• Cut costs, KIUC • Solutions instead of resolutions • Wailua Cane Haul Bridge closed to July • Thanks for your hard work Cut costs, KIUC Why is KIUC requesting approximately a 10 percent increase when the company is not
• Cut costs, KIUC
• Solutions instead of resolutions
• Wailua Cane Haul Bridge closed to July
• Thanks for your hard work
Cut costs, KIUC
Why is KIUC requesting approximately a 10 percent increase when the company is not embracing cost cutting measures during these difficult times? Why can’t expenses be decreased in approximately the same amount?
Steps toward accomplishing this are to cut public relations costs, which I do not recall voting for as an owner. Why is KIUC publishing a 56-page magazine in full color, with the requisite editorial staff, as well as a 42-page calendar, 38 pages of which are in full color?
Basic information deemed absolutely necessary could be disseminated with considerably less expense. In addition, why is KIUC sponsoring youth trips, as well as providing electricity perks to persons on the board, and whoever else may receive them?
Aren’t persons receiving such perks being paid for the jobs performed? Why the special treatment for some persons when ownership of the company belongs to all of us? KIUC must be managed more realistically and efficiently by cutting costs, rather than requesting more money at this time.
Roberta Griffith, Princeville
Solutions instead of resolutions
Mahalo to Heidi Rodgers for calling attention to the parking problem on Weke Road. (Jan. 9) This problem has been growing to ridiculous proportions for the past four years. So much so that a few years ago I called councilman Jay Furfaro, and he was kind enough to visit the problem and observe the congestion. My wife took some pictures of the massive gridlock and I presented it Jay. It should be noted that I live on Weke Road in the midst of this concern, and many times we have had to direct traffic in front of our home, tell folks not to park, blocking our driveway, or move their cars onto the grassy area and not on the actual street. In particular I have witnessed four near accidents with children darting between illegally parked cars to and from the beach park. After witnessing a few incidents like these I was fortunate enough to present my case to Jay, Tim Bynum who headed up the council parks department as well as Bernard Carvalho who was in charge of county parks and recreation under the Baptiste administration.
For the record I received calls of concern from then-Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura as well as with my point person Mr. Furfaro. However the solutions that I came up with, fell on deaf ears, with the powers that be. Ironically what has save this situation from becoming a total disaster has been the weather and the economy. Leading up to this years holiday season, Hanalei experienced many days of rain that dampened the spirits of beach goers. While at the same time the visitor industry downturn left fewer and fewer days of congestion that needed immediate attention. Hence Now is the perfect time to address the problem.
I have lived on Weke Road since 1974, and have seen many problems come and go. In this case when the visitor industry rebounds, and our occupancy approaches 80 percent, and there be a fair weather day, there will be many accidents that will occur along the corridor between Aku Road and Hanalei Pier. And this problem will not come and go because the infrastructure cannot handle the load. Once again proper planning took a back seat to overdevelopment. It will take law suits addressed against the county and or the state, or both that will force action upon our council, and community. And that is a shame.
There are many obvious and simple solutions to this problem. I spent years addressing such, but then realized my voice carries very little clout amongst the decision-makers that can make a difference. The alternative is for me to sell my home and move because “out of sight and out of mind” appear to be the attitudes taken with regards to this ever-blossoming North Shore problem. (Anyone like buy a house in a once quiet and peaceful area known as Hanalei Bay?) Be prepared to become a traffic director in your spare time.
To alleviate the burden of a polluted Hanalei Bay, I recommend that no houses be allowed to be occupied in a long- or short-term period, unless that home has a fully operational septic tank. The homes that still maintain cesspools are creating a larger more obvious cesspool along our shoreline, making for extremely ripe days at the beach and at sea. The waters between the pavilion and the pier are usually the worst. And this is an area that also maintains major parking problems.
Andy Melamed, Hanalei
Wailua Cane Haul Bridge closed to July
After spending nearly a 45-minute delay due to the Wailua Cane Haul Bridge construction and recognizing the current very slow building industry and thus the excess of unemployed construction workers, I plead with our government officials to work three-eight hour shifts instead of the current one-eight hour shift in order to employ additional construction workers and thus reduce the overall construction time.
Larry Chaffin, Koloa
Thanks for your hard work
Only the best work on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day from our firefighters, police, dedicated hospital personnel and our superb refuse collectors.
The Wailua Homesteads crew is the best. Mahalo nui loa.
Suzanne Ellis, Kapa‘a
