Police welcomed
Over the past few months, there has been a surfeit of law enforcement officers in the neighborhood of Seaview, Puna Palisades and the “clothing optional” beach of Kahena.
They have given dozens of citations for parking violations and indecent exposure.
One of my friends was treading water for hours while the officer waited her out. He put her life in danger just because she was wearing what every other nonhuman wears when they are in the ocean — nothing.
Meanwhile, upland in Hawaiian Acres, I have to deal with car thieves, abandoned vehicles, drug dealers, drug addicts, domestic violence, gunshots and tourist helicopters hovering below the legal limit.
Where is the law enforcement in my neighborhood? Please, come! But they are all too busy waiting to catch a glimpse of some naked hairy hippies.
Adriana Woods
Kurtistown
‘Needs fixing’
For a month, I have watched Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy tackle the overspending costs related to road construction by the County of Hawaii.
Fixing our roads is a high price tag for taxpayers. Years of delays on repairing Kalanianaole Avenue is an ongoing cost.
Former Mayor Harry Kim requested the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the community of Keaukaha pay for their own speed humps due to an MOU (memorandum of understanding), which DHHL was unaware of.
The Kim family and Mayor Mitch Roth both had road improvements done in their neighborhoods paid for by the fuel tax.
Hawaiians living in Keaukaha also pay the tax on fuel, yet were asked to pay for their own speed humps. After poignant testimony against the inequality toward the people living in Keaukaha, Kim finally OK’d the project at no additional cost to the Hawaiians. This constitutes institutional racism and systematic discrimination, which was pointed out during the testimonies.
Due to inefficiencies by the project manager who oversaw the Kilauea and Kalanianaole roadways, $4 million was overspent, and the repairs to Kalanianaole are still ongoing, causing the Keaukaha community unwarranted inconveniences.
This project engineer is presently assigned to take Neil Azevedo’s position as acting Highways Division chief. Azevedo is a hard-working DPW employee who has been sidelined and placed on LWOP (leave without pay), as described in the Tribune-Herald article printed July 19.
The article shared positive comments of Azevedo’s strong work ethics by Sue Lee Loy and Aaron Chung and other council individuals. In my opinion, Azevedo is being held to a different standard.
Something needs fixing and it is more than roads, including the employees responsibilities as defined under the code of ethical conduct which all employees of the county sign upon getting hired.
Mahalo nui loa to Councilwoman Lee Loy for holding this administration accountable and for your outstanding leadership.
Floyd D. Eaglin
Hilo
Regarding Azevedo
The headline in the Tribune-Herald’s July 19 edition reported that the Highway Division’s chief is out on leave with no pay for 30 days.
One wonders if it has anything to do with the truly poor condition of the roads/streets in Hilo? Or if he was taken down because of the disaster project on Kalanianaole Avenue? Maybe the county will enlighten the public soon?
I am curious about all the positive/warm/fuzzy comments from our County Council members, saying what a hard-working and nice man Mr. Neil Azevedo, the highways chief, is?
As a taxpayer, I prefer to have smart-working, effective, results-oriented people in the county.
Meantime, the wheel alignment and vehicle suspension replacement businesses in Hilo are probably doing very well.
Chris Tamm
Pepeekeo
