HomeMy WebLinkAboutDept of Parks & Recreation-Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course & Waimea District-CIP, DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET CALL BACKS FY 2014-15 4/22/2014
DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET CALL-BACKS FY 2014-15
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION-
CONVENTION HALL, WAILUA GOLF COURSE, AND
WAIMEA DISTRICT-CIP
April 22, 2014
Budget Call-Backs (Department of Parks & Recreation—
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and
Waimea District— CIP)(ss)
Pagel
The departmental budget call-backs reconvened on April 22, 2014 at 11:08 a.m., and
proceeded as follows:
Department of Parks & Recreation
Honorable Gary L. Hooser
Honorable Mel Rapozo
Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura
Honorable Jay Furfaro, Council Chair
Excused: Honorable Tim Bynum
Honorable Mason K. Chock, Sr.
Honorable Ross Kagawa
Chair Furfaro: Aloha and good morning. Today is April 22nd,
and I am calling back from a recess the call-back for the budget process, and is there
anyone here from the public that wants to give testimony this morning? Seeing no one, our
intent today is very specifically, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. we have Parks and Recreation,
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and the Waimea District-CIP and then breaking for
lunch and we are going to come back for an hour to talk about continuation of the
Convention Hall and those subjects mentioned earlier, if necessary. So on that note, our
rules are suspended. Lenny, I appreciate the fact that you folks were willing to come back
and the time is yours now.
LEONARD A. RAPOZO, JR., Director of Parks and Recreation: Thank you,
Chair. You know, Chair, for some reason, when I left here the last time, I looked at our
schedule and somehow we bypassed Fiscal, which was the second one on the list after the
Administration. So if it would be okay, can we start with the Fiscal?
Chair Furfaro: Absolutely. Like I said, we have an hour and a
half now and an hour after lunch.
Mr. L. Rapozo: As the Chair had mentioned we will take the
Fiscal, Convention Hall, the Golf Course and our CIP presentation. Fiscal is found on page
4 of your manual that was presented, that was given to you. The Fiscal and Personnel
Division makes up our permitting, fiscal needs of our Department, as well as the Park
Rangers, which is an important integral part of our operations. So if we start on page 4, the
Park Rangers continue to assist in community events such as regularly helping out at the
Marathon, by monitoring the course and providing assistance as needed. The Kaua`i World
Challenge, canoe regattas at Hanalei Bay including the recent State Outrigger Canoe
Championships, monitoring fun run events, coastal paths, monitoring the courses and
providing assistance and enforcement as needed. The Park Ranges have also assisted their
off-duty hours with community events such as the County or Mayor's Age Group Track
Meets, Senior Field Days at Lydgate Park, Summer enrichment programs, the Fun Day at
Lydgate Park and the recent University of Hawai`i Green and White Game that was held at
Vidinha Stadium in the last fiscal year. What I do not think the Park Rangers get enough
credit for all that they do. They are truly an enforcement arm for Parks. They enforce
ordinances that affect Parks and recently they even had, in my opinion prevented or came
upon crimes in the process and they intervened, and they took proper action in either
stopping the crime to continue or in helping to recover some of the stolen items that were
April 22, 2014
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Waimea District— CIP)(ss)
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taken. The Rangers as we keep moving through our presentation, continue to be a wealth
of information for both visitors and local residents. They also help out with general
information about our island and how the Department of Parks and Recreation works and
the services that we provide. To many visitors coming to a new place for the first time,
Rangers are usually the first contact they have with the island. For most visitors their first
contact is the beginning of an enjoyable vacation and rely on our Rangers for information
about our island. Other return visitors look forward to meet with staff to renew old
acquaintances and to seek out new information about changes on the island. Because of the
recent increase in visitor drowning, Park Rangers have warned visitors of the strong
currents and beaches that have no lifeguard services. They have been focusing on visitors
and warning them of the hidden hazards of our beaches. Park Rangers carry copies of the
beach safety guide and hand them out to our visitors whenever possible and give the
information that they need for a safe and enjoyable stay on our island. Park Rangers give
advice how to protect belongings while staying in our parks and finding offices to get
camping permits or how to get the best places to sample local food. The enforcement staff
prides themselves on giving information first with enforcement and citations made only as
the last resort. The only quota that they have is to give our residents safe and informed so
that they can enjoy our recreational facilities around the island. Park Rangers are extra
eyes and ears for the Department of Parks and Recreation and monitor parks and other
recreation facilities for problems that include, but not limited to vandalism, graffiti,
criminal property damage, under aged drinking, and drug use. With the assistance of KPD,
Park Rangers do periodic enforcement sweeps of campgrounds and parks in order to control
illegal activities. They actively assist KPD in locating people wanted on bench warrants
and as a lot of these individuals hide out at parks and campgrounds. Because Park
Rangers are on the road a lot, they have assisted KPD in locating vehicles that were used in
the commission of crimes. Last year our Park Rangers again assisted the Kauai Police
Department, DLNR DOCAR Officers and DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
with the annual State Outrigger Canoe Races that were held at Hanalei Bay. Park
Rangers assisted with foot patrols monitoring the Hanalei pavilion areas where most of the
activities take place. They did roving patrols with vehicle and four-wheel drive utility carts
that are normally used for patrolling the coastal path. They assist the Department's
Maintenance and Beautification Divisions when they do periodic major maintenance at our
facilities by keeping the general public out of work areas and this allows the maintenance
work to be done in a timely and efficient manner without delay or interference. Recently
Park Rangers through a recent ordinance change have been given the authority to post
vehicles as abandoned at our Parks and Recreation facilities, allowing staff to have an
active role in dealing with this problem and removing some of the pressure and workload
from KPD Officers. They are working on getting trained and scheduling with the Traffic
Safety Division of KPD. Citations issued during the last fiscal year, there were 75 citations
issued for violations of the park ordinances and they are shown in your binder.
Challenges. The current Park Ranger staff consists of seven officers, five Park
Rangers make up the current working staff with the working supervisor and Parks
Permitting and Security Coordinator who oversees the entire enforcement operation. There
are currently two vacant Park Ranger positions as one staff member left for a job in the
private sector and one Park Ranger position became available to hire January 1, 2014.
After a planned six-month vacancy period, the Department of Parks and Recreation hopes
to hire for these two positions in the next two months and we had that discussion at our
last meeting when we talked about our Department vacancies. This Division has eight
vehicles assigned to managing to keep all eight vehicles operational is another challenge.
