Letters | 7-16-15

Lumber loading at all hours annoying

A ship coming in to pick up logs from the Hamakua logging operation should have operating hours just like any other commercial enterprise — it comes in the middle of the night, about 2:30 a.m., and loads logs without regard to the people that live in close proximity. It runs 24/7, disturbing the families that are within earshot.

I’ve complained about it to the local police and all they say you’re in a commercial zone — that’s nonsense. The restaurants around here have a cutoff time for their music, which is 10 p.m. So why does the ship get special treatment? Why was it never disclosed by any public meeting about the noise and constant trucking ongoing around the clock? Try getting sleep — when you have to get up at 6 a.m. to go to work — and hearing logs being dumped into a big metal drum (ship). The operators of this operation have little regard for their neighbors — they’re just greedy.

I don’t mind companies trying to make a profit, but why at our expense? I’ve had my fill.

James Carlyle

Waimea

Squatters haven’t improved neighborhoods so far

Based on my close to 30 years experience in the real estate industry, I had to disagree with the article about the squatters improving the neighborhood by adverse possession. I doubt any of the squatters have plans to gain legal title — most probably don’t even know the laws about adverse possession.

The writer of the article should have checked the laws, too, since properties registered in Land Court are protected from adverse possession regardless of how many years the trespassers openly inhabit the property, but that’s a different story.

I have never seen squatters improving any neighborhood. All they bring to the area is crime, drugs and everything between.

John S. Rabi

Kailua-Kona

Aquatic center maintenance lacking

I am writing on behalf of a majority of swimmers concerned about the Kona Community Aquatic Center. KCAC is a unique and wonderful asset for the Big Island and we very much want to support its operation. The facility supports public recreation and adult lap swimming, USA Masters Swim Team, USA Age-Group Swim Teams, novice swim team, senior water aerobics, keiki learn to swim programs and more. Our concerns are the overall scheduling, maintenance and safety of the pool.

The pool has many unscheduled closures. In the past four months alone, the pool was closed or hours shortened on at least 23 days. Many of these closures occur right before competitions when our local and visiting athletes need to be training. The reasons given for the closures are increasingly frequent equipment failures and staffing issues. If these trends continue, we fear the pool may be closed for long-term repairs similar to the $1.5 million, eight-month closure of the Pahoa Aquatic Center.

The maintenance of KCAC is in decline. The chlorinator often breaks and recently needed to be replaced. The solar panels leak onto the pool deck. The water clarity is often very poor. One of the two heat exchangers is broken and the remaining one leaks oil. The water temperature is unusually warm often exceeding 86 degrees, which causes pool chemical imbalance and heat exhaustion for swimmers. Properly working heat exchangers would maintain the water temperature for safe swimming. Additionally, the shower and restroom facilities are below Hawaii Department of Health standards. The front entrance gates are permanently closed. College level swim teams no longer want to train here because of these poor conditions. All of these examples show the current inadequacies and point to larger future maintenance problems.

The Kona Community Aquatic Center could be so much more than it is. We envision a place where the schedule is permanently posted and the community can rely upon it. A place that gives some priority to local youth water teams. A place where the pool is managed by certified pool operators as recommended by the CDC. A place where swimmers from around the world will want to visit, bringing in revenue to our community. A place where people can train, swim and play in a clean, safe facility.

Chad Owens

Kailua-Kona