4/14/2023
Budget testimony
Aloha Maui County Council members.

I support funding for planning, and developing a new pickleball facility Upcountry. It is needed now. I ask our Country Council to expedite this. It's what I believe the Parks Department should focus on also.
I also strongly agree there should be no more tennis court conversions on Maui. You can only play tennis on tennis courts, you can play pickleball anywhere level with a portable net.
We only have four playable tennis courts, for tennis Upcountry, across the whole mountainside. Our courts are busy with tennis often, and tennis as a sport is growing with increasing numbers.
In Kula, the tennis community currently does consider sharing the courts with PB as a minor conversion of our court use. It's acceptable as temporary, with PB taping tines, bringing their own nets, cleaning the courts when done. Painting PB lines within tennis lines would be a real court conversion. Totally unacceptable. I believe the new Parks Director understands this, as the past Director expressed to me also. Excluding tennis on the Kula tennis courts altogether would almost be criminal after the years the community and County worked to get the courts built, and the care we put into them.
Both sports need room to grow separately. They both are not compatible in noise requirements. Tennis under 40db, PB over 70db. They are both not compatible in design with different lines, rules, and dimensions.
Downtown resurfacing and lining a multi use court would cost the County, and then cost to reline it back to tennis a few years later? It would never happen. Bottom line, Tennis loses courts. I don't understand how this would be a "good compromise" as some in the PB community suggest.
PB needs leadership that focuses on the real solutions, and vision for their sport, as we in the Tennis community have done for years.
Please help give the PB community the direction to plan for their sport, and to plan for the growth of both tennis and Pickleball. Help them focus on a facility of their own.
Please secure funds for planning of separate pickleball facilities, not converting tennis courts in any way. Please respect the hard work and vision that was required to secure funding for our tennis courts for tennis in the past.
To say that any sport can use a tennis court, as some pickleball players will tell you, because it was their tax dollars that built them. I know, and as you know, funds are approved, and dedicated for specific needs, and projects. Tennis courts were funded and built for tennis.
Hopefully soon separate pickalball facilities in town, and upcountry will be funded, and built. Then hopefully proper planning will prevail, and we return all converted tennis courts back to tennis. Then limit each sport to its own facilities, so all can prosper and grow without conflicts.

Thank you all for your thoughtful deliberations.
Aloha,
Steve Sutrov
Kulatennis@gmail.com

Aloha!
Please consider alternative sites for Pickle-ball, like community centers until the County builds a new amazing pickleball facility, where we can have tournaments. We play both sports. For pickle-ball, we can put up our own net, but for tennis that isn’t possible. So it’s better to leave the tennis courts alone and allow pickle-ball to be played at alternative sites that’s easier to access, like Velma Wayne Center or in park pavilions during low/no use hours.
Taking away current tennis courts will have negative impacts as these courts are needed for MIL practices, tournaments, leagues, & junior tennis. Leave the courts as is and we can take turns until the Department of Parks & Recreation designates dedicated spots.
If you wish to be innovative, consider private-public partnerships as one could build a facility on public land or use vacant commercial space, like the old Sports Authority or Sears and bring in foot-traffic and draw in business.

Mahalo!

Written testimony receive 04-13-2023

TESTIMONY IN STRONG SUPPORT OF HAWAIʻI FARMERS UNION UNITED BUDGET

As a FAM apprentice on the island of Lānaʻi, I implore you to support the Hawaii Farmers Union and its programs, the HFUU Network and the FAM Program. I am a supporter of HFUU because it is an organization that is a solution to Hawaiʻi’s food insecurity by directly impacting local food production by increasing the number of farmers in Hawaiʻi, especially Maui. This year the program was opened up to Lānaʻi residents. We have 5 Farmer Apprentices in the program! That is 0.2% of Lānaʻi population! 5 people dedicated to being a part of solving Lānaʻi’s food insecurity. We have nowhere else to get this training as a Lānaʻi resident. We all know being a farmer is extremely difficult. The FAM Program is extremely comprehensive teaching me what I need to know to be a successful farmer from taxes to compost. How else can I get that training through a single program on Lānaʻi? I was a former teacher of Natural Resources at Lānaʻi High & Elementary School. I was teaching about agriculture without being properly trained as many other new high school Natural Resources teachers. The FAM Program should be a program available not only to prospective farmers but to public school teachers who lack the agriculture background because it is really about teaching our keiki about Hawaiʻi’s inadequate agricultural system. By the way, I had 2 students out of 20 total students that wanted to be farmers! I would love one of them to take over my farm. In addition, FAM has given me clout, when I talk to restaurant owners, media, my community, Pūlama (from whom I will lease farmland), and legislature representatives. My voice means something as a farmer apprentice. Please continue to fund HFUU’s programs for the future of Lānaʻi’s food security. We get too much of our agricultural products from off-island. We need to stop depending on other islands to bail us out when the barge stops coming. We need to bring back the pride in the Lānaʻi grown brand. Maui needs to realize that although we have a wealthy landowner, he will not take care of Lanaians as the county should. I turn to the County, not landowners, to decide what is right for food security. Donʻt forget about Lānaʻi.

My heart becomes so heavy when I think of all the obstacles I face as a farmer on Lānaʻi. HFUU, a 501(c)(5) agricultural advocacy nonprofit representing a network of over 700 family farmers and their supporters organized as 14 Chapters in the four Hawai’i Counties, makes my load lighter, more manageable and promising. This is because we are taught by successful farm owners. I feel that I have a team to support me in becoming a successful farmer. You have been chosen to make decisions for all of Maui county, that includes Lānaʻi. Lānaʻi is often forgotten but HFUU did not forget about us. Please continue to support HFFU.

Increasing the number of farmers who grow food is a key component of the long-term solution to the Hawai’i local food production deficit. Growing new farmers is also a key facet of the HFUU statewide strategic plan. Our planning goals are simultaneously aligned with the shared vision of increased food security and agricultural self-sufficiency for all counties and the State of Hawai’i.

Sincerely,
Michele Weinhouse

Kapua’s Farm Lānaʻi, LLC
PO Box 631937
Lānaʻi City, HI 96763
Cell: (760) 390-5632, Email: michele64w@gmail.com

Aloha,
I want to add my voice to the Upcountry community in support of the following items:

1) the purchase of the 7+ acres encompassing the Kula Community Center, the gateball park and the 4 existing courts currently used by both the tennis and pukaball community. It was a great surprise that this property was not owned by the county and until ownership is established there will be a reluctance by many to earmark funds for much needed capital improvements; 2050 may seem far away but it is not; this should be the #1 priority of the council and especially for our upcountry representative;
2) the growing popularity of pukaball necessitates the construction of additional shared as well as dedicated courts to meet this new demand. Until then, it must be made clear by the P&R department that the existing courts are resource to be shared by all court activities, and not the province of the tennis community. when the Kula courts were constructed pukaball was in its infancy. it is now the fastest growing sport in the world and while we as advocates are willing to take the time to put down tape for court boundaries and use portable nets purchased at our expense, we will not suffer tennis players who maintain they have some existing priority over our use when our taxes helped pay for the courts initially;
3) identify the existing courts in disrepair (pukalani, makawao, haliimaile, haiku) then repair them while also providing permanent pukaball lines; these courts are not used for MIL tournaments and a single tennis court can easily accommodate two pukaball courts. Many facilities have multiple court delineation (all of the basketball gyms, Maui CC) and the pukaball community will gladly bring its own portable nets;
4) build more courts where pukaball makes sense; I understand there are plans for pickleball court construction in central Maui in the Maui Lani development. this is the windiest area on the island and would be much better served by tennis courts over pukaball with its light weight wiffle ball.

Mahalo,

Bruce Harris
Kula resident for 43 years
jojabrum@gmail.com

Aloha Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee,
My name is Evelyn Suzuki and I am testifying in support of Maui Economic Development Boardʻs Economic Development Grant under the Maui County Office of Economic Development. I wanted to share with you all how MEDB has helped me through the many programs and services it has offered over the years. Currently, I am a Grade 3 teacher at Pukalani Elementary School. I am also a STEMworks AFTERschool Instructor. My current class is called 3D Printing and Design. This class is an extension of previous design classes that existed. While also an Designer, I am also allowed the opportunity to share some of my knowledge of structures, unique materials, spatial relations, and CAD (computer assisted drawing). Students are first taught the design process and are able to showcase new or reinforced ideas by creating three dimensional drawings via TinkerCAD. MEDB's support made it possible to have the resources needed for the class to be successful. A recent MEDB grant in which Pukalani Elementary School was awarded, allowed our STEMworks AFTERschool program to purchase two 3D printers that replaced an old outdated 3D printer. The classes, the resources, and the new opportunities for our keiki to reach higher goals are made possible because of MEDB.

Mahalo for your time,

Evelyn Suzuki
Pukalani Elementary School
STEMworks AFTERschool

Aloha,
My name is Shannon Rowe and I am the Automotive Technology Teacher at Maui High School. I am commenting today to humbly ask that you continue to support Maui Economic Development Board's (MEDB) STEMworks programs. The funding provided directly impacts education at our schools filling gaps left by our state system. Through your support administered by MEDB, high school Automotive programs on Maui receive tools and equipment and teacher support. At Maui High School and Baldwin High the teachers are directly supported through the support of the county and MEDB. Many Industrial arts programs throughout the state have disappeared and there is a huge demand for skilled labor, it is believed that the lack of qualified teachers for these programs is directly to blame. Here on Maui we have been able to sustain programs at all 4 of our major public high schools thanks to your direct support. Please continue to support MEDB so that we can continue these much needed programs.

Mahalo,
Shannon Rowe
Maui High School
660 Lono Ave.
Kahului, HI 96732
808-727-4113

Please continue funding for the Maui Farmer Network FARMER NAVIGATIONAL COACHING program. So important to focus on opportunities for local food sovereignty.

This is my testimony, in support of Maui Economic Development Boardʻs Economic Development Grant under the Maui County Office of Economic Development.

My name is Galit Breman, and I’m testifying in support of Maui Economic Development Boardʻs Economic Development Grant under the Maui County Office of Economic Development.

MEDB has been instrumental in helping me successfully achieve Women owned business certification through the past two years. I was also blessed to receive professional one and one guidance how to apply and sustain a Women owned business certificate. MEDB’s support was essential through the long and complex WOB process, and resulted in finally getting this important certificate and status I tried to achieve by myself for years.

In addition, I able to stay open and thrive during Covid shut down, thanks for Adaptability grant that was facilitated by MEDB, that made it possibly for me to transform my website from a showcase to an e-commerce shop online. That has opened up a lot of opportunities of growth to my business.

Thank you so much for all you do MEDB, and please help them to continue their important role on Island for small businesses and financial success.

Much appreciation and aloha,
Galit Breman.

www.galitbreman.com
808-214-7098