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Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and
Waimea District— CIP)(ss)
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Two of the vehicles equipment number 070 and 071 were both purchased in late 2004 and
passed over for replacement in 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 budgets. They have
high mileage and make frequent trips to the Shop for repairs. One of these vehicles is now
off the road in the shop for brake and work and new tires. This is as of when this report
was prepared, so they are all back on the road now. Two Toyota Priuses were transferred
to the Department, but one was swept off the road during the last heavy rains and was
totaled. The remaining Prius' have electrical problems and the dashboard displays are out.
While the vehicle is drivable, no gauges are working and that is being addressed by the
Public Works Repair Shop. When vehicles go into repair, this means our vehicles in our
fleet are used for the morning and afternoon shifts, causing the mileage and wear and tear
to rise quickly on these vehicles. The current staff of six Park Rangers of which two are
assigned to the morning shift, three to the night shift and the mid-morning working
supervisor are responsible for patrolling the entire island. With 70 plus Parks and
Recreation facilities including the coastal path, it is very difficult to effectively patrol all
areas and enforce current ordinances. Even when the current vacancies are filled, there
will still be gaps in coverage when staff is out sick, on vacation, and holidays. With the
enforcement of the Peddler and Concessionaire Ordinance, this requires additional
responsibilities for consistent monitoring as needed. As the new dog use area at Wailua
Homesteads Park, the popularity of the coastal path, and the planned increase in the
length will also require increased monitoring. Ideally adequate coverage of our parks
would involve three separate shifts. Early morning, mid-day and evening. The morning
and evening shifts would have four Park Rangers and the mid-day shift would have three
Park Rangers. This would be enough Park Rangers to cover days off, vacation or sick-
leave.
Chair Furfaro: Excuse me Lenny, on that question is that what
is in your budget?
Mr. L. Rapozo: No.
Chair Furfaro: Okay.
Mr. L. Rapozo: We have not asked for any additional park
Rangers.
Chair Furfaro: What you just read to us is a wish-list.
Mr. L. Rapozo: That would be an ideal situation, yes. We
understand the current situation, financially. This would be responsible for covering
Ha`ena to Kekaha. Park Rangers deal with the island's homeless people who indulge with
alcohol and drugs, people with mental challenges, and those with criminal intent. A Park
Ranger is not only an enforcer of the Kaua`i County Code, he also wears many hats. He
refers the homeless to different programs that might be able to help like the Salvation
Army and churches and in some cases, the Parks Ranger will contact an agency such as the
Kaua`i Economic Opportunity to have an outreach worker meet the family at a park to sign
them up for assistance. A Park Ranger must be a good listener taking the time to listen
who may need to just vent to someone and sometimes be a referee or mediator to help settle
minor disputes between park users. Even between a husband and wife or boy and girl
friend. A Park Ranger does this and more often times without any more recognition than
knowing that they helped someone else. Parks Rangers also assist our maintenance staff
April 22, 2014
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Waimea District— CIP)(ss)
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by reporting maintenance problems and safety issues that they come across in our parks
during their patrols. Park Rangers assist Public Works Solid Waste Coordinator in charge
of abandoned and derelict vehicles by taking photos, license numbers and description of
vehicles abandoned in parks to expedite their removal. Park Rangers also accompany the
Coordinator on occasion to parks where she may have a problem with people in the area.
Park Rangers on occasion are asked to stand by at a park while the tow company removes
vehicles to deter harassment of the two truck drivers. In closing out the Park Ranger
section recently, they had two incidents where it should be well-noted as how well they do
their jobs. As they were crossing the Wailua Bridge area, they noticed a golf cart on the
path and as we know motorized vehicles are not authorized on the path. As the Ranger
made a U-turn to investigate what was going on the person in the cart jumped out and ran
away, so we knew it was stolen. It was actually stolen from the Coconut Plantation and
called the Police and Coconut Plantation was able to get their cart back before anything
else might have happened that night with that. As recent as a couple of nights ago as a
Park Ranger was making his check of the Kamalani Campground, came upon South Leho
Road, looks like someone was looking into a car. When he approached, the guy came
walking out to him and asked him if he needed assistance, the gentleman said he was just
there...he got stalled and his mom was going to pick him up. Upon further investigation,
the guy walked away and the Ranger noticed a truck parked further down the road. He
noticed that the car that the guy was looking at had the windows bashed in. So he came
upon somebody who was probably trying to break into the car. Those are some of the stuff
that the Rangers come upon, that people do not really know about and for that, I think our
community and my Department is very grateful for the work that they do.
Moving into the permit section. Currently our permitting section consists of a Permit
Clerk and Commercial Activities Permit Clerk. These daily duties include preparing
deposits from the previous days' sales, issuing camping permits to walk-up customers,
issuing camping permits to mail in and e-mail requests, and issuing permits for pavilions,
ball fields and neighborhood centers. The Permit Clerk also replies to requests for
information received by walkup, phone and e-mail. The current Permit Clerk had been out
of work due to medical issues from May of 2013 and returned in February of this year.
While the Permit Clerk was gone, the permits were done by the Permitting and
Enforcement Coordinator and by the office Secretary. In July of 2013, we were able to hire
a second Permit Clerk, whose primary job was to handle all the commercial activities
applications and permitting. This was in response to the Peddlers and Concessionaires
Ordinance that we had worked with this body. This person was quickly trained in camping
and facility reservations and permitting and stepped in to cover for the Permit Clerk that
was out due to a medical issue. The second Permit Clerk has now returned to handling
commercial activities requests and making herself familiar with public hearings and the
current ordinances and the clerk is also the backup to the original Permit Clerk and covers
the main counter, during lunch breaks and in times when the original Permit Clerk is out
either sick or on vacation. Currently all league permitting and scheduling for the Kaua`i
Interscholastic Federation, Pop Warner Football, Kauai Youth Football, Little League,
Pony League, KPAL Sports, HYSA, and AYSO Soccer Leagues, adult football, adult softball
games and practices are handled by the Permits and Security Coordinator with some
assistance from the commercial activities Permit Clerk. Youth baseball and football have
expanded the leagues which have made scheduling practice fields for games, practices, and
scheduling and maintenance, challenging for our staff. The second Permit Clerk is now
moving part of the Commercial and Peddlers Ordinance...we are moving forward with the
regulating of the surf schools at the Black Pot Beach Area, Hanalei Bay area. She has
April 22, 2014
Budget Call-Backs (Department of Parks & Recreation—
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and
Waimea District—CIP)(ss)
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taken on full responsibilities with coordinating the application efforts for concessionaires
and commercial permitting in our parks and with the rules and the processes. That was
not a new position in our last budget, but re-described a position of someone who had
retired. We looked at the organization and felt that was a better usage for that position.
