On Tuesday evening, Mayor Mitch Roth hosted his first town hall in a series of community engagement meetings at Yano Hall in South Kona.
Over three dozen in person and over a hundred online residents attended the meeting where they received updates from County officials and shared perspectives on their neighborhood. Mayor Roth was joined by cabinet members who provided community-specific updates and offered valuable information about their respective departments and available services.
The event was comprised of approximately 35 minutes of updates followed by a community Q&A session that dominated the meeting.
Residents applauded the administration’s recently completed and ongoing road paving projects Other issues that generated mixed reactions from the crowd were feral cats and Short Term Vacation Rentals.
High-priority topics for both residents and the administration included the request for more Pickle Ball courts, progress on a portion of the proposed Aliʻi Highway project, connecting Lako Street to Aliʻi Drive as an additional Mauka-Makai access point, and efforts to address homelessness in and around County parks.
The administration assured residents that significant work is being done on these high-priority items. This includes allocating an additional $100,000 to the Parks budget for Pickle Ball courts and an extra $6,000 for equipment. Furthermore, the administration is engaged in discussions with a developer who is willing to assist in the Aliʻi Highway connection between Lako and Aliʻi Drive. Joint enforcement operations at County parks to address homelessness will also continue.
Other issues brought up during the meeting included concerns about dangerous sections of Mamalahoa Highway, the establishment of an Energy Advisory Committee, inquiries about Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation funds, Parks’ signage, the availability of affordable housing, and Animal Control.
In a press release Mayor Roth said, “We are humbled by the turnout and the community’s willingness to engage in helping us forge a sustainable Hawaiʻi Island where our keiki can thrive and succeed for generations. These town halls serve as a reflection point for us and a chance to make course corrections if needed. We are here to serve and eagerly anticipate hearing from all of our communities, one by one, as we continue our journey around the island.”
The administration’s next community town hall is scheduled for June 13th at Old Airport Beach Park Pavilion from 5 pm to 7 pm. The meeting will be streamed live on Mayor Roth’s Facebook page (facebook.com/himayormitch) and Nā Leo TV, Channel 55.
Photo credit: Office of Mayor Mitch Roth