HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0728.019 2022-2024 P/ Caunci
Res.4158-214 72S
From: Hartley Phillips
Sent: Tuesday, March 5, 2024 7:28 AM
To: Council Testimony; letters@hawaiitribune-herald.com; cchow@hcf-hawaii.org; Roth,
Mitch D; KHON 2 News
Subject: Corrected Testimony for Resolution 438-24
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Aloha! Please take into consideration the following and redeem yourselves by allocating a substantl
portion of the remaining$10 million state grant funds to the Kapoho community. Since we wrote the
note below to you fora previous hearing we were finally able to review the "criteria" used to deny our -=
organization's applications for grants. We were downgraded because of factors caused by the County
(such as not being able to give precise timelines due to the County not providing/permitting
access....among other.things). This is at the same time as many of the grants on this list being
considered are to organizations unaffected directly by the lava flow.This behavior should be of great
concern to the council and the administration and should be investigated rather than being rewarded.
The Kapoho Community was the hardest hit of any by the 2018 lava flow after years of building a
vibrant community(ie. roads, water, mail boxes,tidepool access for the public, etc)without government
assistance or support. It was truly heartbreaking after all of our work! Now, 6 years after our
destruction,the County has yet to meaningfully help us recover. All of our grant requests (except 1
small one in the first phase) have been denied by a selection team composed of the "Disaster Recovery
Officer", Douglas Le and two of his staff. The ill-conceived buyout program is excessively rewarding
some, and denying help to others,while creating an unplanned mix of County and private parcels (all
while County staff are patting themselves on their backs for doing well!).
While the community has been trying to recover,the County has been our biggest obstacle....first by
being slow to provide access via Highway 137 (and even preventing us to access our properties over the
lava prior to 137 to construct roads).... second by denying significant grant support from the huge
amount of federal and state funds allotted for victim assistance, and third, by not thinking creatively
about how to help(ie. requiring grading plans/fees when we try to put roads into their previous
locations, not allowing lot consolidations without fees so that the bought-out lots can be used
productively for agriculture/consolidated utilities, modifying building requirements/waiving all fees, etc,
etc, etc).
What I am asking is that the County start representing its constituents who are trying to reestablish their
lives. Please learn to say"yes"to our requests, or at least"let's see how we can work together to meet
your needs" rather than "no" or(quietly/behind closed doors) "let's put up barriers to Kapoho's
success".
Sadly, Hartley and Magdalene Phillips
Comm. N . 9-1 b,
Ref. To: V
J.
Ref. Date j AR ® 6 2024
Personally testifySent from my iPad
Sent from my iPad
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