Monday, December 5, 2005

Please help Save Waimea Valley!

There is still time to save one of Hawaii's greatest natural treasures: the North Shore's beautiful ahupua`a of Waimea. But this week's City Council meeting is critical. Your voice must be heard, loud and clear. With your help, we can reverse the 11th-hour backsliding by the Council and its lawyers on the City's negotiations with the private developer. The Council's rush into a secret "settlement" cuts the public out of the details of the settlement and the process, and eliminates any opportunity for new partners in the effort to preserve the valley intact.

You can be of vital help to the valley today -- by reading and forwarding this action alert -- by showing up on December 7 at Honolulu Hale at 1 pm, for a press conference -- and by providing testimony to the City Council at 2 pm., December 7


Without your help, the culturally rich, unexplored, historical mauka section of Waimea Valley may well be sliced up into luxury estates and suffer the commercialism of a so-called eco-resort -- lost forever to you, the public, and future generations. It's not a gamble worth taking. Waimea is not just another piece of property -- it is an invaluable cultural icon and global ecological treasure - so please help us Save Waimea Valley!

First, IMMEDIATELY phone or Fax your city council member and tell them that you "live in their district." Tell them that you "want to see Waimea Valley kept intact; that there are now numerous options now on the table to do so without breaking the bank." Identify your council member by calling at 547-7000 - and press "0" - between the hours of 7:45 - 4:30. After hours you can locate their contact information at http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/council/ccl.htm If you live off island, contact them as a concerned state resident or supportive visitor. In any event, speak from your heart and mind.

Second and perhaps the most important, you and your friends and family can plan ahead to join us for a press conference and rally at 1 PM on December 7th on the front steps of Honolulu Hale - before the 2 PM council meeting where the fate of Waimea Valley may well be decided. We need to turn out significant numbers. A generous benefactor has donated 100 adult and 50 children's "Save Waimea Valley!" tee-shirts and 1000 bumper stickers so when you come, ask for your free tee-shirt, wear it proudly at the event and after, and take a few bumper stickers home to supportive friends.

We also greatly encourage you to write testimony for December 7th. It can be as simple as, "Dear Council Members: Please find a solution to keeping Waimea Valley intact." Go ahead and write/speak your heart, but do try to deliver this basic message.

BE SURE TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALREADY VOTED VOTED FOR PRESERVING WAIMEA VALLEY INTACT:

1) Donovan Dela Cruz, Chair (D-2) - 547-7002 dmdelacruzathonolulu.gov
2) Ann Kobayashi (D-5) - 547-7005 akobayashiathonolulu.gov
3) Barbara Marshall (D-3) 547-7003 bmarshallathonolulu.gov
4) Nestor Garcia (D-9) - 547-7009 ngarciaathonolulu.gov

FOCUS ON PERSUADING AND EDUCATING THE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO UNFORTUNATELY VOTED AGAINST PRESERVING WAIMEA VALLEY:

1) Charles Djou (D-4) - 547-7004 cdjouathonolulu.gov
2) Gary Okino - 547-7008 gokinoathonolulu.gov
3) Rod Tam (D-6) - 547-7006 rtamathonolulu.gov
4) Todd Apo (D-1) - 547-7001 tapoathonolulu.gov
5) Romy Cachola (D-7) - 547-7007 rcacholaathonolulu.gov

See how/where to send in testimony and/or register to speak at http://www.honolulu.gov/council/spkccl.htm

The media continues to be generous in their support and you can read the dramatic HONOLULU WEEKLY cover story, "Waimea Indivisible" in their December 6, 2005 (current) edition at