Political

Proposed parks baseyard within Duke Maliu Regional Park would require an urban land designation. 

by Zalina Alvi

A proposed $1-million parks baseyard within Duke Maliu Regional Park may not be built due to concerns over the location being suggested by county planners. 

Changes in land use designation needed to allow construction of the 5,000-square-foot facility would make the area makai of Home Pumehana and east of Kaunakakai School urban land under state zoning. It is currently designated as agricultural land. 

Molokai Councilmember Danny Mateo hosts meeting to prepare for what’s to come.

By Zalina Alvi

When Molokai is hit with the surge of tourism expected to follow Father Damien’s canonization early next year, the community will be the ones in control.

Molokai Councilmember Danny Mateo was on Molokai last Friday to conduct a planning session between members of the Molokai and Maui county communities with a focus on controlling sustainable economic development on the island.

Members of the working group kept the focus on addressing the needs and concerns of the patients in Kalaupapa, and planning for ways to welcome visitors to the island while ensuring Molokai, and Kalaupapa in particular, remain uncompromised.

The working group will be meeting regularly to prepare both topside Molokai and Kalaupapa for what is to come in the following months.

Ombudsman confirms investigation is underway.

By Molokai Dispatch Staff

At least two formal complaints have lead to an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman into the recent water rate hikes approved by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The hike will affect as many as 1,200 west and central Molokai residents.

Last Wednesday Robin Matsunaga of the Hawaii Ombudsman’s office, who is leading the investigation, held an informational meeting on Molokai for residents to learn about the purpose and procedures of the department.

Matsunaga also addressed a complaint filed last week by an unnamed Molokai resident that sparked the investigation of the PUC’s activities and policies.

Water rights activist Walter Ritte formally handed in his own letter of complaint against the PUC for the water rate increases, and included the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) in the complaint. The DCCA has set a state cap of 25% on utility rate increases but did not take action against PUC in this case. Ritte also volunteered to provide the Ombudsman with any information the community has concerning the PUC increases to aid in the investigation.

Representatives will advise the state how to manage Molokai’s resources.

By Catherine Cluett

While some skepticism was expressed at previous `Aha Kiole meetings, hope remained the central theme at a meeting last Tuesday night. The meeting was called to look for leadership in each of the five moku on Molokai, starting with Pala’au in the center of the island. Vanda Hanakahi is the chair of the statewide `Aha Kiole and representative for Molokai.

What is the `Aha Kiole?
Hanakahi explains that `Aha Kiole is ancient form of government begun over 1000 years ago. “Aha,” means council, and “kiole” originally referred to a tiny fish that swam in large groups and used as a metaphor for a large body of people. So today `Aha Kiole means just that: the voice or council of the people. The `Aha Kiole’s job is to advise the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and similar agencies in resource management using traditional Hawaiian methods and traditions.

Meeting results in protest trip to Oahu.

By Catherine Cluett

Hope and optimism were in the air as Walter Ritte gathered a group of concerned citizens for a meeting last Wednesday to address the water crisis on Molokai. The goal of the meeting was to “figure out what we can do as a group, and go do it,” said Ritte. The result? A publicity and protest trip to Oahu on Sept. 8.

Brainstorming
Proposed action included sending letters, signing petitions, making phone calls, and paying visits to all council members. Other ideas included raising money and getting international organizations to match funds, T-shirt fundraisers, and all manner of publicity to raise statewide awareness of the issue.

Over half of ranch workers find jobs and more to come.

By Catherine Cluett

The Molokai Action Team (MAT) meeting last Monday revealed that former ranch employees show a high level of education, skill, and current employment. The MAT was formed in April to address unemployment and economic development after the closing of the Molokai Ranch. The meeting agenda included a review activities as well as updates from the county of Maui and reports from community members.

A Skilled Group
Alberta Patchen, Molokai manager of the Work Force Development Division, compiled education and work experience statistics about 50 of the 98 displaced Ranch employees. Her findings showed that, the employees form a skilled and educated group. Nineteen graduated from college, 26 graduated from high school and only five did not finish high school.

Governor Linda Lingle encourages Molokai residents to share their mana`o.

By Governor Linda Lingle

Aloha!

Last year, I was proud to sign into law a bill requiring the creation of a 25-member commission to develop, plan and coordinate activities to honor the 50th anniversary of Hawai‘i’s admission to the United States.

I addressed members of the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission at their first meeting in November 2007 in order to reinforce the importance of organizing culturally sensitive events and programs that honor the past, respect the present and look to the future, and that also invite the participation of both residents and visitors statewide.

My hope is that the comprehensive plan announced by the Statehood Commission last month will engage the public – including Moloka‘i residents – in a lively and thought-provoking discussion about the significance of statehood.

A year-long series of events to commemorate Hawai‘i’s golden anniversary of statehood started in August. The plan’s varied components provide people of all ages with opportunities to reflect on how statehood has contributed to the Hawai‘i of today and the direction we are headed as the youngest and most ethnically and culturally diverse state in America. For more information about how to become involved, Moloka‘i residents can e-mail statehood@hawaii.gov or visit www.hawaii.gov/statehood.

Hawai‘i’s distinctive history inspired commission members to focus their efforts on community education. A major highlight of the programs they’ve planned is 50 Voices of Statehood, a series of radio and television vignettes recorded for posterity by the award-winning Searider Productions of Wai‘anae High School on O‘ahu.

Featuring diverse and personal perspectives on statehood from 50 residents from across the island chain, the weekly vignettes started airing on several television stations and more than 60 radio stations statewide on Aug. 25 and will last an entire year. The commission has also created an interactive, online forum (www.seariderproductions.com/50voices) so that teachers can incorporate the vignettes into their classrooms.

