HomeMy WebLinkAboutAC-Mayor Forum RecommendationsWilliam P. Kenoi
Mayor
County of Hawaii
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
PUNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE
Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone (808) 961 -8288 • Fax (808) 961 -8742
October 8, 2013
William P. Kenoi, Mayor
County of Hawaii
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Dear Mayor Kenoi,
Duane Kanuha
Director
Bobby Command
Deputy Director
A group of Puna leaders has been meeting to consider how we can collaborate to create a priority list
for Puna projects so that we can strategically manage our growth. Puna's needs are vast and, of
necessity, must be handled on a piece by piece basis, so it is essential that we have a strategic plan and
we network with each other to ensure that projects are given the equitable and timely treatment needed.
Our group is composed o£ Senator Russell Ruderman, Hawaii State Senate, 2nd District; County
Representative Greggor Ilagan, Hawaii County Council, District 4; Bill Walter, President W.H.
Shipman, Ltd.; Mark Hinshaw, Chairperson, Pahoa Regional Town Center Plan; Dan Taylor, Vice
Chairperson, Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee; Kimo Lee, Director of
Development, W.H. Shipman, Ltd.; Bobby Command, Hawaii County Planning Department, Deputy
Director; Larry Brown, Hawaii County Planning Department, Project Manager PCDP; Marlene
Hapai, Chairperson, PCDP Subcommittee on Connectivity and Emergency Response; and Patti Pinto,
Chairperson, Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee. State Representative Richard
Onishi, District 3; and Hawaii County Council Representative Zendo Kern, District 5, were absent
from our last meeting.
At our meeting on September 25th we reviewed our priority lists and determined that all of us want to
advocate for releasing the funds for the feasibility study for a wastewater treatment facility in Pahoa
and additionally to release the funds to hire a planning consultant for the Pahoa Regional Town Center
Plan.
It is our belief that addressing the wastewater situation in Pahoa is of the highest priority and because
of its urgency and complexity; we need to begin our work as soon as possible. The first step is the
feasibility study; a CIP proposal has already been approved. Integral to that project is the hiring of a
planning consultant to assist the community in completing their plan and integrating the wastewater
treatment plan into their final document. (See attached CIP Project Data/Financial Impact Statements).
Hawai `i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
William P. Kenoi, Mayor
County of Hawaii
October 8, 2013
Page 2
We urge you to release the funds for these two CIP requests as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Patti Pinto, Chair
Puna CDP Action Committee
Encl.: Pahoa Regional Town Center Master Plan FIS
Pahoa Sewer Feasibility Study FIS