11-03-2014, 12:32 PM
Once the path of the flow settles in there will definitely be a new paradigm for Puna that will either be addressed with better planning than what exists or get ignored so that things are worse. I will throw some ideas out there that I feel should be considered. The private subdivisions need to be re-invented so that they are not an impediment to planning for the greater community. All the subdivisions need to have adequate roads and parks and someplace to create a commercial center plus an agricultural component to encourage a self-reliant food future. We need to get over the fear of connectivity because there will be less shock to the system when we do. Having community based internet might be more important than community electric power. If we have community internet we can increase capacity and lower the cost (it has been done elsewhere)and neither T-W or Htelcom will do this in the near future. Better internet will open possibilities for home business or local business. There needs to be a discussion about where to locate services south of flow, Pahoa will be the edge and not on the way to anything and the most urgent thing is to get an emergency medical facility there. It is unfortunate that the new Police station and firehouse could be cut-off on both sides if the flow continues very long. Whatever planning is done has to be thought out with geology in mind and somewhere, someone should be giving some thought about access to the ocean somewhere other than Pohoiki. Let's try to insure that we learn from past mistakes and we make change work for us instead of against us. If we can strike while the iron is hot there will be an opportunity to get help with the funding while this is fresh on people's minds but we all know how short the collective focus is in the media age.