KILAUEA — The future of a Kilauea Agricultural Park took precedence at the Kilauea Neighborhood Association meeting Tuesday. About a dozen residents had much to say regarding an issue at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center. “The county is not abandoning the
KILAUEA — The future of a Kilauea Agricultural Park took precedence at the Kilauea Neighborhood Association meeting Tuesday.
About a dozen residents had much to say regarding an issue at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center.
“The county is not abandoning the project,” said Ian K. Costa, deputy director of Parks and Recreation for the County of Kaua‘i. He updated the board on the project and said it needs options that address potential liability issues for the county.
Board members said it is common for these projects to have caretaking responsibilities delegated to tenants by contract, who are subject to fines for violations. They felt this was a user level issue and not a county issue.
Costa said he and County Agricultural Specialist Bill Spitz are working on an updated Ag Park ordinance for community projects.
Because government funds are being used, Costa said there are requirements with the request for proposals and procurement process. He said this means that anyone from anywhere can bid to use the land.
A participant said the land was gifted to the county from the KNA. The county should see its real value to remain with local farmers.
One guest asked Costa that if he knew of any off island entities courting the county to be involved in an Request for Proposal process for this piece of agriculture.
“No,” Costa said. “There hasn’t been any interest, but I am sure that once we put (the RFP) out there, there might be.”
A board member asked if the county was already encumbered with state and federal moneys regarding the property.
“No,” Costa said, adding County taxpayer money was spent and they are trying to avoid spending more if possible.
“If it could be totally funded privately, then that is the way to go if we can,” he said.
Board President Yoshito L‘Hote asked concerned growers to come up with a plan of their own and present it to the KNA. He said they would work on a plan that represents the concerns of the community to have a voice on this issue.
One resident said advice should come from members of the former Kilauea Farmers Coop. It formed in 1984 as an alternative to farmers markets that were not allowed in town, said a grower.
These are the farmers with the experience working the same land the county now manages as a collective, the grower added. They know how to do the work and the people are longing to do this sort of project to preserve the land for the local community.
Some of the growers discussed the liability issue from the old subdivision perspective. They said it might help to avoid the county ag park designation with a community-oriented mission to support the elderly and schools with produce.
L‘Hote said the KNA could provide a nonprofit board or committee to help and advise the county with issues the encounter, based on the community’s history and experience with the land.
“We want to extend all the help that we can,” L‘Hote said to Costa. “If you are willing to call on us as an option for some of the problems that you are facing, then we are willing to be here to do that.”
The board passed a motion to form a Kilauea Community Farm committee. It is charged to put goals in place and to prepare a proposal to the county regarding management of the land.
Procurement concerns do arise, according to Costa, regarding the county funds used thus far, and for any state or federal funds in the future. It would require the bidding process for work and the selection of farmers to extend outside of the Kilauea community.
Board members and guests expressed concern that small farmers could not compete against the more experienced groups that would have a decisive advantage in a request for proposals process.
Costa said the current plan is for 10 lots of about five acres each. Five would be organic and upwind, and five more conventional located downwind, along with 14 one-acre incubator farms. The county is concerned about liability from contamination of organic soil from neighboring lots, Costa said.
Referring to the Maui County Ag Park model, Costa said a nonprofit manages a 1,400 acre parcel. He said their farmer applicants have a minimum of three years viable farming experience to include financial records.
Costa said that most growers he spoke with in Kilauea would not qualify under those terms. He added that if the project took two-to-three years to complete it would allow them to develop a solid farming record.
The county is on a probation list with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Costa said there would be endangered species concerns with the Kilauea project being so near shearwater areas.
Share the Care
The guest speaker at the meeting was Deborah Duda, coordinator of Kaua‘i Share the Care. It is a program for family, friends and volunteer hospice coordination members to use as a support system to help avoid burnout.
Duda has a masters in psychology and she is a counselor to the terminally ill. She is author of “Lighten Up: Seven Ways to Kick The Suffering Habit” and other publications.
Families have discovered it costs between $5,000 to $10,000 per month to care for a loved one in hospice or at home, she said. Most don’t have that much and do what they can, she said.
Last January, Duda brought Share the Care founder Sheila Warnock to Kaua‘i to train 55 volunteers to help families organize teams of support.
One method is for large family and friend networks to organize shifts and take the burden off the primary caregiver, usually a spouse or adult child. By appointing a captain to coordinate activities, they can provide rotating care from week to week and avoid having a mob in the home.
For the one or two member home, she said the volunteer support system is vital to take the pressure of the spouse or adult child caregiver. This is done by identifying families or groups to volunteer.
People like to give because they feel in control, Duda said. At the same time it is natural for people to want to be self reliant and resist offers of help. Sometimes there are cultural reasons and sometimes it about trying to maintain independence.
“Most of us are not skillful at receiving when we are vulnerable and feel out of control,” Duda said. “The idea is that you would you be better caregiver if you weren’t so exhausted all of the time,” she said.
Kaua’i is divided into six hospice regions with a coordinator for each. We look for volunteers and referral in each region, she said.
“It is a wonderful feeling to build community by bringing people together,” she said.
Other business
In other business, the board passed a motion to require an agenda to the board two weeks prior to the monthly meetings.
The board passed a motion requiring receipts to be submitted to the treasurer before a reimbursement check is issued.
Tom Picket presented on the progress with KNA community bulletin boards.
He said the kiosk at Kong Lung Trading plaza has been painted and a sign noting that rack placement space is for rent along with the bulletin board.
The feedback for rack rental has been positive and should prove to be a good KNA fundraiser, Picket said. Other bulletin board locations being considered are the pharmacy, mini-mart, caddy shack, Common Grounds and Healthy Hut.
Picket updated the board on a replacement highway town sign at the south entrance to Kilauea. Board members said the original sign was close to the turn and eventually knocked down by trucks in the dark.
The project began with Scott Mijares creating a 48-by-60-inch template with a finish.
A latex mold is then placed on a wood platform for Jim Spencer to be cast using a special concrete with fiberglass fibers to keep it strong, thin and flexible to avoid cracking.
The sign would be supported by heavy posts and should it be destroyed again, the board said that a replacement cast from the original mold would provide an exact replacement. It is due to be ready next month.
The Kilauea Joe email will remain the official source of dissemination of board and website information.
The KNA meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center.
