HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0494.011 2008-2010
09/16/2009 10:48 3294786 KCO PAGE 01
P1 Gou Men
Chair J. Yoshimoto
Hawaii County Council ?9019 SEP 11_, ; j9 10 2
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96724
REF; SUPPORT FOR FIRST READING OF RILL 136 AND BILL 137
Aloha Council Chair Yoshimoto and members of the Hawaii County
Council,
For those of you who do not know me, I'm Gene Leslie and my partner,
Richard Gouviea and I own and operate Flowers for Mama, a local floral
shop located in Holualoa. We have been successful business owners for
well over 20 years-
I'm an active member of our Kona community and currently serve as
president of Kuakini Hawaiian Civic Club, Vice President of the Association
of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and serve on the Hawaii Island Burial Council.
I continue to support Palamanui.
Palamanui is not changing their commitment to the community, actually
quite the contrary.
But let me be perfectly clear, without the passage of Bill 136 and Bill 137,
there will be no ground breaking this year for the new Hawaii Community
College at Palamanui, instead, it will push back higher education for West
Hawaii community an easy '10 to 15 years.
Our governor recently stated in her address to the Maui Native Hawaiian
Chamber of Commerce, "People are quick to tell you what they're against
and what they don't want.... but what are we for"?"
West Hawaii and our entire island ohana is FOR the new Hawaii
Community College at Palamanui.
I strongly ask you to vote in favor of Bill 136 & 137.
Mahalo.
Gene Leslie
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