HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0180.002 2018-2020 While there are just a few of us here, we represent many more. I did not introduce I mua Lower Puna
appropriately during my last testimony. I mua Lower Puna coalition formed out of frustration with County
delays and also to support one another while we go through this recovery period. The coalition consists of
three homeowner associations: Leilani Estates, Kapoho Vacationland, Kapoho Beach Lots, in addition to
Kapoho Kai Water Association, various Kipuka groups, Cape Kumukahi Foundation, Kapoho Land Partnership,
Kapoho Land & Development and Kapoho Crater/Green Mountain. I think this pretty much covers the vast
majority of the disaster victims, at least how we define it. Bill 37 says "Island-wide" so it seems there may be
some disagreement. So while I am only a single testifier, I know there are alongside me in support of road
recovery. Smiley's petition now has nearly 3,000 supporters.
Our goal is to ensure that federal disaster funds (that are collected from tax-payers all over the US) gets
prioritized and allocated to the disaster areas and victims. And a reminder of when I say disaster area, I mean,
Lower Puna. When I refer to disaster victims, I refer first and foremost to those whose homes are still isolated
and those whose homes have been destroyed. And given that I have heard over and over again that the
County lacks resources to respond to this type of disaster, what do you do when you lack resources? In my
experience, you prioritize.
Specifically, we need your help with 3 priorities:
Priority 1: Please go on record encouraging immediate bulldozing and smoothing of Rts 132, 137, Pohoiki
and Lighthouse Road and other still blocked sections of roadway AND to make money immediately available
for that purpose.
For communities that were paying $4M a year to the County in taxes, we are not asking a lot. Maybe 6 miles of
road. While Mayor Kim said 132 recovery was No. 1 priority, we are hearing this depends on the federally
required alternate study. This does not provide confidence to the community that 132 or any of the County
roads will be recovered soon, if at all. The Mayor said he would wait until April and here we are.
Pohoiki Access Road was grubbed in 10 days for$30,000 plus the County's survey crew and excavator. We
hear the County spent another$160k for that mile perhaps for the surveyors, excavator and posts. I don't
know because there is no report available to me.
So Priority 2: Help the community understand flow of funds and expenditures. Specifically, what I mean by
transparency:.we,want tosee how much has been allocated and the-source of allocation. What allocated
money is intended to be spent for, how much has been spent and the name of the staff person responsible
for the allocated funds.
Bill 46 states $50M" funds would be used to restore 3.2 miles of road which is inundated by lava in order to
provide property owner access and connectivity to Highway 137." The American Road and Transportation
Builders Association describes the typical cost of$2-$3M a mile for completed 2 lanes in rural areas. This
figure includes construction, right of way and engineering. Given this, perhaps Bill 46 can include Rt 137,
Pohoiki, Lighthouse, Kahukai, etc.
Then in the attachment presented by Diane Ley to Council on March 28, I see the $40M to "Build Complete
Communities". What does "Build Complete Communities" even mean? This is a rhetorical question. I don't
want millions spent on research to answer this question. If you rebuild the roads, we can leapfrog all these
studies and frameworks and simply let the community rebuild itself. We need surveyors, bull-dozers,
draftsmen, builders, electricians, plumbers to build on our properties. Then the County can tax our new builds.
The HOA's of I Mua Lower Puna are making efforts to secure funds for their private infrastructure. More than
500 of the 700 homes destroyed were along Rt. 132 and 137. Think of how many jobs will be created. lar, ,2
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Again,the spreadsheet indicates $20M Leg subsidy allocated to "build recovery framework" ($4.7M),
"accelerate home construction" ($10M) and "expand rental market" ($3M). I don't know what all these
specifically mean. Building a framework sounds like slides, studies and papers. If you want to accelerate home
construction, build the roads. If you want to get people back to work, build the roads. If you want more rental
properties, build the roads. We are asking for roads, not a study, not a framework, the roads that were already
there,to be restored.
From this spreadsheet, is it unclear to me what monies still remain in the County purse while we wait for
HB1180 $60M and what the roadblock is for the remaining money to be dispersed on grubbing and grading
County roads. The Council urged County to demonstrate appropriate use of remaining funds. Sue Lee Loy
rightly said recovery starts with resources. We seem to have the resources, let's rebuild the roads.
Priority 3: We need your help to remove barriers for Kipuka folks to get access to the Bill 12 funds to help
with gravel and grading.
I'm confused about Bill 12.The majority of the donation came from PGV. Now,temporary access has been
created thanks to Lono and PGV, but I'm hearing that the residents are passing around a hat for donations just
to keep the road passable. Ashley, I know you are working hard on this and have committed $50k to help
residents go home. What I am wondering though is, can't the County waive the grant application or make it
easier for the money to go where it is intended to go? Can the Finance Director sign a check to pay for gravel
directly to Sanford when it is needed instead of tax-paying, already burdened disaster victims soliciting further
donations from their neighbor's pockets? Perhaps I am too naïve in politics and bureaucracy. But it has been
really really challenging, if not impossible to understand when money flows in, where it flows out. Much like
the lava, we don't know where it will flow! Nor can we make a prediction—I'd like to only be referring to the
lava, not the money.
A survey was conducted. You can view the detailed results on our imualowerpuna.weebly.com website. The
results show that over 80%would return to their properties if road access was re-established.The same
percentage was interested in building a residence. The survey asked even if there was no water service or
electricity, would you still return, around 70% said yes to both. Many of us are familiar with living off-grid as
many do all over the islands.
Finally, I'd like to invite you all to a community meeting being held on May 10th at 4pm at Pahoa High
cafeteria where you will hopefully have the opportunity to hear from more of your constituents.
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