#kihei
2/6/17 The town meeting at Kihei Charter Middle School started right on time at 10:00AM on FEB 4, with about 20 guys attending to hear from our State Senator, swelling to 30 as the meeting progressed. KCA was well represented with three Directors & several community members.
Perhaps because of the perceived age of those attending, or just because it has been her long time priority, she opened by addressing kapuna care related bills, but soon moved to the major topic, the so-called Kihei High School (not the official name – it seems there is no official name yet, & we understand the Kihei Charter is already officially Kihei High School). While the groundbreaking occurred over a year ago, what we think we heard from Roz was that construction may begin in about a year for projected opening in 2022.
While not a part of this morning’s meeting, we note that a Senate committee on education on Friday approved measures that would use taxes to help fund public education in Hawaii – but a House committee postponed making a decision on its version of the bills.The ultimate goal is a 2018 ballot measure regarding increased taxation to improve schools.
Roz offered a number of projected visuals of the buildings (see below). She stated to her relief and to KCA’s strong distress & objection, that the State DOT was not requiring a safe pedestrian/bicycle over- or underpass to access the school mauka of the Pi’ilani hwy. Not only does KCA strongly support an underpass, it is our understanding that both the State Land Use Commission and the County Council have a stated condition for this as part of required land use rules. Further Roz stated she believed that no other school in Hawaii has a safe passage of this type. Our response it is high time this outmoded planning was updated, and what better place to set a new higher, safer standard for our keiki than South Maui.
We remind everyone that the State DOE contracted with Architectural firm “Group 70″, who hired acknowledged traffic expert Dan Burton for this project. While we do not believe Group 70 has released the final product yet, we encourage you to look at his public presentation to our community over three years ago, as shown on our website at
https://gokihei.org/environment/transportation-plans-for-south-maui.
The Senator addressed the value of public testimony, both in person and via the user-friendly State ledge website,http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/, the transition of our Maui County hospital system from public to private, invasive species concerns, and also answered numerous questions.
She can be reached at:
Senate District 6
Hawaii State Capitol
Room 230
phone: 808-586-6070
fax: 808-586-6071
senbaker@Capitol.hawaii.gov
I went to the Kihei Charter School at Lipoa Center. There were four of us there that somehow ended up at the wrong place. Two had gotten that message from Roz’s office and I and the other guy got the message from Maui Now. We all drove up to a charter school behind Tesoro’s, then up to the R & T at the other end of Lipoa, but couldn’t find anything.
I wanted to tell Roz that I am pleased to see her authoring a bill to iron out some of the wrinkles in the ACA.
I wanted to ask her if she was aware of Senator Ruderman’s bill, SB1269, that would revitalize the Hawaii Health Authority (HHA) under HRS Chapter 322H? HHA is intended as a planning and policy making board, not an administrative agency. These bills would fund administrative support for HHA’s research work and create a new deadline for HHA to prepare a comprehensive plan for universal coverage of Hawaii resident, which the law already mandates. The Democratic Party of Hawaii has identified the goals of this bill as a Legislative Priority for the Party this year.
I most sincerely hope Roz Baker will support Senator Ruderman’s bill.
Mahalo for your comment. Good you attempted to attend, but seems your were not at Lipoa Center, as that is where we all met. The Lipoa center is at 41 E Lipoa, when the KCA membership meetings are held. The Charter HIGH school is off Ohukai behind Tesoro. The one on Lipoa where meetings are held is the Charter MIDDLE School. Going up on Lipoa PARKWAY into the R & T Park is the job site for the new charter school We offered Roz’s contact information at end of this report, so probably best you call or email her with your concerns, as there is no guarantee she will check comments to this post.
Quite unfortunate that D.O.E. has not improved its checks and balances in the planning department. If one was keeping up with the proposed Kihei High School, you would notice how many times this project has been pushed back. Funds have come and gone, parents / supporters have come and gone as well. My kid was in kindergarten when the concept was being discussed between several Kihei parents and she will be a Senior when and if this project comes to fruition (if they get it right). Look at Maui Waena for example, years in the making… finally finished yet unoccupied. Someone didn’t do their job and should be held accountable.
On a good note, Group 70 is making “bank” on all these proposed projects.