HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0496.024 2022-2024Stephanie Bath
P.O. Box 457
Keaau, Hawaii 96749
Support Bill 82- October 17, 2023
By way of introduction, I am Stephanie Bath 40 plus year resident of Hawaiian Acres. My commitment to
serving our community includes:
1.PCDP steering committee member -team lead over the transportation theme.
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2.Puna Regional Circulation Plan- participant
3. PCDP Connectivity and Emergency Response ;
Subcommittee -member
4. PCDP Mass Transit subcommittee- Chair/member e`
5. Puna Regional Emergency Preparedness Fairs-2013/2014
Connectivity mapping room team lead.
6. Mayors committee on Connectivity (Kim administration)
7. Hawaii County CERT core team- deployed to assist in disaster assessment including post weath(lr
events such as Hurricane Lane. I am feet on the ground familiar with many of the washed out
impassable roadways in Puna.
I am testifying on behalf of:
My nuclear ohana, Nathan and Barbara Holloway of Fern Forest, and Batina Grossit of Hawaiian Acres.
Russell M. Nelson gave the world this prophetic council, "As beneficiaries of the divine Creation, what shall we do?
We should care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, and preserve it for future generations."
Gerald Jean Causse stated," Beyond being simply a scientific or political necessity, the care of the earth
and of our natural environment is a sacred responsibility entrusted to us by God, which should fill us
with a deep sense of duty and humility."
Comm. No. Q
Ref. To:
Ref. Date "OT 20��
In the 1960s Jacque Cousteau alerted the world to how human actions / inactions are affecting the sea/
planet. He said," All life is part of a complex relationship in which each is dependent upon the
others, taking from, giving to and living with all the rest. "and "people protect what they love"
Folks didn't heed his counsel.
Over 1/2 century later we are feeling and seeing how consequences of complacency generally and by
County leadership have come to pass. Understandably there has been a lot going on. We are finally
coming together to create a vibrant and sustainable community. This the reason to support Bill 82.
Integrity in process involves acting on our personal beliefs and living agreements made. At the
start of this century our community created the Puna Community Development Plan. This plan
was adopted by ordinance in 2008. Within this document the hired consultant, John Whalen of
Plan Pacific, assisted in creating an upfront implementation section. To date little action has
been taken to implement our plan. (Save John Andohs efforts relating to our Mass transit
system)
-We believe health and safety of those on our Island is critical.
-Emergency routes are critical.
-Data reflects overwhelming community support of this.
-Community needs a few passable roadways for Hele on feeder routes.
- We must have road redundancy, not just within Puna, but connecting adjacent districts as
well.
Think what could have occurred if the last Mauna loa eruption cut off the only road Kona side
of HOVE. Think of if there were a traffic accident or power line down on Highway 11 and
evacuees from Kau could not use Highway 11 to get to shelters. This is a very real possibility.
Puna continues growing. Real property tax revenue is increasing as more families move to our
substandard subdivisions. Where else are there housing options? Revenue can be used to
provide levels of service specific to health and safety which are sorely lacking. We can build on
that.
Please take whatever action is required to swiftly acquire connectivity location, open them, and
assist in creating a few passable roadway within our substandard subdivisions as alternatives to
11 and 130.