HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-05 PL-SMA-2023-000046 Candice Fragas Opposition Testimony From: Candice Fraoas
To: Roy.Alex;WPCtestimony; Kern.Zendo
Date: Tuesday,March 5,2024 8:36:05 AM
Aloha Planning Commissioners,
My name is Candice Fragas, I am a resident of Ka'u and has been for years. My family has
been in the Ka'u district for many, many generations. My grandma told me when I started
dating my husband that because he was from Ka'u, to make sure that we weren't
family. Why?because my family has ancestral background in Ka'u. My grandma was a
cultural practitioner and was very well known throughout our islands;she did
Hawaiian style Lomi Lomi. That is something she passed down to her mo'opuna's. I am not
just a community member, but I am also the Property Manager for Black Sands Beach LLC.
I first got introduced to this project when Daryn Arai reached out to me and
askedwho should Black Sand Beach reach out todetermine how they could move forward on
this project. That's when I told him the best advice I could give him was to reach out to the
Kupuna's of the area. He asked if I could make that happen-------- `,and that's exactly what I
did. Later my family and I was asked by Daryn if we would be interested in helping
volunteer in an area down in Punalu'u. We were more than happy to help, so we did. We
helped in two different areas around Punalu'u. We go to get to know Eva Liu and some of her
team members at that time. It was that day Eva Liu offered me a job to help maintain the
area part time. Just about two weeks later she asked me to become her Property Manager. And
here I am now almost 3 years later.
In my position and working the aina, I have been following properprotocol that I was taught
by my Kupuna's. And I have learned by the Kupuna's of the area as well. In the
first meeting that Black Sands Beach LLC had with the Kupuna's, their first thought
was to clean up all the mess that Roberts Hawaii left behind. And this is something I continue
to do! And with each new task,I still work with the Kupuna's. When Eva Liu bought this
property, she was given some documents from Roberts Hawaii, but there are no drawings of
the water, sewer or the irrigation plans. Yes we may have some plans but nothing was
actually there to help us support the area. As we started investigating the existing
infrastructure systems throughout the property, we encountered unknown issues that this is
way more then we expected. But did it stop us? No! We just kept moving forwarded and
continued doing what we had to do to make the area better.
So far, we have put up 2 solar lights around the loop road and just recently purchased 4
more solar lights to put up along the roadway; 2 at the top connecting to the highway and
2 placed on the rest of the loop roadway, staggering it around. We have 16 fire hydrants, of
which7 out of the 16 are in working condition. We have fixed 2 of them, althoughone of these
newly repaired hydrants was subsequently damaged by one of the community members from
the Ka'u district who decided to burn out and crashed into our hydrant. We have tried to find
parts for these hydrants, but they are so old that we are having trouble finding them. We need
to replace the entire hydrant, which includes the flange down to the elbow; which means
redoing the kicker and further down the pipe all the way to the shut off valves. I've been
talking and working with Pahala Fire Departments Fire Captains, as well as Tyson Goo, the
inspector. I have fought many fires in our community from South Point to Green Sands
subdivision, Naalehu, Punalu'u and Pahala. So I know how severe condition our hydrants are.
Within our SMA minor, we could do repairs and up keeps. But this isn't just a repair, this is
huge. I have gotten quotes from contractors and its going to cost Black Sands Beach LLC any
where from $50,000 to $60,000 per hydrant.
When I first joined this team, I seen how the previous engineering company was running
things and I didn't like it they did the bare minimum. They claimed that it was due to not
having enough employees. When they decided not to continue their contract, we found local
guys to work our system who tell me every road block we could hit. But did it stop the team
from moving forward NO! We changed out pumps that were put it in that weren't even
specked out for what it was used for. That pump alone with shipping was between $17,000
and $18,000. When that pump broke down, we had to pay for pumping services which was
over $80,000. We have back up pumps just in case. We also just re did some of the
electric service at the Well site, Treatment plant, and Pumping Station for emergency
generator hook ups. That costed the team over $30,000. We also talked with C&A Generator
Service to rent their generators in case of an emergency. We currently have a generator on site
as well just in case.
So as you can see, we have been making great efforts to help make this area better. I have seen
the efforts that Eva, Zack and Yoga of Black Sand Beach LLC have made meeting with
Kupuna's and other community members. I have seen the dedication that we have made to the
area. And I am not speaking just as an employee, but am speaking from the heart of a
community member when I say this. Black Sands Beach LLC has been very dedicated
towards the benefits of the community. Before my husband opened up our own business, he
traveled for work 5-6 days a week. He never really got to spend time with our kids. He went to
work dark time and came home dark time. Why can't we sustain our local people by having
them work here in their own hometown. So, when I say that I am dedicated to helping our
local community, I mean it.
A lot of community members are worried about the shoreline. But Black Sands Beach
LLC wants to keep the shoreline for the community and to help preserve the area. They do not
want to develop on the shoreline. We are willing to work with the community to come up with
the best management plan for that area. Why can't we use the Kupuna's and all
of their knowledge? Who would know best about our shoreline but ourKupuna
and community.
As a community member and an employee of Black Sands Beach LLC, I have learned
the mo'olelo of these surrounding areas. I have learned the history; I have learned about the
heiau's of this entire ahupua'a, and what their significance are. Where they are located, and
I've been working with the Kupuna's on how to preserve the area. I don't claim to know
everything, I'm still learning and is willing to continue to learn.
I have put a lot of blood sweat and tears into this aina and I will continue to do so as the land
allows me to. I believe in my ancestors and I believe that it has been my Kuleana to do so. I
have been guided all this time by my ancestors and by my Kupuna's there is a
reason forum that. And I believe that reason is to make sure that everything is done in the
correct manner. This is something that I have done and something that I will continue to
do. So please take my testimony into consideration when I say that our keiki, our mo'opunas,
need these options. Us as parents for our families need these options to be closer to home. We
have never seen a team like this that is willing to work with the community, that is willing to
preserve the shoreline, that is willing to preserve our cultural areas, and continue to respect our
cultural and gathering resources in the area.
Mahalo,
Candice Fragas