• True cost of bike path • Wainiha filming True cost of bike path At work, we have started a lottery around what day Glenn Mickens finally gets a clue about the bike path. Since I am not the lucky
• True cost of bike path
• Wainiha filming
True cost of bike path
At work, we have started a lottery around what day Glenn Mickens finally gets a clue about the bike path. Since I am not the lucky fellow who drew the card with “never” written on it; I will attempt to manipulate the outcome.
Mr. Micken’s latest letter (TGI 6/30/2004) declares the bike path illegal after citing Title 23 USC 217 (i). Mr. Mickens needs to scroll down the page a little. When he does, he will realize that Title 23 USC 217 has been amended. The amendments, particularly the “transportation enhancement” section, bring the act into concordance with the Transportation Enhancement Program of the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. The amendments effectively annihilate section (i). They allow for the funds to be used even for restoring buildings in the vicinity of the bike path. Besides, the Secretary of Transportation (by proxy) has already approved the bike path, and its funding; therefore making it legal under the laws that guide the Department of Transportation. If Mr. Mickens truly believes that this was done improperly, then he needs to appeal to President Bush to reprimand the Secretary for breaking the law.
In his series of bike path letters, Mr. Mickens consistently cites concerns over maintenance costs and better choices for the tax money to be used. A year ago (TGI 7/18/2004) he claimed that the cost of bike path maintenance would be “monumental.” Later on, in a number crunching mode (TGI 10/19/2004), he claimed that maintenance would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. What is the source of this dramatic information? I’m glad you asked. The source is none other than Mr. Micken’s imagination.
Pete Antonson
Lawa‘i
Wainiha filming
There was this interesting story in the Garden Island Sunday Life & Style section about a Reality TV series being filmed at Wainiha — interesting but incomplete.
A part of the real Reality of this Wainiha story is that the site was not natural but was created by massive movements of soil and diversions of irrigation water some time in 2000 by a developer without any permit from the appropriate authorities.
The State correctly denied the use of Pila‘a for the current production because of the ongoing litigation; but our County ignored the fact that there is also an ongoing litigation at the Wainiha site.
The Kauai Film Commissioner (who has since resigned) rushed the film crew to Wainiha without notifying the residents of the significant disturbances noise, lights at night, mud from the large number of vehicles etc etc.
This Wainiha story is another classic example of the County Government’s ATFP Culture. The creation of this jungle paradise was accomplished some time in 2000, without any permit, of course. The destruction of the ancient auwai (ditch) and the diversion of the irrigation water to fill the newly created lakes led eventually to a lawsuit. In the mean time, the County asked the developer to apply for a permit (after the fact, of course) in April, 2001; and awarded him the usual ATFP — After the Fact Permit — in January, 2002.
Raymond L. Chuan
Hanalei
