HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0637.003 2000-2002 .I Clerk
t.,~ Gila ~t~~s~t
ill
May 29, 2002
James Arakaki, Chair
Hawaii County Council v ;r 4
Hawaii County Bldg. `
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Re: Bi11223, relating to improvement districts
Dear Chairman Arakaki and Council Members,
As a serving member and former chair of the Water Board, I urge your swift approval of Bill 223
relating to improvement districts.
In many respects, this is a "housekeeping bill" intended to clarify language and issues to make our
improvement district ordinance more effective. It does, however, have immediate import for a proposed
water improvement district for two Kona subdivisions, Kona Coastview and Kona Wonderview.
Throughout my tenure on the Water Board, concerned residents of these subdivisions have pleaded for
county assistance due to their long, troubled history with nonconforming private water systems. To
address this need, the Water Board has vigorously supported the establishment of a Kona Coastview ~i
Kona Wonderview improvement district to install a dedicable water delivery system built to Department
of Water Supply standards. To move this project forward, the Board has supported contracting by Inaba
Engineering, Inc. to prepare a required preliminary engineering report and environmental assessment to
accompany a financial assistance application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development
Office. 'That completed application now offers a highly affordable federal grant/Doan. to fund flee
estimated $4.6 Coastview-Wonderview water project.
Bill 223 lays the groundwork to move forward with this Coastview-Wonderview improvement district,
first taken up by the Council in 1996. In accordance with USDA Rural Utilities Services guidelines, it
provides fora 35-year period to pay the principal for a county bond. Along with an outright federal grant
of $1.8 million, that enables us to employ a funding package that is attractive to affected residents, the
Department of Water Supply, and the administration.
Given the backlog of infrastructure needs throughout our island, it is in the public interest to
implement our improvement district ordinance and continually seek community-based and federal
funding partnerships, as is being done for the Coastview/Wonderview project. Bill 223 will help us do
that. Please consider this bill favorably in your deliberations on June 5~'.
Thank you.
c
John Clark
Water Board
cc: Milton Pavao, Manager, DWS
Harry Kim, Mayor
Comm. I~7a~
il~ I~ae
ref, ~a: