MEDIA RELEASE

Fourteen months after adoption, the Puna Community Development Plan took its first steps forward at the inaugural meeting of its Action Committee Friday, Nov. 20 at the Kea’au Community Center. At the meeting, Mayor Kenoi’s nine new appointees took oaths to faithfully discharge their duties in overseeing the implementation of the plan, a comprehensive, collective community effort over two years in the making.

“The Puna community had the most applicants for Action Committee seats out of every community on the island,” said Larry Brown, County of Hawai’i Planning Department Project Manager. “It was a long process that involved the review and evaluation of 46 applications, interviews with 29 applicants, approval by the Planning Director, Mayor and County Council.”

Committee members elected Barbara Bell of Kapoho to serve a one-year term as chairperson and Frank Commendador of Upper Puna as vice chair. “We’re off with a bang,” said Bell, “We’ve got a good group with a lot of different skill sets, and support from the community is great. There are a lot of people who want to see the plan implemented as far as it can go.”

Several community members attended the meeting to make suggestions and offer friendly support. One Fern Forest resident asked that members of the public be allowed to serve on sub-committees. Formulation of standing sub-committees will be one of the main focuses of the next meeting to be held Friday, Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. at the Kea’au Community Center. The public is welcome and invited to submit written or oral testimony on any agenda item.

The December meeting agenda as well as the draft minutes of the November meeting are attached and may also be viewed online at www.punacdp.info. Community associations and organizations are encouraged to print and post the meeting agenda and draft minutes on community bulletin boards and if feasible forward this email on to community members. Chairperson Barbara Bell can be reached at 937-2573.