Health Center Gets Facelift

Small step toward big future.

One permit down, one to go. The Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC) got an OK from the Molokai Planning Commission last week to start renovations in June. Executive Director Desiree Puhi said the move is a good step forward to offering their core services as soon as possible.

“[MCHC] is a very important resource for our community, we are fortunate to have [the center], providing for our community,” said acting chairperson Steve Chaikin after the commission passed their permit unanimously.

The new health center, located at the old Pau Hana Inn, moved in July of 2009. Of the original 10 buildings built in 1971, this application would renovate three of the buildings. A Special Management Area major permit is required for the rest of the campus.

“The idea is to create a community park environment,” Puhi said. “Eastern, Western, traditional and nontraditional – all on one campus.”

Their core services will include family, primary, dental, and behavioral health care.

“[The center] is an economic engineer for our needs. With the county considering layoffs, we can hire and provide training,” Puhi said. She added her thanks for the commission, the county and the MCHC board.

MoPC’s Immediate Future
–  It’s election time for the commission – elections for the next chair and vice-chair will hopefully be held at the next meeting, April 28, said Chaikin.

– Community plan coming in June! David Michelson, long term planner for the County, will be holding public workshops to go over the next Molokai Community Plan. Michelson said the initial workshops, starting in June, will be to inform the public of how the plan is put together, followed by community meetings to express what will be included.

Molokai is expected to grow around one percent a year until 2030, according to Michelson. The community plan will look at projections for local land use, socio-economic forecast, future infrastructure and capacity, and a cultural/historical analysis.