The goals and objectives. The filling of vacant Security Officer I positions will boost
coverage for enforcement sections. The goal...the current work demand will continue to be
managed by the current staff and continue to look for ways to do best we can with the
resources available. Training is ongoing for both new and existing staff. The Rangers have
been invited to join the Liquor Inspectors in MOAB training and the MOAB training for
managing of aggressive behavior and covers self-defense training which includes
weaponless self-defense such as officers presence, verbal commands, soft empty hand
control tactics and hard control tactics as an example. This training had been postponed
several times, but is now scheduled for April of this year. Most of our training is done in-
house and additional training is provided by KPD with citation training and radio
communications. We are currently working with KPD's Traffic Safety Unit to schedule new
training on dealing with abandoned vehicles and new and current citations for new and
current staff. Additional training possibly with new Police recruits for report-writing, self-
defense training and other skills would help to strength the Park Rangers' skills and
collaboration amongst other law enforcement agencies is important for continued training
for all of our Park Rangers. With adequate manpower, reliable equipment, and
standardized training programs, the Parks Security Office continues to be a valuable asset
to the Department of Parks and Recreation, the County of Kaua`i, our visitors and
residents. In your book is our Park Rangers goals and our Permit Section's goals and
objectives. So with that...
Chair Furfaro: Lenny, we are going to allow questions after each
segment that you presented. I will give Mr. Rapozo the floor.
Mr. Rapozo: Thank you, Mr. Chair and thank you, Mr.
Rapozo for being here. You answered most of my questions in your final paragraph about
the trainings for the Rangers, weaponless defense and I do want to say that I guess it was
last month and you may have been at the wedding at the Houselots. It was a Rapozo
wedding.
Mr. L. Rapozo: I was not...it was the other Rapozos.
Mr. Rapozo: I had gone down there and helped set-up and
there were quite a few vehicles in the park. There were quite a few people in the park. The
party had not started yet, but the Park Ranger came in and politely told everyone to take
the vehicles out. He was very professional and when he saw the Councilmember, I could
see it in his face and I said no, we will get the vehicles out and we did. I wanted to bring
that up, because he was very professional and unfortunately the name slips me, but I am
sure you can find out who it was, Wailua Houselots and he got all of the trucks and vehicles
out without any incident. The other thing because I know that they are becoming more
involved with some prevention, actually getting involved with the activity as it occurs, you
mentioned the golf cart. You mentioned that they are confronting a lot of people that are
not very nice at the times of day that these guys are approaching them, and that is one
heck of a job to go up to like a tent, where somebody is home, a temporary home and trying
to enforce the law. So I understand the MOAB (Managing of Aggressive Behavior) training
April 22, 2014
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Waimea District—CIP)(ss)
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and weaponless defense. Do you foresee them using pepper-spray or what I would consider
defenses? Because the weaponless training is good, but when you are dealing with someone
who is high, you can only do so much and I really would hate, because I do think we have a
great core of Rangers right now, great core. I would hate to see anyone get hurt trying to do
their job.
Mr. L. Rapozo: That is something that we have talked about
that the Rangers have asked me and there are union implications with that. So I have had
a brief discussion with the union, but we have not really dived into it. But I think it is
something that is necessary.
Mr. Rapozo: Okay, good. I would ask that if there is anything
that we can help to move that. The policies are strict. Obviously any of those guys abuse
the pepper-spray, they are gone, fired, whatever, but you just think I am not asking for
guns, but at least some something that can keep these guys away. About three months ago
my friend had his car stolen and he called me up and I went to Hanama'ulu Beach Park to
help him look for the car. I do not know if I would approach any of those guys without a
stick or pepper-spray, because it is just not a good scene. So yes, if you could look into that,
I would appreciate it. We will follow-up with staff. Whatever help we can offer, in training.
I know the weaponless defense all of those are prerequisites and in other words, you cannot
just give the guy mace and they have to go through these progressive trainings. By the
time they are issued the spray, they should be well-trained in the weaponless self-defense.
So that the pepper-spray is used as a last resort. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
Chair Furfaro: JoAnn, questions on the presentation so far?
Ms. Yukimura: Yes. Lenny, thank you very much for the
presentation. It showed me how increasingly important the Rangers are to the smooth
functioning of our parks and they are really the eyes and ears there to make sure that
everything is okay. I am impressed by the growing professionalism that I am seeing. It is
really wonderful that they play the role both of an ambassador, as well as educator and
regulator and crime-preventer. My question is this thing about training, the MOAB
training which is managing of aggressive behavior. I think it is wonderful that they are
getting that. I guess do the Police get that training?
Mr. L. Rapozo: I am not sure. I think that is a question you
need to ask KPD. But we are very grateful that other Departments are allowing us to
participate in any kind of training for our Rangers are good.
Ms. Yukimura: It is good that you are looking for opportunities
to share in the training. Yes. It may be that the Police already have that as part of their
training. But it sure does seem appropriate for them. Kudos to the Liquor Department or
Commission for having that already in place. I think that was all for now. I know, I have
one more. About the Toyota Prius that was swept off the road during the last heavy rains
and totaled, nobody was hurt?
Mr. L. Rapozo: He wasn't injured, luckily. He had his seatbelt
on.
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Ms. Yukimura: Well, was he trying to cross a stream?
Mr. L. Rapozo: He was actually making a check of the
Kaumakani Neighborhood Center.
Ms. Yukimura: And it was flooding there?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes. Well, he was making the check of the park
facility and he contacted our supervisor John Martin and John lives out on the west side
and says it was really bad and you may as well turn back towards Lihu`e. Leaving the
Neighborhood Center, going East, at that point the water was not on the main highway, but
on the upper road. He could see there was water crossing the road, but he underestimated
how much water that was. And as he...yes, I hear the feedback...I do not know where that
is from. As he proceeded on the road, the Prius, being a Prius was lifted up and went over
the embankment.
Ms. Yukimura: He was in the car?
Mr. L. Rapozo: He was in the car.
