Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares came to Molokai yesterday for a community meeting to hear from the public what the local priorities need to be for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
Tavares and the five department representatives at the meeting received many mahalos for their support of the Maui Economic Opportunity programs such as the bus system, Head Start early education, and the Kuhao business center. Uncle Jimmy Duvauchelle testified how the MEO business programs taught him how to administer his ranching operation after Molokai Ranch shut down. Teri Waros spoke about how the MEO helped her to open a bookstore in Kaunakakai in February.
Groups such as Ka Hale Pomaikai, an east end organization that provides drug and alcohol recovery support, and the Molokai Humane Society, offered testimony from a variety of people explaining the continued need to support these programs.
The mayor also heard a few special requests as well. Roxanne French, who lives on the east end, asked if the county could connect the water system between Kawela and Kamalo while the Kawela bridge is being replaced. This is needed for fire protection, said French. Molokai Planning Commissioner Lori Buchanan also asked for the eight-inch water main line to be extended across the Kawela stream during the bridge construction. Aunty Ruth Manu asked if the roads to the two One Ali’i parks could be fixed. Aunty Ruth also asked, when is the $12 million Kaunakakai fire station project going to get started?
Mayor Tavares closed by saying that these budget decisions are not made lightly and are particularly difficult in the current economy. She asked for individuals to be willing to make sacrifices for the next few years until the conditions improve.
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