To ensure that events commemorating statehood have a broad reach, each county will host several island-specific events that will be coordinated by the neighbor island representatives to the commission, including Maui County representative Deidre Tegarden.

Working in conjunction with the U.S. Mint, the commission also plans to host simultaneous events on Nov. 10, 2008 for the Hawai‘i state quarter on O‘ahu and the neighbor islands, providing visitors and kama‘āina with an opportunity to complete their 50-state quarter set.

The year-long activities will culminate with a one-day public conference on Aug. 21, 2009 called Commemorating the 50th State: New Horizons for the Next 50 Years, at which local, national and international leaders will gather to discuss topics about Hawai‘i’s past, present and future, including technology in our daily lives, education for the next generation, the 21st century economy, and a break-out session entitled “Native Hawaiians: Cultural Navigation in a Sea of Change.”

I know that Moloka‘i residents offer valuable perspectives on the significance of statehood to Hawai‘i. I encourage you to find information on additional events and learn how to get involved at www.hawaii.gov/statehood. In addition, please feel free to send my office your input on this and other initiatives at governor.lingle@hawaii.gov.

Mahalo,
Governor Linda Lingle

County to seek pledge of commitment and cost reimbursement.

By Catherine Cluett

Last Friday the County of Maui filed suit against Molokai Properties, Ltd. (MPL) to insure that “the company continues to meet its obligations to operate and maintain its water and wastewater systems in West Molokai.” Margery Bronster, a lawyer with the Hololulu based firm Bronster Hochibatain, announced the suit in a press release on the same day.

Word from the Ranch
On August 14, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved water utility rate increases requested by the MPL that will go into effect on Sept. 1. These rates were increased from the PUC rates by as much as 178%. Before the rate approval, MPL had issued a statement of intention to terminate water utility services on August 31.

Last Thursday, the day before the suit was filed, MPL director Peter Nicholas confirmed that MPL has agreed to continue services past August 31. There was no indication of long-term commitment, however.

“How long the temporary rate increase will be sufficient for the utilities to be able to continue to operate depends on future fuel, power and labor cost increases,” Nicholas stated in a letter to Carl Caliboso, chairman of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

While no lasting or reliable solution has yet been proposed for operation of MPL’s water systems, Governor Linda Lingle remained positive. “The temporary rate increases will allow Moloka‘i Properties to continue to provide water service until another entity can take over the operation.”

Mahina Martin, Communications Director for the County, confirmed last Saturday that the county’s emergency response plan was completed to meet the Department of Health (DOH) deadline, and will go into effect should MPL cease water utilities. Until then, emergency measures will remain on hold.

Commitment Sought
In a phone interview with Bronster, she explained that the goal of the suit is two-fold. The first concerns the contractual agreements entered into with the County of Maui. “When Molokai Ranch and its predecessors sought to develop the property, it agreed to build, operate and maintain water and wastewater systems in West Molokai,” reads the complaint filed by the county.

Thirty-one contracts have been uncovered, some dating as far back as 1978, that bind MPL to continue operating these utilities, among other agreements, according to the county’s complaint against MPL. If they terminate water services on August 31 as they had previously informed the county, they would be breaking legal and binding contracts.

Reimbursement Requested
The second goal of the suit is to “ask the MPL to pay for costs and expenses the county has incurred to prepare for this emergency situation,” says Bronster.
Martin confirms that the prospect of Molokai residents left without water is a great concern to the county, and that the office has put other issues on hold to give precedence to the situation. The county has a budget of $1,260,000 to cover emergency operations for ninety days, and has spent a tremendous amount of time planning for the possible outcomes due to the Ranch’s lack of communication, according to Martin.

Communication on the part of the Ranch is another frustration of the county, according to Bronster. “The Ranch has been less than forthcoming in answering the question as to what their plans are,” she says. “We’ve asked repeatedly that they comply with the orders, and we have not gotten a response.”

Accountability
“By filing suit, the County is going to hold Molokai Properties, Ltd. accountable. Molokai Properties, Ltd. cannot hide behind its subsidiaries and affiliates in an effort to avoid its clear obligations,” Bronster stated in a press conference.

MPL has been called the “alter ego” of its subsidiary water utility companies, Molokai Public Utilities, Inc. (MPU) and Wai`ola o Molokai, Inc. (Wai`ola), and the wastewater utility Mosco, Inc. MPL shares such assets as employees, funds, office spaces and supervisors with these companies. Although the county is suing the parent company MPL and each of its subsidiaries separately, it plans to hold MPL in sole responsibility because the water agreements with the county were entered into with MPL directly.

Background
MPL owns 70, 000 acres of land on Molokai, and a termination of water utilities controlled by MPL would result in a loss of water utilities to as many as 1,200 users.

Community meeting takes the first step for eminent domain.

Residents showed overwhelming support for exercising eminent domain against Molokai Ranch, the island’s largest landowner for more than a century.

By Zalina Alvi

The time may have arrived for the people of Molokai to take back the `aina that Molokai Ranch has controlled for more than a century.

Community leaders and activists gathered about 300 people in the Mitchell Pauole Center last Wednesday to gather support for what could be the first step in the long process of acquiring the 40 percent of the island currently owned by the Ranch.

Commentary by DeGray Vanderbilt

There was overwhelming support from over 300 residents who attended last week’s Molokai community meeting on Aug. 20, for the Maui County Council to authorize the Mayor to utilize the county’s power of “eminent domain” to acquire the developed and undeveloped lands held by Molokai Properties Limited (Molokai Ranch).

The county’s use of its power of eminent domain is supported by a recent precedent.

A few weeks ago on June 4, 2008, Governor Linda Lingle signed into law Act 140. This law was enacted by the state legislature to give the governor the right to use eminent domain (condemnation) for the public good as a means of acquiring lands privately owned by a real estate development company.