The question of roads, access, and all other post-eruption concerns would be more adequately addressed if the community were more involved in the legislative process. As it is, it appears to me, the county and state can do whatever they want, at whatever pace they see fit, because there is no guiding policy that was developed before we got into this situation. After all the county works for, and are paid by, the citizens. Though in this instance it is clear they are winging it and do not feel a need to be transparent with the community.
The way I see it this should be by the book clear. There should be a timeline and a full disclosure of all plans and sources of funding etc. that the community understands because we participated in the development of those plans. People in isolated areas should have a clear understanding of what and when they will get access and this should be done openly, in a way in which anyone can get the information they need to make decisions in their lives. The whole "trust me" attitude that CD (Harry's nephew) and Harry have projected is 100% BS and they should be impeached because of it.
The fact that Puna's Council representative has to table a bill to get answers is pathetic. See bigislandvideonews.com at:
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/1...ess-roads/
O'HARA: “Its challenging, probably a mammoth task to get that alignment of what we remember is 132, which was a fairly straight shot down to Kapoho. So it would be lovely to recover as much of that easement or right away as possible. But it requires significant engineering studies at this point. So I would like to advocate, and I am advocating, that the county start looking at those engineering requirements, now.”
This is stupid. Eileen should be able to read from established rules that guide us through this process and only spend her time insuring that they are followed. As it is, it appears to me, that she has no idea what is happening and is only able to ask.
The thing is, all this is not new. We have had eruptions and Harry knows full on what people think and feel. Unfortunately he does not play nice with others. His history as CD director gave him fame, but in that capacity he operated as if a king with Marshall Law powers to demand, and never had to work through consensus. An attitude that apparently has carried over to his manner of being our mayor. And now, with his own family member being his puppet at CD we are left with a situation that is only marginally better than what we have in the WH.
The bottom line is, will we learn from this experience and develop policies that guide us in the future, or continue to allow our elected officials to do whatever they want without any other accountability than the ballot box? And then what? Hope that the few that actually step up to be elected have better skillsets than what we have gotten to date?