Roads Are Easements Not Planned Communities Or HOAs

[Patricia]

Why do you not believe any of those funding models would not work?
*effort from the board?
* "encouraged participation" from owners?
*hard work.
*cannot force money from contributors.

All of the above.
And more.

Well... Then I suppose HPPOA and all the other Road Maintenance Associations in Substandard Subdivisions, in Puna, Hawaii, should stick to roads and roads only. Because, if they do not understand how to operate as a REAL non-profit, and are not willing to put in the hard work that it takes to encourage participation and donation, then they (and their supporters) really do not deserve "so much more.

My husband and I have worked for a lot of REAL non-profits. It's tough work- long hours (a 10 hour plus day is normal, but you'll only get paid for 8) and not a huge salary (no one gets rich working for non-profits except some CEOs). 
REAL non-profits have to GIVE. They have to provide a service, entertain, educate, bend-over backwards to please, because NO ONE wants to donate to a non-profit they do not like or trust. 

So, that said, how many of the Substandard Subdivisions like and trust their associations? And if they do not, then WHY? And why have these associations not tried to change this? Answer- Because the associations do not have to. They are guaranteed money. 

Time to change all of this wrong-headed thinking. 
Road Money is road money.

If some of these associations that are forcing the collection of road fee money want "so much more," then they better start GIVING AND PLEASING and adopt a Funding Model (like any REAL non-profit does) to fund their non-road, non-profit activities. 

And again, if these associations and their "we want so much more " supporters are not willing to put in the 80+ hour weeks- making phone calls, putting together and working fundraisers, donating HUGE amounts of time, resources, and even their own money- then guess what? Those associations and their "we want so much more" supporters do not deserve anything other than road maintenance.

[HiloJulie]

"Get a zip code for HPP.  And a post office."

On that thought:

I’m beginning to think that in the long run, for both the taxpayer AND the HPP resident, would have been better off if the USPS just took one of the 20 acres sites through eminent domain, and built a complex that not only functions as the home to the needed 8,000 plus mailboxes, but also a distribution hub where all Puna and surrounding areas  inbound/outbound mail comes directly to/from, as well as paving the road from Hwy 130 to the claimed site in accordance with all applicable Federal, State and County regulations (again acquiring the road through eminent domain) for its trucks to transverse to and from the airport to the new HPP United States Post Office and other areas the new HPP Post Office would serve.

They could even name it after some famous Puna person. (I would suggest giving the naming rights to those who have lived/live in HPP)

Win win for all?

[Patricia]

Just think one subdivision has hogged nearly every PO box on the east side of Hawaii island.
Residents of HPP are causing the huge long lines at nearly every Post office  on the east side of Hawaii island.

The USPS finally couldn't put up with the ineptitude of HPP and provided several million in CBU's and people like Patricia bitch about it.

The USPS is inept. 

HPP Owners are not guilty of anything. Especially "hogging" mailboxes." And double especially, because, the inept USPS, having left HPP Owners with nowhere and no way to get mail service, should have been supplying FREE PO boxes to HPP and ALL Puna residents for decades. But the USPS skated on that one. Just as they are skating now. 

HPP owners and other substandard subdivisions in Puna, Hawaii will pay over and over for those "free" mailboxes. The USPS isn't "providing" anything for nothing, that's not how they operate.

---

people like Patricia bitch about it.

Why not go to the source to solve the problem? Get a zip code for HPP.  And a post office.  Volcanoes National Park has their own zip code, 96718, and maybe 100 mailboxes at the tiny PO.

"Why not go to the source to solve the problem?"

The source is refusing to talk to any HPP Owners or provide them with any info. The source has strict orders to communicate ONLY with the HPPOA president. 

This is WHY assistance from our County and State reps would be beneficial. But TRYING to get some of them to do anything is difficult. The only one who appears to have any interest is Matt Kleinfelder.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

inept USPS, having left HPP Owners with nowhere and no way to get mail service, should have been supplying FREE PO boxes to HPP and ALL Puna residents for decades.

So then as I said go to the source of the problem, USPS. If 96718 can have mail service for 100 or so people, HPP has an argument that they should for 8000. An HPP zip code & PO, and HPPOA will spend nothing for mailboxes which is what you want right? Sounds like HPPOA is not the real problem, just the middleman trying somehow to solve the problem.

[Rob Tucker]

In this case the source is USPS regional headquarters in San Francisco.

[Patricia]

In this case the source is USPS regional headquarters in San Francisco.

Understood. Some of us have contacted them. And again- STONE WALL. 

The USPS is pretty much a rogue organization. They barely answer to the government- except when they are put on the hot-seat by LOUD lawmakers OR need another billion in bail out money).

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

This thread reminds me of the old Mulla Nasrudin story, here’s one version:
   

[Obie]

When Vacationland needed more mailboxes the postmaster in Pahoa told me they were no longer providing new CBU's and that we would have to buy our own.

This was 20 years ago and I remember it well because the 4 CBU's and shipping came to just over $10,000.
I put it on my American Express card and got a bunch of Skymiles.

[Patricia]

When Vacationland needed more mailboxes the postmaster in Pahoa told me they were no longer providing new CBU's and that we would have to buy our own.

This was 20 years ago and I remember it well because the 4 CBU's and shipping came to just over $10,000.
I put it on my American Express card and got a bunch of Skymiles.

No one challenged the postmaster's response? No one researched how others, in similar situations, were receiving their mail? Setting this type of precedent just allows more of the same. 

Do you honestly think the USPS "providing" mailboxes to HPPOA (or any substandard subdivision) is doing HPP Owners (or ANY owners) any favors? Think about it. IF the USPS did not "generously" hand over mailboxes, and instead told HPP owners, "Sorry, but we aren't going to deliver to you anymore until you shell out a million dollars in mailboxes," that HPP Owners would have gone along with that? I don't think so. I think there would have been a lot of VERY upset owners. 

The USPS does not do anything for free. They can't afford to. The USPS "provided" mailboxes because it was easy for them. They would look generous and HPPOA would "sell" the idea to HPP owners, helping the USP avoid a massive customer outcry (and more bad publicity).

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I think there would have been a lot of VERY upset owners.

Yes.
Instead of very few upset owners with the current solution.