.Toe` MADM Ref. Date— 5 si 1( To my understanding the USPS is a federal agency offering a public service that is critical to individuals but also communities. Our community in HPPA has become recently fractured and divided over the fact that our current board of directors, upon the interpretation of a bona fide legal opinion, decided to interact with USPS officials to create a series of Cluster Boxes for our very rapidly growing community. Unfortunately, several owners have become couch lawyers and claim that the BOD cannot put such infrastructure on the deeded Wuttermul parcels. Many of us disagreed on their social media posts, and have taken quite a bit of insults. In fact, I would say the board of directors has been libeled and slandered and harassed. I urge the County and the USPS to come to a plan which allows the board to continue their work to resolve this dispute. Not just for our community, but others I am sure are facing the same kind reactive behaviour. From my understanding the USPS is implementing Cluster Box infrastructure as a method all over the United States for new developments because it is a cost effective, fuel efficient way of delivering mail. Why cannot this method be included within the various private planned communities who responded to the County Master Plan? Therefore, I firmly believe and ask for the support of the County and USPS to APPROVE and OFFER GUIDELINES for communities to build Mail Cluster Boxes. But also, I ask that the County and USPS release a public statement and publicly inform the disgruntled owners that mail service does not fall under any of the restricted items in the deed: residential, commercial/mercantile or business infrastructure. It is a public service and has been since 1792! A portion of the community is very heated, and angry over misinformation. This is unhealthy. In fact, the group of disgruntled owners have encouraged owners to turn the board into the AG's Office for Tax Fraud, related to using the 5%fees, thereby weaponizing the reporting system. They have called the BOD "liars", and claiming the Wuttermul's will sue us owners. Frankly, if would be very surprised if legal counsel for the Wuttermul's would suggest they sue. To me this is so out of control that it is now something the County and USPS should step in and help the board of directors to navigate/contact and/or negotiate with the Wuttermul's as part of your combined Ministerial duty. I ask that the County and USPS proactively assist the HPPA board of directors(and other groups like ours)to finalize a binding solution to meeting plans for improvement and construction of mail infrastructure. More so, I ask that authorities set up a series of special public meetings with interested HPPA owners and give them and the community information directly so that misinformation and misintrep rations do not continue to spread.