Ms. Yukimura: That could have been a really serious accident. I
am sorry. The first rule is that you do not try to cross a rushing stream. Actually it brings
to mind what happened at Hanakapi`ai, I remember the Anahola floods of 1991 one year
before Iniki, and one of the people who perished tried to cross, you know? So that is kind of
like a training that needs to be...it is just a principle, you do not try to cross, because the
consequences can be so drastic. So I mean maybe there is some training there that is
needed. I am glad that he did not get badly hurt either, but that way that nobody was
badly hurt or nobody died. But I would use it to maybe educate others in those cases,
because on this island we are constantly responding to flooding conditions. Well, I just
wondered because it was in your report. Thank you.
Chair Furfaro: Lenny in this section here, is there any
opportunities for additional revenue as it relates to the concessionaires?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Right now, according to the ordinance, it is $100
for the permit to look at increase...to answer your question, yes, there is.
Chair Furfaro: How about the concessionaires at Spouting
Horn?
Mr. L. Rapozo: That was by bid process, so it is locked in.
Chair Furfaro: I am sorry, on that one I understand that we had
one stall that is vacant?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: What is in the projection here?
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Mr. L. Rapozo: Well, we went out three times for that one stall
and no one bid. But I have been approached by a vendor that now said I am interested in
this stall. He was representing a group of people...an organization. So he needs to go and
confirm with that organization that they truly want to bid for that stall and we will do the
process again to try to get full 100% filled at Spouting Horn.
Chair Furfaro: Let me ask you, is there any way you can convey
to Scott a number by July 1st, if we do fill that vacant concessionaire? What is the value
that we could add to income?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Sure.
Chair Furfaro: If you could just send it to Scott, I would
appreciate it. We can move on to the next section.
Mr. L. Rapozo: The next section would be your Convention Hall,
which is on page 11 of our handout. What I would like to do is Mr. Sarita had prepared a
video as to all the improvements that he has done at the Convention Hall and I think it is
worth your while to see and we have been here before where we have asked for continued
support financially. The Convention Hall was completed in 1964, and he has gone on
improving...it is time to do some improving with maintenance and doing some advanced
correction of some of the measures. Chair, if you would allow me?
Chair Furfaro: Let me ask the question, the Convention Hall
was completed in 1964?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Correct.
Chair Furfaro: And this is 2014?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: And in public school math, how long is that?
Mr. L. Rapozo: It will be 50 years old, sir.
Chair Furfaro: Do we have anything to plan, to toast the
improvements?
Mr. L. Rapozo: When it is all said and complete, we would like to
have a rededication.
Chair Furfaro: Okay, we will continue with your presentation.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Again Eddie Sarita is the Convention Hall
Manager, who coordinates this with other Parks and Recreation staff and actually in
Recreation they helped to put this together. We improved the outside lighting for one to be
bird-compliant. They are LEDs, as well as they are solar. The picture...this picture here, if
you remember around the Convention Hall, these were globe types, which were original
from when the Convention Hall opened. We now have LEDs, which will be more energy-
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efficient and longer lasting. In the back of the parking lot, which was always a security or
safety concern, it was really dark, with our moneys we were able to purchase this solar
lighting. We have three of them in the back, which have drastically improved the parking
lot lighting and of course the security and energy-efficiency. We are improving the kitchen
by adding this stove here, commercial-grade stove. This will be the other one. In the
future, what will be adding will be a commercial hood here to improve the kitchen area of
this facility.
Chair Furfaro: Excuse me, Lenny. Does the stove meet code
without the hood right now?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: It does?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: Okay. Good.
Mr. L. Rapozo: These are the new countertops that were done in
the pass-through area. This is the kitchen area, with our improved sink, washing area with
the nozzle and a new heater, and it is...the heater is...as you need hot water, so you save on
heating costs and energy costs. This is a recent new addition on new rollup door. This
again was the pass-through area, where it just makes it more efficient for those who use the
facility, better to lock and more secure, better management of the kitchen and exhibit hall
areas. We had talked about the capacity...improving capacity of this facility. So this is the
entryway that separates the exhibit hall from the conference room, the new perspective
Parks and Recreation conference room at the Convention Hall. This is traditionally used as
storage, but we are now going to...it was called "the arts and crafts room." These doors will
still remain. So in case there are needs for a breakout room area, they would have that
opportunity. But yet, it is going to be used separate from the exhibit hall, you have some
privacy. This is the conference room or the arts and crafts room as it was being used there.
This is the area where we have a new separate entryway into the conference room. So we
are taking this closet out and making a door here. This countertop will probably get
shortened and this sink would move over a little bit. So it would have its own entryway.
Again, this is just some of the looks that we will probably be changing, trying to get a white
board in here. Maybe even possibility, depending upon budgetary, if we can afford, we will
probably look at getting some other improvements to make it a true conference room. This
used to be a little stage area in the exhibit area, and people just use it to put their desserts
there. If you have been to parties, functionality, maybe we are looking at possibly enclosing
this, and making it storage for the Convention Hall. This is the Manager's Office. I asked
Eddie to redo his office, because I did not think it was functional. For one thing, the
doorway, you really could not see when people would come in there. This area here, if you
remember, there used to be a pass-through, we used to do permitting in the area and for the
longest time this was not used. So we redid the walls and made it more user-friendly for the
public and of course to upgrade Eddie's office to conduct business. This is just the removal
of the outer wall, the outer windows that I had just described. Just another view of it. This
is something that we just completed, the stage side curtain that needed to be replaced. The
auditorium carpet, which we have completed the bidding process. It is a matter of
awarding and we will be changing the carpet in the auditorium, which needed to be done.
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When we took out the seating and we replaced the seating we saw it as an opportunity to
improve the venting...the vents that had not been cleaned or had not been maintained since
the facility opened. We found that the grates of the vents needed to be changed and this
picture really does not...I mean it is just the new grates that we put on the vents. That was
a brief presentation of the Convention Hall in terms of what improvements we had done.
There are some other minor things that were not highlighted in the presentation that is
still listed in your book. It breaks down to the 26 exterior lights that we replaced with bird-
friendly and LED lights, these types of numbers. The hardware, those are still the
originals and these are listed for you to review.
Moving to the upcoming initiatives. Our plans for revising and increasing the facility
use charge to be implemented in the calendar year of 2015 remains on-track. Initial
research and other due diligence such as collection of other venue use charges are being
performed in order to determine how the fee increases can be instituted as fairly, gradually,
and affordably as possible for our resident users. In previous initiatives to work with the
Department of Finance, Information Services Division on installing a fiber optic system has
begun and is partially complete with the connection to the Manager's Office. However, we
continue to work towards full installation of the system in the exhibit halls to provide
capabilities for high technology events.
