Commissioners Defer on Credit Union

Monday, July 27th, 2009

By Melissa Kelsey

The general consensus at the Molokai Planning Commission meeting today was that the Federal Credit Union remodeling project would be good for Kaunakakai. However, the site designated for the new paved motor vehicle entrance is currently a play area for children who live in the nearby teachers' cottages.

The Molokai Community Federal Credit Union is a vital center of island commerce, helping residents of the Friendly Isle collaborate to obtain loans and financing. Inside its worn-out, pink building on Ala Malama Street, the Federal Credit Union (FCU) is cramped for space. As a result, the organization is seeking permits to expand its facilities, according to Molokai Staff Planner Nancy McPherson.  

Last Wednesday, the Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) voted to defer making a motion on whether or not FCU can go ahead with its remodeling plans. McPherson said FCU hopes to expand the front of its building closer to the sidewalk and move the parking lot to the back of the building, making a rear entrance to the parking lot from Kukui Place Road.

“This will bring vitality to the community,” said MoPC Vice Chair Steve Chaikin. “There is no question this will be a great improvement.”

McPherson said FCU has an agreement with St. Sophia Church to share the proposed parking area. As a result of elderly and handicapped church patrons struggling with inadequate parking at St. Sophia, the church needs the new parking lot to function well, according to an architect representing the church.   

However, several community members present at the MoPC meeting expressed concern about the proposed location for the new parking lot, and the increased traffic it would generate for Kukui Place Road. The site of the proposed parking lot entrance is currently a common play area for neighborhood keiki.     

“There are many small children playing in front of the road right in front of the teachers’ cottages,” said community member Melvin Chung, who welcomed the expansion, but worried about the specifics. “If it is approved, it will be added congestion, inconvenience and a safety problem.”

Jonathan Smith, manager of the teachers’ cottages on Kukui Place Road, suggested that the FCU entrance remain at its current location in the expansion plans.

“Our community really needs this project,” said Chaikin. “We have to come up with some kind of solution that is good for both parties.”

Requesting more time to review the expansion plans, the commissioners voted unanimously to delay making a decision on the project until the August 5 MoPC meeting.

“We have got a bunch of smart people here,” said Chaikin. “I would like to see people come up with some various best case scenarios so that we have a chance of moving this thing forward.”  

Water Service Resumes

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Community rallies to conserve water as county pump is repaired.

By Melissa Kelsey

Contractors from Beylik Drilling and Pump flew in an extra crew to allow for both day and night work shifts to replace the pump at Kualapu`u Well.

After more than a week of uncertainty, repairs to the pump at the county well in Kualapu`u were completed last Saturday. The county well began pumping water into the one million gallon Kaunakakai water tank at a rate of 800 gallons per minute after the fix, according to county spokesperson Mahina Martin.

“It is so amazing to me how this community pulled together and handled the situation,” said Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares.

Tavares explained that a Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) well had been temporarily supplying the Kaunakakai tank with water, ever since repair work to Kualapu`u Well began last month. The real problem occurred when the DHHL pump broke, leaving Kaunakakai and Kalae without a stable source of water.

If residents of Kaunakakai and Kalae had not been able to conserve water, their taps would have run dry within 24 to 36 hours, according to Tavares.

Molokai General Hospital and its 28 dialysis center patients would have been most severely affected if the Kaunakakai central water tank had gone dry, Martin said. During the water shortage, most of the dialysis patients were relocated off-island to minimize risk.

“The correct decision given the information at hand was to move the patients out,” said Tavares.  

Last weekend, county officials praised the Molokai community for their water conservation efforts. Work crews from the Department of Water Supply, the Department of Public Works and Beylik Drilling and Pump who worked for nine days straight to avert a potential crisis were also lauded. Officials said Fire Captain Travis Tancayo led disaster prevention efforts. The Department of Hawaiian Homelands generously allowed the county to make use of a second well. Liberty Dialysis worked with the county to care for Molokai dialysis patients. Firefighters, hospital and community volunteers went door-to-door to inform the Molokai community about the situation. Queens Hospital and Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) donated $2500 each to help dialysis patients with travel costs.

Molokai Pizza Café stopped using their ice cream machine because it requires water to operate, and began using paper dishes to avoid dish washing, according to Martin. Monsanto voluntarily turned off water sprinklers even though their water comes from a different source than Kualapu`u Well. Although their water supply was not at risk, Martin said they wanted to avoid misdirecting others.