STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3447

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 181

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 181 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO RENAME THE MAUNA KEA RECREATION AREA IN THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I AS THE GILBERT KAHELE RECREATION AREA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to rename the Mauna Kea Recreation Area as the Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that for twenty-five years, Gilbert Kahele worked at Pōhakuloa Training Area and spent countless days at the then named Mauna Kea State Recreation Area advocating for its maintenance, repair, and upkeep. Through the years, due to lack of adequate funding and neglect, the Mauna Kea State Recreation Area fell into a state of disrepair, as the cabins were closed, bathrooms became inoperable, and the United States of America and State of Hawai‘i flags stopped flying. In 2011, working collaboratively with former Governor Neil Abercrombie, former State Senator Malama Solomon, and former Hawai‘i County Mayor William Kenoi, Senator Gilbert Kahele championed the effort to transfer management and maintenance of Mauna Kea State Recreation Area to the County of Hawai‘i. Now known as the Mauna Kea Recreation Area, Senator Kahele always envisioned that the area would be a special place in the center, or "piko", of the island where families could gather, children could play, people could meet to conduct business, and visitors could experience the serenity and beauty of Mauna Kea. This measure reflects Senator Kahele's long standing relationship, service, and deep interest within the Mauna Kea Recreation Area by renaming this area in his name.

Your Committee notes that the formal transfer of title to the County of Hawai‘i has not been completed, and the Mauna Kea Recreation Area is currently managed by the County via an agreement with the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Accordingly, your Committee urges the County of Hawai‘i to work with the Department to design and install all appropriate signage and information to honor the late Senator Kahele pursuant to this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 181 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair