Watch live as the Senate discuess alternatives so Furlough Fridays via the Honolulu Advertiser courtesy of 'Olelo Community Television:
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By Dan Murphy
Healthcare, education and the environment are always a top priority for citizens on Molokai. To make sure those needs don’t fall on deaf ears in Oahu, an island council appointed by the governor will try to tackle a few of those issues this year.
The Governor’s Council of Neighbor Island Advisors, made up of five Molokai residents, was created by Governor Linda Lingle to ensure that the needs of Hawaii’s smaller islands would not go unheard. They hold community meetings on a monthly basis where the public can come to share any information they think the governor should know about.
Planning Commission asks for Molokai exemption from new county laws
By Dan Murphy
It’s not often that everyone at a Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) meeting is in agreement. But when the Maui County Council proposed two bills that would potentially increase population density on Molokai, the response was a resounding ‘No thanks.’
One bill would make it easier to change land zoning from agricultural to residential. The other would lower the acreage requirement to build an ohana house, allowing more people to live per acre. Joe Alueta, an administrative planning officer for the county of Maui explained the reason for the proposed changes along with their pros and cons.
“Basically the county is giving you a tool that could be used at your discretion in the future. It is a tool that should be used sparingly if at all,” Alueta said.
The Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) program was well supported at the meeting by folks of all ages and walks of life. MEO plays a vital role in the Molokai community by providing services from the Head Start program for toddlers to reliable transportation for senior citizens. Several people petitioned the county to continue its support of the program.
“A lot of us in Molokai try to take our experience, go back to the land and try to develop a way to generate in come for our families,” said Molokai resident Jimmy Duvauchelle. “I thank God that I had the opportunity to get into the MEO Business Program.”
Duvauchelle was one of several business owners that attributed their success to the MEO program at the meeting. Other social service businesses such as The Humane Society and Ka Hale Pomaika`i – Molokai’s only sober house for recovering adult addicts – were also well represented at the meeting.
A Few Surprises
Tavares said the Molokai public raised a few interesting issues that she has not previously heard about. Roxanne French, who lives in Molokai’s east end, asked the mayor to provide funds to connect the water systems between Kawela and Kamalo. She said the connection would help make it easier for citizens to build in that region and also protect against any future fires.
Lori Buchanan, a member of the Molokai Planning Commission, urged the county to build the new water line during the planned construction on the new Kawela Bridge.
“The valuation of that project is $7.4 million. It’s a small project in the scope of the Dept. of Transportation, but for Molokai it is a very large project,” Buchanan said.
Tavares said she had not previously heard about the bridge project, but believed it was a good opportunity to install a water line.
“It’s cheaper to put the waterline in while they’re building the bridge instead of trying to retrofit it in there afterwards,” she said. “Of course, this makes sense to look at. That was one surprise I really wanted to look at.”
She did say that if the project was to go, through it would mean taking funds away from another program since there is no extra spending money.
Surviving
While Maui County has been able to balance their budget in the past year and not lose any jobs, they are tightening their purse strings just like the rest of the world. The budget was cut 10 percent for the 2010 fiscal year and Tavares said she has asked each department to look for places to trim once again.
“We have asked them to look some more and see what programs we can cut back,” she said. “We all have to survive with a little bit less.”
Council Chair Danny Mateo, who was also present at last week’s meeting, said that survival has been a mantra of Molokai for a long time.
“This community needs to survive,” he said. “It’s going to be tough and, yeah, the choices are tough, but this island does not have a lot of choices. For us, the dependency on county government is important.”
Tavares said she and the other mayors of Hawaii have stood by their strong stance to use furloughs instead of layoffs or salary reduction. The budget is balanced through the end of June next year, but small furloughs might be necessary after that, according to Tavares.
No Decision on Zappacosta Appeal
It would be tough for a 20,000 square foot home to go unnoticed anywhere, but on Molokai it brings the entire community to arms. Five months after Peirluigi Zappacosta was told he did not need a Special Management Area (SMA) permit to build his farm dwelling, the decision has still not been finalized.
On April 22, the Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) voted to exempt Zappacosta’s planned home from the SMA permit, citing laws that single family dwellings are exempt from the permits as long as they do not show any threat to the environment or neighboring lands. However, the Zappacosta’s case raised eyebrows because of its size – 20,000 square feet and 10 bathrooms. Some believe MoPC Commissioners should have required an SMA permit for the project. Others objected to the way it was presented to the public. Several testifiers alleged that the public agenda for the April 22 meeting was misleading because it did not clearly explain the size and scope of the project.
By Catherine Cluett
From signs around the island to a presentation at a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands meeting two weeks ago, those who stand against wind power on Molokai are making their voices heard.
“[Windmills on Homestead land] really changes Prince Kohio’s vision of the Hawaiian Homestead Act,” said homesteader Adolph Helm during the presentation of a group called Aloha Aina Mo`omomi Anahaki (AAMA), representing all those against wind turbines on the island.
Project History
Wind energy company First Wind has been in dialogue with Molokai residents since 2006, when the company, then known as UPC Wind, proposed a 350 megawatt (MW) wind farm for the island. The project’s goal is to supply renewable energy to Oahu through an undersea cable that would connect the islands.
Community shows support of Land Trust acquisition.
By Catherine Cluett
The Molokai Land Trust received overwhelming support in its effort to buy Kawaikapu Ranch on Molokai’s east end for placement in a conservation easement. The group has applied for $480,000 from the County of Maui’s Open Space, Natural Resources, Cultural Resources, and Scenic Views Preservation Fund for the acquisition of the 196.4 acre Kawaikapu parcel. Many residents came out in support of the proposed acquisition at a County of Maui meeting for public comment on the project last week.
“If it’s not put into conservation, that beautiful area may be lost,” explained Kainalu resident Charlotte Seales. “But we want to ensure that it be pono,” she added.
Molokai Land Trust (MLT) has already received $767,976 from the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Legacy Lands Conservation Program for the purchase of Kawaikapu. The county funds are intended to match the state funding and make completion of the sale possible. If approved, the County of Maui will hold a perpetual Conservation Easement on the property.
Residents protest Ranch’s proposed rates increases
By Dan Murphy and Catherine Cluett
It was tough to travel anywhere on the island last Saturday morning without driving past enthusiastic groups of protesters in light blue T-shirts. From Kilohana to Maunaloa, rate-payers and supporters held signs and cheered at passing vehicles to raise awareness of Molokai Ranch’s skyrocketing water rate increases. A public hearing will be held on Molokai on Thursday, Sept. 3 at the Mitchell Pauole Center at 5 p.m.
“We are already paying the highest rates in the nation and they want to increase it four to fives times – it’s insulting,” said Molokai Planning Commission Chairman Joseph Kalipi and Maunaloa resident. “The quality is so poor we can’t even drink the water. We would like to see county water rates.”
At the end of May last year, Molokai Ranch threatened to shut down their water utilities Molokai Public Utilities (MPU) and Wai`ola O Molokai (Wai`ola), citing financial hardship. In an unprecedented move, the PUC approved temporary rate increases that have been described as outrageous.
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