Rep. Denny Coffman released the following statement updating the West Hawaii Community College project:

The University of Hawaii has received bids for the construction of Kamanu Street, a two-lane road from Kaiminani Drive to University Drive.

Keauhou Kona Construction Corporation (KKCC) was the low bidder.

Since Palamanui Development was responsible for building Kamanu Street, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that compensates the university for these expenses is being finalized and approved. With the approval of the MOU construction can begin on the road this summer.

Earlier, the governor released $6.1 million to the university for work on the Hawaii Community College Manono Campus and for the new West Hawaii Education Center. A large portion of these funds were going to be used for the road construction.

With these funds lapsing June 30, 2010 and the MOU still being negotiated, these funds will now all be used for the Manono Campus.

Additional capital improvement funds (CIP) totaling $10 million were established in the FY10 – FY11 budget. The governor has just released these funds for use on the East Hawaii Manono Campus and West Hawaii Education Center. With the release of this funding there are now sufficient funds available to build the road and the first building on the new campus.

The supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the “University of Hawaii – West Hawaii” is in its final steps. All final documents and public comments have been submitted to OEQC for processing and publication. Review and approval by the University of Hawaii could be completed by August 2010.

The approved SEIS for the West Hawaii Campus sets in motion all of the “university” conditions required in the ordinance that approved the Palamanui Development District. It is my interpretation that a two year time frame to build the infrastructure and campus building will be created by this document.

Palamanui Development is proceeding with plans to build the needed infrastructure for their project and the university. They are currently in negotiations with the Water Supply Department on how to proceed with the completion and use of two wells associated with the Palamanui project.

This long-needed project is getting ever closer. Watch for the bulldozers!