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General Meeting Minutes
15 February, 2001
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by President Elliott Krash at 7:15 p.m. in the Kula Community Center.
Attendees
75-80 people were present.
Treasurer's report
Treasurer John Wilson prepared a year to date report for fiscal year 2001 dated February 15th. He reported a beginning balance of $1,107.47 on January 1, 2001. Income was $297.08 (interest income of $2.08, dues $70, and a deposit refund of $225). Expenses were $187.05 (mail permit $125 and administrative expenses of $62.05). A current balance was reported as $1,217.50. With a motion by Steve Goldstein and a second by Verna Nahulu, the group accepted and approved the report subject to audit.
Secretary's Report
The secretary's report for the November 2000 meeting as submitted by Gina Flammer was made available. On a motion by Verna Nahulu with a second from Hari Ajmani, the group approved the February 24, 2000 General Meeting Minutes.
Announcements
All announcements listed on the agenda were made.
Committee Reports
Hawaiian Homelands. John Wilson reported that a lawsuit from landowners was settled in early February, which allows the development process to move further. Vanessa Medeiros, District Supervisor, Maui District Office, Dept. of Hawaiian Homelands will be attending the next KCA Board of Directors meeting to get acquainted with the board.
Highways: Kihei/Upcountry Highway, Pulehu Road improvements, and Widening of Haleakala Hwy. John Wilson reported that the Environmental Impact Statement for the preferred route as prepared by the Hawaii Department of Transportation planning division will be available for comment in the middle of the year. They expect final comments by the end of the year. John also reported that Maui County has funded a 5-year project at $500,000 a year to made road improvements to Pulehu Road. The KCA Board is considering asking that the money be released sooner. Steve Sutrov reported that a 4th lane for Haleakala Highway was promised over 10 years ago. 3 years ago a plan to put concrete barriers down the middle of the highway with addition of the new lane was proposed. The community asked for a median instead and the state agreed to reevaluate the plan. A committee was formed with Outdoor Circle playing a role. The committee submitted a plan 2 years ago and the project has been stalled since the state allowed the funding to lapse. To get action on this our community will need to begin lobbying the state.
Community Policing. Steve Sutrov reported that Kula is still without a community police officer after the promotion of Ernest Soares moved him to Molokai. There are currently 22 police recruits in training; however, there are 33-40 vacancies, including our own. He does not expect the position to be filled this year. The KCA Board will continue lobbying the Police Department.
Parks. David Jenkins reported on the Jacaranda tree-planting project for along the Route 377. This year an inventory of existing trees and the determination of maintenance requirements will take place. Phase two will follow with the planting of trees with perhaps the inclusion other local trees. David also reported on an effort being made by Annette Heu to have a bench and plaque placed in honor of her grandfather George Fernandez, who was instrumental in the establishment of jacaranda trees in the Kula area. She is working with the State Highways Division and Outdoor circle. If anyone has any comments including a good location for this please contact the KCA Board or David Jenkins.
Proposed Sign Ordinance. Gina Flammer reported that the County Council is working to adopt a new sign ordinance. This new ordinance is a great improvement over existing regulations, which do not provide the needed guidance. Gina testified for the KCA at a Council committee hearing that one of our concerns was that appropriate materials be used on Upcountry signs and that plastic internally lit signs be prohibited because they are not appropriate for the area.
Special Reports-Health/Safety and Water
24-hour ambulance service. Kula paramedic Harry Vant Groenewout reported on the recent legislative push for 24-hour ambulance service in Kula. Both the Senate and the House have passed bills in committee for the service, however no funding has been appropriated. The bills have yet to be scheduled on the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means Committees. The paramedics association and Kula resident Henrietta Chong will be testifying on the bills and lobbying representatives for funding. Kula currently has service 10 hours a day and has a station. All that is needed is funding for additional man-hours.
Water. Farm Bureau officer Ken Okamura reported that the Kula agricultural line was approved for matching funds in 1997. The state was required to come up with $4.2 million. The project is to be done in phases and currently there are enough funds for a reservoir to Omaopio Road. The next and last phase of the project is to extend the line to Keokea. This line will be for untreated water to be used for agriculture. The water will be about 1/4th the cost of treated water. Farm Bureau officer Warren Watanabe reported that 4 years ago the Farm Bureau began trying to get drought relief assistance from the state. The Farm Bureau is working on the passage of a bill to provide tax credit for water storage facilities over 40,000 gallons. This bill passed last year, but was vetoed by the Governor. He also reported that the State Drought Task Force is putting together a plan to obtain federal relief funding under the Department of the Interior. A lawsuit was filed and it is now in the hands of the Justice Dept. Maui County supports this plan 100%.
Street Readdressing. Members of the Mayor's task force: Lance Taguchi, Howard Hanzawa, Leslie Otani, and Kula Postmaster Jimmy Aarona gave a brief presentation on the project. The goal of the changes in addresses is to provide a clear system of addresses so all residences can be quickly located, especially in emergency situations. A survey will be sent to the trial area of Omaopio Road and Kula Kai. The task force asks that residents respond to the survey and then when they have receive their new addressed inform the telephone company, post the number on their house and then begin using the new address. There will be a more detailed presentation and question period at the next general meeting. Marjorie Hill from Community Voices Upcountry gave a brief report on her group's effort to assist this transition. They received $15,000 grant and part of that will help fund new numbers available to residents free of charge. These numbers will be available at Ace Kula Hardware.
New Business
Resolution on 24 hour Ambulance Service in Kula. The audience reviewed a position on the need for 24-hour emergency ambulance services and then with a motion from John Wilson and a second from Gina Flammer, the resolution was unanimously accepted by the association.
Program: "Aliens in Our Backyards?? Controlling Invasive Pests!!"
Special Exhibits-Native Plants: Warren McCord from Kula Botanical Garden, Robin McMillan from Native Gardenscapes, and Nancy Snow from Kula Hardware and Nursery
Maui No Ka Oi from RISK!: Steve Anderson, Haleakala National Park. Most of our island's native ecosystem is gone. We have considerable conservation efforts in Maui which are a model for others to use. Our Watershed partnership projects, with the nature Conservancy, are helping.
Island Wide Rapid Response to Alien Plant and Animal Threats: Christy Martin, Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC). They prioritize the threats and work on eradication of the ones they think they can control. Miconia is the number one threat with over 50% of the group's time spends on it. It is seen mostly in wetland areas and has taken over most of the wetlands of Tahiti. The next three priorities are pampas grass, fountain grass, and ivy gourd. If anyone sees any of these plants give the group a call and they will remove it for no charge. The Caribbean "coqui" frog is a newer threat, arriving on the island 10 years ago. It is very small frog, the size of a quarter and emits a call at 90-100 decibels all night long. There can be up to 8,000 frogs an acre. Studies are showing pharmaceutical grade caffeine may work. Maui does not have the red-imported fire ant yet, please call if they are spotted on the island.
Controlling Threats to National Parks: Jeremy Gooding, National Park Service Biological Resources Management Division. This group is responsible for 6 parks in Hawaii and is stationed at Haleakala Park for three years. It is their responsibility to identify incipient, eradicable recent arrivals to protect the remaining native communities. People can help by landscaping responsibly, controlling invasive species in their own yard, reporting problems to MISC, supporting MISC, and educating themselves.
Adjournment: President Elliott Krash adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m.
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