County looking a gift Donkey in the mouth

Community activists tell Council Donkey Beach “security issues” are steeped in homophobia

After listening to more than four hours of testimony Thursday afternoon, Chair Ron Kouchi once again recommended that the Kaua’i County Council refer the proposed “gift” of Donkey Beach back to committee.

“We are not going to come to an agreement today. Our function is to ensure some access is available along park roads,” Kouchi said.

But for the first time, the council and critics of accepting a Dedication Deed from Kealia Makai Holdings of more than 50 acres of beachfront, were able to see and hear the developer, Tom McCloskey, of Aspen, Colorado.

Before speaking, McCloskey listened to more than two hours of talk about his proposed “gift” to the county.

This week (unlike last week) some of the speakers recommended taking the offered land, but the majority still were calling McCloskey’s actions into question.

McCloskey said he felt that after the testimony, he might truly understand the old saw, “No good deed goes unpunished.”

“We’re not getting a very good thank you credit from the community,” McCloskey said.

But he added that his intentions were for everyone on Kaua’i, not just people who buy lots in the exclusive Kealia Makai housing project on the bluffs.

“I want you to know publicly that the people, all the people, of Kaua’i can have…access to the beach (Donkey). We want to be inclusive…open to the people…not closed to the people,” McCloskey said.

But, although McCloskey reiterated that he had moved away from his original position of no 24-hour access, he didn’t budge on security for the subdivision on the bluffs above the beachfront proposed as a gift.

“If there was no reason to have security, we wouldn’t have it,” McCloskey said.

McCloskey said security was needed because there was illegal activity at the beach.

He also noted that if said “illegal activity” was stopped, security might also cease.

“We can’t have it open 24 hours a day if it is not safe. I’d be happy to work with you (the council) on that.”

Other supporters of accepting the donated land also talked about illegal activities.

But few people wanted to put a name to those alleged illegal activities.

Community activist and opponent of the proposed “gift,” Andy Parks, was not one of those who were reticent to speak to what many claim is the hidden issue.

“People keep speaking…(in) euphemisms. What this is really about is … homosexuals. That’s what is meant by ‘these people naked.’ I am disgusted by the prejudice of this community. It is unbelievable that we have this kind of homophobia here. People talking about being afraid of taking their son down there, these same people, if it was a man and a woman would say, ‘Hey, son, check that out.’ This is not a security concern … it is a religious concern,” Parks concluded.

Donkey Beach has been the scene of parties and public nudity according to critics of activities there.

John O’Carroll, who identified himself at Thursday’s meeting as an employee of McCloskey’s, chided the local community on his perception of resistance to his employer.

“People told me when I came to Kaua’i … that I would feel like a black man in the South. But rhetoric and aggression to people with ideas from outside… Here you have a guy who is actually willing to do the right thing … I would plead with this community and this council to look at the precedent you are setting,” O’Carroll said.

The Council will not meet next week and since the issue is moved to committee first, it will be at least three weeks before the matter comes to a vote again.