Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Dawn Kānealiʻi-Kleinfelder, nonpartisan candidate for Hawaiʻi County Council District 5 representing the communities of Kurtistown, Mountain View, Glenwood, Orchidlands Estates, Ainaloa, Hawaiian Acres, Fern Acres, Eden Roc, Fern Forest Estates, mauka of Pāhoa Town

Her nonpartisan opponents are Chantel Mākuaole-Perrin, Shannon Matson, Ikaika Rodenhurst and Seaula Jr Tupa’i.

Why are you best suited for the job of council member? And why do you want the job?

I am a Native Hawaiian entrepreneur, mother and community leader. My kuleana to our Puna Uka Community began 10 years ago. With my husband council member (and candidate for State House District 5) Matt Kānealiʻi-Kleinfelder, I attended council and community meetings. Together we strategized. Our upcoming dream projects are: police and fire station in Keaʻau, a highway that connects Puna Uka to Hilo and a commercial kitchen/community center in ʻŌlaʻa. Working side by side with Mayor Kimo Alameda I will complete these projects when elected.

What is the biggest issue facing Hawai‘i County, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

Puna Uka’s challenges: traffic on Highway 130 and Highway 11, violent crime and cost of housing/living. First responders service an area the size of Oʻahu. The Pāhoa station is remote. I will complete the police and fire station in Kea’au and increase positions in Puna. The Puna Alternate Route Study is almost complete, I’m excited to work with the Alameda administration to begin construction and connect Hilo to Puna Uka. This will decrease traffic, provide emergency access and open new areas for housing.

Here’s one question from a constituent: How would you make it safer to get in and out of Puna?

Our family, friends and community are dying on our state highways. Our elected state officials have been silent. The main routes into our district are under state jurisdiction. I will work with Dept. of Transportation to widen and install acceleration, merge and contraflow lanes on Highway 130 Highway (Keaʻau-Pāhoa Road) connects to Highway 11 (Hawaiʻi Belt Road) during peak traffic times. I will build on my existing relationships within the state that adequately address our community’s safety.

The county’s Homelessness and Housing Fund is due to expire in 2027 and some council members are skeptical that the fund has helped solve the problem. Would you vote to extend the fund, and what would you do to come to grips with this persistent problem?

The county has provided $50 million in taxpayer funds in the last few years to various non-profits to address homelessness and reported a 2% decrease in the homeless population. The increase in homeless people is exhausting our first responders, community resources and business owners. My decision on extending will rely on the results from the council-initiated audit. As a small business owner, I practice practical spending. I would rather see the funds used to support our kūpuna housing and parks.

Vacation rentals — illegal or not — are often blamed for reducing availability of affordable housing on the Big Island. What steps should the county take to deal with the proliferation of vacation rentals and create more affordable housing?

Many of the vacation rentals on island belong to local families and provide supplemental income that counters our high cost of living. Taking finances from local families is never the answer. A quick Google search shows 500 properties for sale within the affordable housing guidelines in Puna Uka. The county is building more affordable housing. The state must address non-resident investors and should immediately provide land to those on the Hawaiian Homes waitlist to end the housing “crisis”.

Half of Hawai‘i’s cesspools are on the Big Island – an estimated 49,000 –  and Mayor Kimo Alameda has already said the county will not meet the state’s 2050 deadline to convert them to cleaner systems. What steps should the county take to address the cesspool issue?

Septic conversions are costly and studies show well water bacterial contamination at lower elevations.The state and county must offer grants or tax rebates to assist county residents so we can meet the state deadline. I will be working to allow the use of existing cesspools as leach fields to reduce the cost of conversions. I will also work with the (Department) of Environmental Management to build new sewer connections to existing areas where connections are available in areas of dense housing.

What specific steps should the county take to relieve traffic congestion in and around Kailua-Kona and along the Puna-Kea‘au-Hilo corridor?

The main corridors mentioned above are the jurisdiction of the state. The limited infrastructure has created heavy impacts on our residents’ daily commute. We have had a 10-year housing crisis and push for affordable housing in our rural areas which are connected by state highways. The County is now under pressure to build alternate routes. I will continue council member Kānealiʻi-Kleinfelder’s push to get alternate routes built in Puna.

Investors have sunk more than $500 million into the Pepe‘ekeo bioenergy plant known as Hu Honua or Honua Ola, but the plant has still been unable to begin producing power. Should the biomass energy plant be allowed to start operating? Why or why not?

The operation of Hu Honua rests solely on the Public Utilities Commission and state judicial system. There are many sources of renewable energy available to mankind and yet we continue pushing the idea that burning trees creates clean energy. We need to focus on alternative methods of energy production like solar, wind, hydrogen, tidal and hydroelectric. After 10 years of this circular conversation there must be better subjects of discussion and solutions on the table.

Both the state and county are showing interest in expanding production of geothermal energy on Hawaiʻi island. What is your position on geothermal power, and what constraints should be placed on it?

A geothermal facility will not be operated by the county. As such, any proposal/project and developer should pay for all the costs associated with buildout and testing – not the county taxpayers. While geothermal has proven benefits in providing firm power in correct environments across the world, Hawaiʻi’s geothermal plant in Puna has a steamy history. Given PGV’s history and the accessibility to other renewable energy sources, I am skeptical of geothermal future in Hawaiʻi.

What specific plans do you have to improve disaster preparedness and response on the Big Island?

I survived Hurricane Iwa and ʻIniki without infrastructure for months. My community pooled resources to become the support team. In 2014 Tropical Storm Iselle ripped through Puna. I took the survival skills I learned to open a (recovery) HUB in Pāhoa. I pooled resources to cook meals, clear roadways, delivered supplies, and KWXX helped spread information over the radio. Educating, empowering community with HUB’s is how we prepare. Recently (Hawaiʻi County) Bill 157 provided future Disaster Recovery Program/solutions.

What should Hawaiʻi County do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting and adapting to it?

Wildfires, king tides, earthquakes and increased storms all point to a shifting environment. Puna relies on water catchment. Increasing water spigots are a necessity during droughts. Alternate routes in disaster prone communities are also lifeline during emergencies. Focusing new construction to be built away from shorelines and fire prone areas is important. (The late) Chief (Kazuo) Todd also requested new construction materials to be rated for fire resistance. These are creative solutions that can be done now.

Hawai‘i has a long-stated goal of growing more of its own food. What would you do to further that effort toward increased food sustainability?

Retaining agricultural land for farmers is important to me as a beginning farmer. Our keiki should be eating local, healthy food in schools. Tax incentives for ag producers must be stronger. As a restaurant owner, I understand the importance of purchasing local products and farm to table. Liko Lehua has focused on building a circular economy by making farmland available with a commercial kitchen to process, create products and take to market. We must make the change to grow, eat, and buy local.