LIHU‘E — The fate of two legislative bills addressing long-term cabin leases and user fees at Koke’e State Park, along with a community movement to replace dilapidated signs around the park, took center stage at Wednesday night’s Koke’e State Park
LIHU‘E — The fate of two legislative bills addressing long-term cabin leases and user fees at Koke’e State Park, along with a community movement to replace dilapidated signs around the park, took center stage at Wednesday night’s Koke’e State Park Advisory Council meeting.
The nine-member council, designed to protect and preserve Koke‘e and Waimea Canyon state parks for island residents and visitors, discussed failed Senate Bill 2414 that proposed to keep revenue generated by state parks in the county where the funds originated instead of being siphoned to other departments throughout the state.
“The council has been real clear with its position that 100 percent of the income should stay in the park,” KSPAC Vice Chair Randy Wichman said.
While the bill is temporarily grounded, the council discussed reaching out to the Division of State Parks and have the bill reintroduced next year with refined parameters.
The advisory council should be the first point of contact for the Division of State Parks with anything relating to Koke‘e,” said Councilman Chipper Wichman. “They should be letting us know what they are thinking and talking to us, but they’re not. I think we should be proactive and reach out to them, but not in a confrontational way.”
Along with SB 2414, two other bills concerning Koke‘e State Park fell short.
House Bill 2270, introduced by Rep. Roland Sagum, D-16th District, and Senate Bill 2410, introduced by Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, proposed to change the current auction system for the sale of cabin long-term leases to a lottery system, which would allow residents an equal opportunity to buy a long-term lease, “regardless of financial resources.”
Both bills were effectively quashed when the House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 182 in early March, which urges the Board of Land and Natural Resources to switch to a lottery system.
“The resolution is a suggestion from the House that suggests we go from auction to lottery. Since it didn’t go through, it’s not a law,” said KSPAC Chair Canen Ho‘okano.
The council agreed to use the resolution as a catalyst to introduce the topic to the state Legislature in 2011.
Koke‘e community leaseholders Frank Hay and Donn “Curley” Carswell presented their community’s efforts to upgrade and replace dilapidated signage around the park in order to help lost visitors.
“It’s a wide variety of people who have leases in Koke‘e,” said Hay, who has been part of the Koke‘e community for more than 40 years. “We all see a need to give back to the community.”
Michael Givens, who has owned a lease for more than 35 years, echoed Hay’s sentiment.
“We have a community up there, and when you go by and see restrooms that are looking shabby and roofs that need re-doing, and you know what the state and (Department of Land and Natural Resources) are going through, you have to help.”
The Koke‘e State Park Advisory Council’s next meeting is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., June 17, in the Mo‘ikeha Building at the Lihu‘e Civic Center. Tentatively, the meeting will discuss the 2009 Final Master Plan for Koke‘e and Waimea Canyon state parks on the Westside.
