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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0071.001 2002-2004 Fage 1 of 3 Curtis Tyler From: "Glenn Johansen" ~glennj~konacoast.com> , To: "Curtis ryler' <ctyler~interpac.neb ' ' Sent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 9:34 PM Subject: Re: WEST HAWAII CIVIC CENTER NOT A PRIORITY Aloha Megan, Mahalo for your January 28th response to my e-mail message to Curtis Tyler. Initially, I did not feel It necessary to speak with Curtis, as long as he reCelVed my message dated January 23rd. I'm sure that he must be a very busy guy. However, here is my number if he would really like to speak with me about my concerns expressed on the 23rd: (808) 896-3886. After reading fn this Sunday's West Hawaii Today that Mayor Kim is still convinced that a West Hawaii Civic cr.nbr is a priorhy, I felt compQlled to write to my County ropr~s~ntativra once morn. I don't know who Mayor Kim has been speaking with here in Kona to come to his cbnduslon. Vuhen he was quoted as saying that "Kona residents don't even have a town center', this demonstrates that he knows very little about Kailua-Kona. Not to be disrespectNl, but Mayor Kim has obviously spent too much time in East Hawaii over the year. Kallua-Kona distinctly has a town center unlike any other town center in West Hawaii. Harry, it's where the Post Office Is located, and the banks, and the stores, and the churches, and the restaurants, and the myriad of other shops and businesses, State and County offices. You can distinctly see it on NASA satellite photos if you know where to look. The center of town is not athree-mile ride to the north of town where the Mayor thinks the town center should be. Right now there's a lot of lava rock and a water tank where ha piopases Uiaf we civic cculei be Nlaced. These is the Honokohau Harbor a mile down the hill and the Kealakehe Wlgh School about a half mile to the east. But there are not businesses there. At the present time County workers who work In Kallua-Kona can have lunch or shopjust across the street, or around the corner, or down the street from where they work. Out there in Kpalakwha thwre are nnf ~nnh conveniences. The proposed civic center location is more than ahalf-mile walk up the hell from Queen 'K' Highway. That is not convenient. The present County offices in Kailua-Kona are much more convenient. Who is the Mayor trying to tool? Certainly not the lucky engineering rtrm who could get a S2 million dollar County contract just to design and begin construction of the proposed Civic Canter. A great deal forthe engineering firm, but not for West Hawaii residents. Wnen you speak with Kona residents who commute to, from or through Kailua-Kona to get to work on a daily basis. They will tell you that infrastructure (road improvements) is the real priority. It's obvious that Mayor Kim does not make such a daily commute as West Hawaii residents do. This is possibly why he is out of touch with our reality here in West Hawaii. A West Hawaii Civic Center is just big govemment trying to get bigger. The true priority to West Hawaii residents is to make road improvements, such as the widening of Kuakini Highway, the building the Alii Parkway from Hualalai Road to Kcauhou Shopping Center, the extension of Kealakehe Parkway toward Palani rtoad, and the Lako Street extensions, mauka and makes. If the Mayor wants to float a bond to ge[ our road problems fixed, and eliminate the frustrating tratficjams in Kona, that is what I'm sure the majority of Kona residents would be most enthusiastic about. That's the real priority for West Hawaii. Let's spend our tax money on road Improvements, not on building government buildings that we already have. Of oourae, Ict's moko gradual improvements in the West I lawaii County buildings and governmental offices drat we have. But not relocate everything three miles north of the actual town center. (Perhaps Mayor Kim would Ilke a tour of Kailua-Kona so that he ran see our town center.) I ask that Cures Tyler respectfully put West Hawaii road improvements ahead of the proposed Civic Center that we can live without. Ifc all the trafrc jams caused by buliding north and south of lua-. ono without the t'.nmm. No. ~ i~ ile N 2/3/03 Z0 39Gd OON ~{ef. To: L E L~03 95,Et E00Z/E0/Z0 rCef. Date 1 Page z of 3 accompanying roatl improvements that have V1bsi Hawaii residents in a tiny. Mahalo nui loo, Glenn Johansen f(allua-Kona ---Original Message From: Curtis Tvler To• Gicnn Johonegd Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 6:48 AM Subject: Re; WEST HAWAII CIVIC CENTER NOT A PRIORITY Dear Mr. Johansen, Would you please email our office your telephone number so Mr. Tyler can call and speak with you? Aloha, Megan Mitchell, Aide to J. CURTIS TYLER III vice chair Hawaii County Council Original Message From: rlann .Inhanawn To:4tyler in, teroac.net Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 12:40 PM Subjcot: WEST HAWAII GIVIC CENTER NOTA PRIORITY Aloha Curtis, I have been a resident of Kailua-Kona about as long as you have been a County Council member. I nave not been Inclined to voice my opinion to you until I read the story in today's newepapar The proposed West Hawaii Civic Center is an item that is not really necessary at this time, in light of more important Gounty needs. VJe are presently yulte able to aruxss all u( lire uuwriy uffices and services here in Kailua-Kona without having to build a new complex outside of town. If the rents are presently too high for the County offices, perhaps the recant publicity about the new Civic Center will have the land lords ready to negotiate reduced rents to the County In exchange for not relocating. I agree that the $500.000. per year cost is too high. Hopefully the land lords will feel the same and b® willing to negotiate lower rents- Can a property tax incentive be proposed For County Office leases? Lowered taxes for lowered rents? Should the public know who these land brds are who are charging so much to the County for rQnt1 On the other side of the coin, it appears that the new West Hawaii Civic Center idea is half baked. I untlerstand that the CIVIC Center wOUld be built on land that Is not owned by the l:ounry. IS that the pse7 l would suggest that as a matter of policy, the County only spend funds to build on land that Is owned by the County, with clear title. Clear title to the land should be prerequisite for construction of County facilities. Is that not a present requirement on the books? If not, perhaps it should very well be put into law through an ordinance. The main focus of the County in the Kailua-Kona area should be traffic alleviation. The traffic congestion is a problem faced daily by residents Vaveling into and out of Kailua-Kona, particularly at rush hour. Trafficjams have becomn a tromendeus waste of peoples' tlme. Thls is something that affects most Kona residents, 2/3103 E0 39tid OOH L69S91E 9S~Ei EBBZ/E0/Z0 Pasc 3 of 3 taxpayers and voters. Vvhy does has the Alii Parkway not been completed in anyone's term of office during the pas[ three decades? Public opinion is really moving in the direction of demanding its completion in the near future. I would love to drive from Hualalai Road to the Keauhou shopping center without having to drive to the top of King Kam III Road and then down hill again. Talk about a water of energy. Forget about taking Alii Drive to Keauhou...although some days at rush hour, that drive might be quicker do to the congestion of traffic heading to Kealakekua and beyond. Mehalo far your understanding of these issues. Glenn Johansen Kona Heights 2/3/03 b0 30tid 0011 L69S9ZE 9S~ET E00Z/E0/Z0