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From: Melinda Menchetti
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 9:36 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Aloha Chair and Members of the Council,
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From: Melinda Menchetti
Date: May 20, 2025 at 8:13:42 AM HST
To: counciltestimony@hawaii.gov
Subject: Aloha Chair and Members of the Council,
Aloha Chair and Members of the Council,
My name is Melinda Menchetti, and I'm a resident of Waik6loa Village. I am testifying in
support of Communication 159.41 to amend Bill No. 32, Draft 2.1 fully support this
amendment for funding the initial engineering of Waik6loa's second arterial road.
Even before all of the new housing and commercial development we needed a new road
out of Waikoloa. There is so much traffic already and to try to leave quickly in an emergency
is impossible.
Waik6loa Village is one of the fastest -growing communities on the Big Island, with housing
plans set to double the population over the next 20 years. No community should have to
rely on a single road in an emergency. Especially not a community as vulnerable to a major
wildfire disaster as Waik6loa Village. In 2021, the largest wildfire in the history of the state
burned within 3 miles of the Village. This is a very real danger to our community.
We know you face tough budget decisions, but this is a rare opportunity to prevent disaster
rather than react to it. Your `yes' vote will save lives. We're hopeful that with your
leadership, we can finally move forward in securing the second road that our community
has needed for years.
Thank you for considering this critical amendment. We are counting on your leadership to
address our community's safety needs. We humbly ask for your `yes' vote on this
Melinda Menchetti, Waikoloa resident
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