Moving into our challenges, in early 2013 we lost the services of...we called State
Workwise certified work experience program, CWEP that provided plantings and roadways
clean-ups for the last ten years, providing workers to do intricate landscaping that was not
performed by staff. The Parks Beautification Section has assisted in doing the best that
they can to help us maintain these areas. We have been in contact with them to reinstate
the workers at their earliest convenience and believe that the well-maintained grounds and
landscaping provides marketing benefits for the use of the Convention Hall. We believe
challenges will present itself when the revised facility user fees are instituted because for
nearly 20 years users have become accustomed to the low fees charged for such a beautiful
facility. As noted in prior reports the desirability of the Convention Hall continues to
increase especially for the Halls with the closure of similar facilities on Kaua`i and the
higher costs to use similar facilities along with the lack of adequate Lihu`e-area meeting
space.
Opportunities. A further challenge continues to keep the Convention Hall
technologically and structurally up-to-date. DOPR is exploring increasing the covered floor
space without having to perform major renovations. A possible option would be to construct
walls and roofs over existing open areas such as the large concrete driveway located on the
eastside of the facility and north and west sides. This types improvements will provide
more rentable floor space to increase capacity and revenue stream. This is something that
we are exploring, but we have not made any decisions to pursue. There have been recent
discussions of the feasibility of the proposed Creative Technology Center located on the
premises of the Convention Hall. Such an addition would require a discussion with other
Parks users including the Lihu`e Baseball League, Boys and Girls Club of Hawai`i, in
addition, Easter Seals of Hawai`i is interested in at least 10,000 square feet in office and
amenities that will provide potential employment opportunities for their clients, as well as
services, janitorial and ticketing services required under the Affordable Care Act. These
are just discussions that are occurring and because of the space that they are looking at,
which would be near the ballpark, which is still part of the Convention Hall's property, that
is why we included in this report. Further discussions with the Department of Parks and
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Recreation, Planning, Public Works, Transportation, Economic Development, taking the
lead through the contractor, the Kaua`i Economic Development Board and the goals and
objectives are listed there for your review. The Adopt-a-Park and Hoolakahi programs are
volunteer-based programs that provide an opportunity for volunteers in assisting the DOPR
in maintaining County parks and building facilities such as pavilions and bus shelters and
the installation of equipment such as batting cages and homerun fences. The programs'
volunteers provide much-needed assistance in combating and discourage of graffiti and are
meant to support and not to replace County employees. Volunteers also serve as the eyes
and ears to report vandalism and damages sustained by the use of County Parks. Both
programs are coordinated by the Convention Hall Manager.
The success and achievements. Again in Fiscal Year 2014, the Adopt-a-Park and
Hoolokahi programs have shown their value to thousands of man hours donated by their
volunteers. Some of the notable successes are listed here for you to review. Graffiti,
ongoing, continued. The Adopt-a-Park program provides Kaneiolouma with materials and
equipment to help maintain that Heiau and the support of the volunteers to help at some of
our cemeteries such as the Hanama`ulu Japanese and Filipino cemeteries, as well as other
areas on the island. The construction of ten new picnic tables by Kamalani Park volunteers
and major volunteer clean-ups of Po`ipu Beach Park, Anini Beach Park, and Hanamd'ulu
Beach Park. The installation of a new homerun fence at Anne Knudsen Park by the Koloa
Youth Baseball Association. The challenges to make more programs more volunteer-
friendly by making it able to invest more time and promoting our volunteers by responding
to their need as quickly as possible. The goals and objectives, while no structural
improvements are currently planned for both programs, the request for continued Council
support for funding of the program to allow volunteers to spearhead project as they have
done in years prior. In the coming fiscal year we continue our plans for increased staff
investment in working with our program volunteers in maintaining and increasing the
number of adopted parks. This County liaison for Keep Hawai`i Islands Beautiful is a
program that was brought to us by Jan Depitan, who is headquartered on Maui. We have
reported on this in our previous budget report and their mission is to enlist volunteers to
eliminate the problem of litter throughout the State of Hawai`i. We currently do that
through most Adopt-a-Park and Hoolokahi projects and continue to serve as the County
liaison. This has been going on for the last ten years. In this role the coordinator has
assisted their efforts as best as they can without any provided funding by this organization.
We have had little success in meeting the challenge of organizing a County affiliate charter
due to the lack of funding, but also time to invest the coordinator for meeting that
challenge. We have assisted efforts to organize this affiliate are little success. We believe
that in order for a Kaua`i chapter to become a reality, which they have been reluctant to do
without County participation. We continue to think that a functioning affiliate chapter
independent of the County would be better to accomplish their mission. So in other words,
we want to help facilitate this organization because we think the intent is a good intent, but
they have to do more from their side in order for it to be more successful on Kauai. With
that, that concludes our presentation for the Convention Hall.
Chair Furfaro: Questions on Convention Hall? JoAnn, do you
want the floor first?
Ms. Yukimura: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: You may have it.
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Ms. Yukimura: Thank you. First of all congratulations to Eddie
Sarita and Parks for putting in the bird-compliant and LED lights and Eddie has kept on
target and actually got it done. So thank you very much. Also the new seats are beautiful
in the Convention Hall. It is such a well-used facility, constantly in use. So the
improvements, I know, make a big difference to the community. My question is about the
sound system in the Convention Hall. I see a little footnote where it said that it is 12 years
old now and needs to be upgraded. I remember there was a lot of problems with the Sound
of Music. The singing would go in and out, depending on where the person moved on stage
and wondering where we are with that?
Mr. L. Rapozo: We had asked for a line item request in the
budget for a consultant to come in...we are going to hire someone to come in to take a look
at the sound system and make recommendations of improving it. We have asked for some
moneys.
Ms. Yukimura: So that is in this year's budget?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: Is it an operating expense? .
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: How much are you asking for?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Eddie did some preliminary work. We are
looking for the evaluation and calibration of the system which is 12 years old, looks to be
about $9,800.
Chair Furfaro: Lenny you are looking at a line item on what
page?
Mr. L. Rapozo: This is on page 209, account number 661.4302
R&M Equipment.
Ms. Yukimura: The other sound system evaluation / calibration
and then microphone, portable sound system, that is for the exhibit hall. So that is not the
auditorium.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Since we are going to do something for the
auditorium, it makes sense to look at the whole facility.
Ms. Yukimura: I think that is a good idea. Is the problem, with
calibration, do you think Eddie could come?
Mr. L. Rapozo: We do not know if that is the solution, but we
want to include it in the text, in case it needs to be recalibrated we have it covered here, but
the key in there is "evaluation."
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Ms. Yukimura: Is $3,000 enough? You are going to get an
acoustical engineer?
Mr. L. Rapozo: We are going to talk to the sound system people
to get an idea of what that would cost.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. I am glad attention is being placed on this.
This is a problem and Eddie knows well and the community, I know would be really
grateful if the sound system would be brought up to par, because that facility is the largest
with 1,150 seats?
Mr. L. Rapozo: 1,095. We had to make ADA improvements.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. So you now have 1,095. But that is the
largest kind of concert hall seating there is on the island.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: So it just has so much use and the sound is so
important. So thank you for looking at that.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Now we will be able to justify looking at the rates
and bring the rates up with the improvements.
Ms. Yukimura: Now you mentioned this possibility of a Creative
Technology Center. I guess we are going to be talking about that?
Mr. L. Rapozo: It is all discussion right now with some of the
people looking at that property.
Ms. Yukimura: Because I know there were some alternative
sites, but I will leave that...I believe we are having a discussion, Chair.
Chair Furfaro: We will be having a discussion, but it is not
funded as a planned item this year. But we will in the very near-future.
Ms. Yukimura: Thank you.
Chair Furfaro: Can I do a follow-up on the mics JoAnn?
Ms. Yukimura: Please.
Chair Furfaro: Between the $9,000 and $3,000, we have $12,000
for an area that is roughly 14,000 square feet and seats 1,095 people?
Mr. L. Rapozo: $9,000 was for the stage lighting repairs.
Chair Furfaro: That is lighting.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
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Chair Furfaro: It is not sound?
Mr. L. Rapozo: No, the sound was $3,020 and theater sound
system for the microphone was about $800.
Chair Furfaro: I am as concerned as JoAnn with that. That is
not going to do it. That is not going to do it. So we might have to talk to some sound
technicians as it relates to the real need. Who else has a theater of 1,000 seats on the
island of Kaua`i for any kind of Convention? Nobody.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Nobody.
Chair Furfaro: So we have a real asset there. Mr. Sarita has
taken such good care of it and the presentation that you made and the constant
improvements I do not want to come up short on the sound system, so I think we need to
revisit that.
Mr. L. Rapozo: We will.
Chair Furfaro: JoAnn the floor is still yours. Thank you for
letting me share that point.
Ms. Yukimura: I think that is all the questions that I have,
Chair.
Chair Furfaro: Okay. Congratulations Eddie on another job
well-done in constantly making improvements of our facilities. Your management of the
area and working with Mr. Rapozo is very much appreciated. Thank you.
Mr. L. Rapozo: We will move on.
Chair Furfaro: Moving on.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Our last section which is the Golf Course. With
the Golf Course, I would like to turn the table over to Ian Costa, the Deputy, who oversees
the operations of the Golf Course.
IAN K. COSTA, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation: Good morning,
Councilmembers, Ian Costa, Deputy of Parks and Recreation.
Chair Furfaro: Good morning.
Mr. Costa: I am going start with the Wailua Golf Course
successes and achievements. We successfully completed conversion of 80% of the tees from
Bermuda to Seashore Paspalum by the existing grounds keeping staff and I did report last
year that we completed 100% conversion of the greens. This conversion to Seashore
Paspalum gives us a more durable grass surface that we do not need to use herbicide and
actually we can just use salt to eradicate weeds. Completion of the restaurant lease and
renovation of the restaurant lease space and replacement of the aged wastewater lines and
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grease trap, as well as the dining room windows and completion of construction of paved
aprons surrounding the maintenance building. This helps cut down staffs need to hose
down the interior of the maintenance building due to tracking in and out of the equipment
of surrounding mud or dirt areas. They can wash it down outside now. Completion and
removal of all existing and dilapidated course scoreboards with a new attractive scoreboard
to serve future golf tournament, as well as a platform for display and announcements of
special events and activities. Successful acquisition of a five-year contract for a new golf
shop and driving range concessionaire. after replacement of the existing damaged driving
range net and support poles. We did in the this contract combine the driving range
operation with the golf shop, which was previously the driving range fell under the
management of the Golf Course. Successful acquisition of a five-year contract for a new
restaurant concession to provide snack bar, restaurant and bar amenities. Successful
acquisition and implementation of credit card services for payment of golf and cart fees, as
well as replacement of the previously removed ATM machine to enhance public amenities
and services. Recent successful hosting of the 2014 John A. Burns Intercollegiate Golf
Tournament in mid-February, involving 16 collegiate golf teams and 90 college players.
Unfortunately that tournament was prematurely stopped one day early due to rainout on
the final day. Recent recognition by the Golf Channel as the number three of the best...of
five best golf courses in Hawai`i and the only municipal course ranked among Hawai`i's four
resort courses. Conversion of 100% of tee boxes and this is actually I believe more of this
upcoming year to complete the conversion of all the tees, 100% of the tees to Paspalum.
Another improvement we are working on is to replace the potable water lines that serve the
length of the golf course bathrooms and water fountains. We have a hard time detecting
leaks because of the sand and we do not have ponding, but we I have to constantly check
often as we may be able to find slightly discolored grass. The lines were put in in the 1960s
and we do have leaks from time to time, which causes us a rather high water bill and so we
are working on that. Finally we did recently, after the completion of the John A. Burns
Tournament, a commitment from the University of Hawai`i, that they do want to make this
the permanent home of the John A. Burns Golf Tournament. So they will be returning in
2015. As far as our challenges ongoing challenge of minimizing the gap of the Golf Course's
revenues and expenses by maximizing golf play by both residents and visitors through
green fee proposals and course promotions and marketing. Providing needed ongoing
facility upgrades and repairs. This includes future improvements to the cart paths, as well
as the course potable water lines that I just mentioned. We are putting in some moneys,
asking for some moneys in this budget to do a renovation of the public lounge, which is
often the key gathering place for golf clubs or meetings of the Kaua`i Golf Association and
used as a staging place for the summer golf program, as well as the junior golf program.
