HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 515 Draft 01 2024-2026A RESOLUTION URGING THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI AND THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PRIORITIZE AND EXPEDITE THE REPAIR AND RESTORATION OF KONAWAENA HIGH
SCHOOL, KONAWAENA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND KE KULA ʻO ʻEHUNUIKAIMALINO FOLLOWING DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE RECENT KONA LOW STORM, USING AVAILABLE STATE EMERGENCY FUNDS.
WHEREAS, the recent Kona low storm brought severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall, flooding, and high winds, resulting in significant damage to infrastructure across West
Hawaiʻi; and
WHEREAS, Konawaena High School, Konawaena Middle School, and Ke Kula ʻo ʻEhunuikaimalino sustained substantial damage from this storm event, causing campuses to shut down from March
23 through 27 while remediation efforts took place; and
WHEREAS, preliminary estimates indicate that the cost of repairs across these campuses may exceed $20,000,000, reflecting the severity of the damage and the scale of restoration required;
and
WHEREAS, these schools collectively serve a large population of students from rural South Kona and surrounding communities, many of whom rely on these campuses not only for education,
but for access to essential services, cultural learning environments, and critical support systems; and
WHEREAS, on March 30, 2026, Konawaena High School will transition to distance learning with no scheduled return to on-campus learning, affecting approximately eight hundred fifty students;
and
WHEREAS, Ke Kula ʻo ʻEhunuikaimalino plays a vital role in providing Hawaiian language immersion education and perpetuating ʻike Hawaiʻi, making the timely restoration of its facilities
especially important to cultural continuity and community identity; and
WHEREAS, prolonged disruption to school operations disproportionately affects students and families in rural and underserved communities, exacerbating existing inequities in access to
education; and
WHEREAS, the State of Hawaiʻi has access to emergency funding mechanisms and disaster response resources that can be deployed to support the timely repair and restoration of critical
public facilities, including public schools; and
WHEREAS, swift action is necessary to ensure that students, faculty, and staff may safely return to fully functional campuses and resume normal educational activities without undue delay;
now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I that this body strongly urges the Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi and the Superintendent of the Department of Education to prioritize,
fund, and expedite the repair and restoration of Konawaena High School, Konawaena Middle School, and Ke Kula ʻo ʻEhunuikaimalino following damage caused by the recent Kona low storm.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that that this body urges the immediate allocation and deployment of available State emergency funds and resources to support these efforts, ensuring that all
necessary repairs are completed as quickly and efficiently as possible.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that that the Council requests ongoing communication and coordination with County officials and the affected community to provide timely updates on repair progress
and anticipated timelines for full restoration.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Honorable Joshua B. Green, M.D., Governor of the State of Hawaiʻi; Keith T. Hayashi, Superintendent
of the Department of Education; Roy M. Takumi, Chairperson of the Board of Education; the Honorable Dru M. Kanuha, Hawaiʻi State Senator, District 3; the Honorable Herbert M. “Tim”
Richards III, Hawaiʻi State Senator, District 4; the Honorable Kirstin Kahaloa, Hawaiʻi State Representative, District 6; and the Honorable Nicole E. Lowen, Hawaiʻi State Representative,
District 7.
Dated at _____________, Hawai‘i, this ______ day of ___________________, 20___.
INTRODUCED BY:
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COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I
_______________________________________
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I