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I want to voice my support for Mayor Alan Arakawa's position on the Iao flood protection work. The Sept. 13 flood nearly took out the levee that protects the neighborhood makai of the Wailuku Post Office. The damage to the levee and the small mountain of rock that blocked the flow of water to the sea left Iao Parkside and Lower Main seriously vulnerable to flooding if another extreme weather event occurred.
The Public Works Department recognized the emergency and worked tirelessly to clear the river mouth of over 3,000 tons of rock and debris and then restored and armored the levee in time to be ready for the next major flood event that occurred on New Year's. That speedy action protected both lives and property.
But instead of gratitude, the mayor and his team are getting grief because they did not honor and inventory every stone pulled out the river while they were racing against the clock. While it is important to respect and acknowledge the belief systems of others, the claims being made by Council Member Elle Cochran and Rep. Kaniela Ing that every stone removed from the stream is "sacred" and must be returned to the stream, are irresponsible given the emergency being faced and an absurd waste of tax dollars.
My thanks to the mayor and Public Works for getting the job done on time.
Dave DeLeon
Haiku