Continued golf fee rate review and potential amendments to maximize golf play by both
residents and non-residents. Development of enhanced partnership opportunities with the
Kaua`i Visitors Bureau and Royal Coconut Coast Association for marketing and promotion
to increase golf rounds by non-residents and we are now a member of the Royal Coconut
Coast Association. We follow with our goals and objectives. I will move to the summary.
The Department of Parks and Recreation...I am sorry, that actually concludes, unless you
have any questions on the Golf section.
Chair Furfaro: Ian, I wanted to hear a little bit from you on the
revenue side of the Golf Course. I have shared a proposal that we have worked with you
folks on that would add approximately $100,000 worth of revenues. Do you have comments
for the Council on those revenue projections?
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Mr. Costa: Thanks to the assistance of the Chair, we have
put together a proposal that we need to put into a formal bill and present as well to the golf
community, probably to the Kaua`i Golf Association, to make a small increase in fees that
we believe will enhance the revenues by a pretty good amount. I think the most significant
one is to look at a user fee. The majority of the play at the Wailua Golf Course occurs from
monthly card users. So rather than increase the monthly card amount, we are looking at a
user fee, a nominal $2, so every time you use the card, you pay $2 per round. The Hawai`i
County on the Big Island currently implements this. Their card, I believe is $55 a month
and they charge a $3 fee for every time you use that card. Also, City and County of
Honolulu, their monthly cards are limited to ten rounds per month, whereas Kaua`i's
monthly cards have no limit. As well as they are not able to use that monthly card on
weekends and holidays. So we think that is a reasonable increase and should help us with
the revenues quite a bit.
Chair Furfaro: I think we circulated that proposal, but basically
Honolulu, the municipal course fee is $26 a round. But we are comparing the Big Island
and Maui and the proposal we have, which is not reflected in the budget is the Kauai
residents card only is $60 for the month and for every round they would pay $2. They
would just show the card and pay $2. The Big Island card restricts them to only ten rounds
a month and our cards would not be restrictive to anyone. The visitor fee would go up to
$225 for five rounds of golf during their vacation stay, but only two of those days would be
used on the weekends and three on the week days. We will redistribute this. Do you have
any idea what might be the best way to begin some dialogue with the Golf Association?
Mr. Costa: I would actually send this directly to them to the
Kaua`i Golf Association President and then ask them if they could schedule a meeting with
us or a meeting amongst their Association to allow us to elaborate or present this formally.
Chair Furfaro: Okay. Questions? Mr. Hooser?
Mr. Hooser: I do not have a question. I just wanted to
compliment Ian and the Parks Department for the progress that has been made this past
year. I know this time last year was kind of a rugged kind of discussion that we had and
there has been a lot of challenges and I just wanted to commend you for getting the long
list of things accomplished, and moving forward. Thank you for that.
Mr. Costa: We have had a busy year.
Mr. Hooser: Thank you for that, and I understand raising or
proposed increase in rates is always difficult also. I wish you the best with that now that
the facilities seem to be in top shape, if you would, I would hope that the people using it
would be willing to step up a little bit more to help. I just wanted to say thank you.
Mr. Costa: Thank you.
Mr. Hooser: Thank you, Chair.
Chair Furfaro: The $1 million loss, $200,000 is paying Bond
money for the sprinkler system and would take it down from $1 million, if we paid it with a
different source, because the asset needed repair to keep the course in good shape. And
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then this proposed changes in fees, although minimum, in my opinion, and still keeps us
very competitive, would add another $100,000, would bring the loss down in year one to
about $700,000. You know, incrementally we would go from there. So it is a lot to consider.
Mr. Rapozo, you have the floor.
Mr. Rapozo: Real quick question, Ian. Do we have a tracking
system on the cards, the monthly cards where we can get an idea of what the range of cost
per rounds would be? Or revenue per rounds? Or do they just show a card and they go?
Mr. Costa: No, we do track that.
Mr. Rapozo: The cards? So we would know if a specific card
did 20 rounds versus another card-holder that did five?
Mr. Costa: I am not sure about that. We can track the
number of rounds that result from the use of cards, but not individual card users.
Mr. Rapozo: That would be pretty interesting to see if they
are a group of people using it a lot and some that do not and what is the average? We
should have the average.
Chair Furfaro: We do.
Mr. Costa: Actually, I recently responded to an inquiry on
the revenues and I did break down the number of card sales versus the use of that card,
yes. I think the use of the card was 3-5 times, the number of cards sold.
Mr. Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Costa: So just as an example, if we sold a thousand
cards, it is actually used 5,000 times.
Chair Furfaro: JoAnn.
Ms. Yukimura: Just a follow-up to that. You are saying that for
every card we issue, there is about 3-5 plays per month?
Mr. Costa: I think on the average it is 3-5 plays?
Ms. Yukimura: Per month?
Mr. Costa: Off of each card on average.
Ms. Yukimura: So the proposal and I am sorry I have not looked
at it carefully.
Chair Furfaro: We can redistribute it.
Ms. Yukimura: It will not institute the system of limiting the
number rounds per card that some of the other counties have?
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Mr. Costa: No.
Ms. Yukimura: And you could not do that until maybe you get an
electronic way of tracking each card or else you would have to do it?
Mr. Costa: Punch a card or something like that.
Ms. Yukimura: Thank you.
Mr. Costa: That is what we do with visitor card is basically
punch the card.
Ms. Yukimura: I see. So how much money...I think the Chair
said $100,000?
Chair Furfaro: Per year.
Ms. Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Costa: That is the combination of the various increases.
I think my look at the monthly cards alone would be close to $50,000.
Ms. Yukimura: Wow. Okay. Well, I really appreciate these
proposals because I think we have to do a more...take a more entrepreneurial approach.
We have a gem of a golf course, and that is lauded nationally. So it really behooves us to
take good care of it and we need money to take care of it.
Mr. Costa: I would like to correct that, the resident cards
alone was 50,000 and another 10,000 from the seniors and super seniors.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. So your mention of this leak-detection and
the problem with leaking, a leaking water system, basically, potable water system, right?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: And you said it was put in in the 1960s, which is
50 years now.
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: So is it not about time to do a major replacement
or renovation of the system?
Mr. Costa: Yes. So that is one of the things that we are
getting a bid on and should be starting that. That is really...that is limited to the outreach
of the potable water system through the golf course, not what is underneath the clubhouse.
Ms. Yukimura: So it is a current project...can you show us where
that is in the budget?
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Mr. Costa: -It was actually funded, I believe last year.
