We did it Kihei! $130 Million for Kihei High School.

The Kihei Community Association has been advocating  for a full-service DOE High School for our community for decades. The Kihei High School Action Team (A KCA sub-committee) is happy to report that we have secured the financing to move forward.

The House and Senate money committees closed the executive supplemental budget on April 23rd.  Senator Roz Baker and Rep. Kaniela Ing contacted KCA education liaison Andrew Beerer, happy to report that Kihei HS is fully funded in the final budget.  According to Senator Baker, “30M in GO Bonds (C funds) and 100M in bond proceeds special funds account (B funds) in FY15.  So the full authorization for KHS is in the budget and the DOE can proceed to get the bid specs, permits, etc. everything in place so that on July 1 2015 the department can go full steam ahead.”

The money is allocated in the 2015 fiscal year, and could become available as early as July of 2014. In the meantime the Department of Education (DOE) can complete the bidding/contract process. At the same time the State and County can finalize all rezoning and amendments to the community plan.

Gratitude

On behalf of the KCA and the Kihei High School Action Team we would like to express a huge debt of gratitude to the community and leaders who believed in this project.

Mahalo to Senator Roz Baker who has worked this project for 15 years.  Roz’ strategy and advice for KHAT (Kihei High School Action Team) was spot on, and her final push to get full funding will result in a streamlined design/build contract and a $20 million saving to the state. Thank you to former South Maui Rep. George Fontaine. Mahalo to current South Maui Rep Kaniela Ing and the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means Committees. Mahalo to former BOE rep. Mary Cochran. A big Mahalo to current BOE rep Wesley Lo, Wes met with us every month for over a year and played a huge role in prioritizing this project. Mahalo to DOE’s Ray L’Heureaux and Governor Abercrombie for including this in their respective budgets. Mahalo to Rory Frampton, the Henry Rice family, Kaonoulu and Haleakala Ranches.  Mahalo to all those who worked on this project preceding our involvement. In 2008 the KHAT (Kihei High School Action Team) was formed by KCA board member Andrew Beerer and we give a big Mahalo to all those who advised the KHAT team along the way, to every one who  met with us, lobbied with us and stood behind us. Mahalo to our KHAT/KCA partners, Laura Marzke who wrangled the monthly meetings and corralled the decision makers. To Halleh Dunnicliffe  for her real estate expertise. To Yvonne Biegel our PR/social media rep. Most of all, thank YOU Kihei parents and friends, Maui ‘ohana for knowing this is the right thing to do for all of our keiki and our community!

This may be the single largest public project in South Maui, ever.  This project will go a long way in further completing our community. Generations of South Maui youth will be educated in their community, no longer to be bussed to Central Maui for High School. We look forward to many graduation ceremonies in our community, on our field, with our friends and families.