HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0164.009 1998-2000
Mar 04 99 03:57p Patricia P^ovalrr' [8081 885-1742 p.l
March 4, 1999
The Honorable Aaron Chung Chairman
And Hawaii County Council Finance Committee Merntx
25 Aupuni St. Hilo. HI 96720
FAX: 961-8912
Dear Finance Chair Aaron Chung and Committee Meml ^
PATDI, Inc., is a property management cempzny v,-ith _ r:;:,s commercial clients in Waimea and
Kailua-Kona. This includes:
Waimea Center: Approx. 35 shops, restaurants. busine; irnauding Waimea's only grocery store.
Approx. 330 employee=
Kamuela Business Center: 10 businesses and professo ~ :(ices.
Approx. 40 employees.
Waimea Office Center: 1? businesses, profess:ona! of(ic ~ <~r,c' Waimea Family YMCA.
Approx. 55 employees.
Every single one of my tenants have been impacted - se - ~:'v - by the current road construction project
through Waimea. McDonalds reported a 30 percent drol. ,-=!~>s early on. It has gotten somewhat better
as motorists got used to the changing traffic flow. fnimd : :n~ ate routes (limited as they may be), and the
contractor and County worked with us to minimize r-~al,.~r' 'c necks.
Several of my tenants have either Dosed their bust.^.esse ~~~,nsized" putting employees out of work,
ar are near Dosing because their business s faihrg. larg~:~~. ~:;E; to construction, impacts on customer
traffic. Visitors coming into Waimea are discouraged by ~ =~a~ts and turn, around and go back to Kona
or the Kohala Coast resorts. Residents become so exasr .r='-r by the time consuming delays that they
simply don't stop unless its absolutely a necessif(~ (yro~e ~ - .-r:u medi;ztions). Some report doing all
their shopping elsewhere to avoid construction tieups_
I must add that in all the public works projects I have obs ar.d pamapated m (mostly in Kai!ua-
Kona), Ihave never seen such goad cooperation bcta~~,~,~ County, contractor and community.
including our schools.
For example, shortly after the project started McDona!;1s ~~'aimea Center worked with the contractor
and Waimea Elementary and Intermediate Schoei to cre~ i- :;,rife back entry to give parents from the
East side of town an alternate route to drop off and pick i ; . ~.7erts. Parker Ranch let us use their !and
and Goodfellow Brothers layed down a temporarc road 'o safe access.
~ . CE`s(
Comm. No.
File No.
- ~ - - : $ef. -Ts7~~d~~~~
Ref. Date C?3 - C - ~
Mar 04 99 03:57p Patricia P-cvzlc'r~'~. (808) 885-1742 p.2
PATDt/Page 2
McDonalds helped with signage and the school advisee, i ~ rents of this alternate access and provided
necessary site security. This had an enormous benefici.~,! inpact on peak hour traffic. The point is that we
are working hard to help ourselves.
Over al!, I have seen a remarkable amount of patience = r. ~ mderstanding of the need for this project.
Residents and business owners don't like it but have Lr-cr v:~;;;ing to endure the personal and economic
Impacts for the long-term benefit of the community as a ~~'r i=,. However, any delays will not sit well with
residents or businesses.
! am writing to urge the Council to act quickly ~n approve e 'ubGc Werks' request for additional funds to
complete this project ON TIME. Even a week's delay ce~~ ; s tremendous hardship to many Big Island
residents ar.d businesses. The closure of even just or,e u~ s.l~ipss has widespread impact on the Island's
already dismal economy. Please move this project alcn~ r;uickly as possible.
Mahalo for your time. Please feel tree to call me if you ! : ;uestion.s.
Aloha,
1
`L/
Patricia Provalenko
President -