WAIMEA — This Thursday, Waimea Community Association’s monthly meeting will include a packed agenda of important news and introductions, following the June and July meetings devoted to primary election candidate forums.
The meeting will begin at 5:15 p.m. in Waimea School cafeteria.
Hawaii County Mayor Kim’s Executive Assistant Roy Takemoto will share details and the thought process behind the county’s proposed $800 million eruption disaster assistance package being presented to the state Legislature for funding assistance. The discussion will include how county leadership is trying to leverage the disaster for islandwide issues such as affordable housing and homelessness.
The mayor’s administration is asking the Legislature to hold a special session as soon as possible to act on the request due to the extensive harm and cascading impacts of recent volcanic activity. Impacts and repair and recovery costs related to catastrophic flooding caused more recently by Hurricane Lane will also be discussed.
The town meeting will also include a brief update on County Council business from Councilmembers Val Poindexter and Tim Richards now that the election process has concluded. In addition, new Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) Commander LTC Loreto V. Borce, new South Kohala Police Captain Sherry Bird and Waimea Middle School’s new Principal Janice English will be introduced.
An update of the October opening of a Waimea branch of Hamakua-Kohala Health Center in Waimea’s Carter Professional Center. A community-owned not-for-profit, Hamakua-Kohala Health is a federally qualified health center that receives funds from the federal government to provide patient-centered quality primary health care. This includes all people who face barriers in accessing services because of poverty, language or cultural differences or an insufficient number of health professionals or resources in the area. Hamakua-Kohala Health has had offices in Honokaa and North Kohala for many years, and recently opened a new office in Laupahoehoe.
WCA’s spotlighted community not-for-profit for the meeting will be the Waimea Outdoor Circle, which among its many community initiatives is Waimea Nature Park – Ulu Laau.
Info: Go to www.WaimeaTown.org or call Patti Cook at 937-2833