Ms. Yukimura: This is CIP?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: It is a CIP project. Okay. And that is being also
through General Funds payback on the bond, right? It is a Bond Fund-CIP.
Chair Furfaro: That is correct.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. Okay, well I am glad that that is
underway. That is excellent. But you say there is a portion that is not being addressed
under the clubhouse?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: That is about as old as the system that we are
replacing?
Mr. Costa: Well, most of the clubhouse area those water
lines are either encased in the concrete or in the walls and ceiling, roof structure of the
clubhouse itself. Whereas the water line that serves each end of the golf course is basically
buried in the sand and that is the ones that we are not able to detect.
Ms. Yukimura: So are you thinking that the system that is in the
clubhouse itself within and under, that that is in good condition and we do not have to
think about a major repair or renovation?
Mr. Costa: Yes, at least at this time. Because that would
entail a much more significant renovation, because we would likely have to, similar to what
I had to do with the wastewater lines, actually demolish part of the structure to get to those
lines. But like I say, those are a little easier to detect, because we can find standing water.
Ms. Yukimura: And they seem okay?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: We are not experiencing a lot of problems?
Mr. Costa: Right.
Ms. Yukimura: Is there a regular preventative maintenance plan
at the golf course? Every 30 years, every 50 years, roofs have to be changed?
Mr. Costa: To my knowledge there has not been one to-date
and part of my completing at least the repairs that are necessary or overlooked for a
number of years at this time would be to establish that, yes.
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Ms. Yukimura: Okay. So it is your intention to develop a long-
term preventative maintenance plan?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. And do you have a timetable for that?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Councilmember Yukimura, as we are having a
Planner coming on board effective May 1st and she will look at the whole maintenance piece
for the whole Department, including the Golf Course.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay, very good. Thank you. So I was
wondering in your "goals and objectives," whether is it an unspoken goal or it is not just a
goal to narrow the General Fund subsidy to the Golf Course and make the Golf Course
operations more self-sufficient and sustainable? Is that a goal or is it not a goal?
Mr. Costa: It will always be a goal, yes.
Ms. Yukimura: So can you articulate that maybe next year in the
"goals and objectives?"
Mr. Costa: Sure.
Ms. Yukimura: Thank you. I believe that is all I have.
Chair Furfaro: JoAnn's question is a very good one as we realize
that some of these CIP moneys are actually being charged against Golf Course operations,
which should be something in the future that we revisit. But I think the first test of
bumping the rates and what you mentioned, I think, you could have shared a little bit more
with us on working with the Royal Coconut Coast because part of the intention is to get
more rounds of golf out of the hotels in the east corridor. I think after year one, and when
we get to next year, I would really like to make sure that we are focused on tracking some
numbers as to what we are seeing in the way of increased visitor rounds of golf or group
rounds of golf and so forth, especially since the Royal Coconut Coast is kicking itself off as a
destination area. So very important area for next year.
Mr. Costa: Thank you.
Ms. Yukimura: Yes, it seems like the Coconut Coast promotion
and relationship is such an opportunity, because there is no real other golf course on the
Coconut Coast, is there?
Chair Furfaro: No.
Ms. Yukimura: The Wailua Golf Course is their answer, so to
speak to not having that option.
Mr. L. Rapozo: I think they are part of the answers as well.
Ms. Yukimura: Yes, it is only a part.
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Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes. I think it is going to be very important to
have the John Burns Tournament, which is the largest golf tournament in the State right
now. To attract new faces on the golf course. I think we need to.
Ms. Yukimura: Exposure.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Those that are in the tournament, those golfers
are the top 2% in the nation that probably will be on the PGA at one time in the future.
But normally, if you are a golfer, your friends are golfers, your families are golfers and
everything combined along with attracting these tournaments that will bring new faces to
the golf course to help generate new revenue.
Ms. Yukimura: I think the exposure is tremendous.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: But then a flexibility fee system that can take
advantage and raise it enough to get moneys to support the Golf Course, but not too much
that you put yourself out of the market is going to be the secret, I think.
Mr. L. Rapozo: That is going to be the challenge.
Ms. Yukimura: I am proposing a Charter Amendment to allow
the Council to delegate the fee-setting to the Administration by ordinance but we would
need to see a plan from the Administration to give us assurance that the power that we are
going to delegate to you is going to be well-used to take advantage of the market, but to not
price yourself out of the market, to give you flexibility for certain promotions, etc. Not, you
know, experience the lag time it takes to go through the political process of a public hearing
and all of that. So just know that we will be expecting a plan or a proposal, if the voters
approve of this, it is a potential delegation and will empower to delegate and whether we
delegate or not will be by ordinance.
Mr. Costa: I wanted to mention that the Royal Coconut
Coast is a key partner in the John Burns Tournament, since most of the teams and players
had accommodations at the Royal Coconut Coast. So we will try and get them more
involved in the promotion, as well as running the tournament.
Mr. L. Rapozo: There is a lot to learn with this tournament. It
took me two years to get them here. We took them from a resort course on Oahu.
Ms. Yukimura: Good for you.
Mr. L. Rapozo: We have learned a lot. That will be part of
Recreation's jobs or duties to help with the coordination of the tournament.
Mr. Costa: Each of those 90 players usually has at least two
or three family members, as well as supporting coaches.
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Ms. Yukimura: You can really see how mutually advantageous
this relationship is, because if you have a tournament at the golf course, you are right, the
logical place for people to stay is the Coconut Coast and the Coconut Coast does not have a
golf course and really the Wailua Golf Course is the Coconut Coast Golf Course.
Mr. L. Rapozo: The University blocked whatever rooms from the
Kaua`i Beach Resort. So there will be discussions there, as well as part of being hosts the
tournament.
Mr. Costa: I would like to add to that, that is part of the
reason that the University of Hawaii is looking to move it here. They were holding it at
Turtle Bay and they did not have that kind of support.
Chair Furfaro: I think this is a good team effort and I would
really kind of like to wrap this up here, before we break for lunch. But I also want to ask
that the next three months, I would like you to really keep track of what is going on with
activities at the Golf Course so we can compare to last year, with food vendors and services
and increase in play. Again my compliments it is in very nice condition.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Chair before, we adjourn.
Chair Furfaro: We are not going to adjourn. We are going to be
recess.
Mr. L. Rapozo: This afternoon will be CIP.
Chair Furfaro: I want to talk about CIP this afternoon, but I
want to wrap this up on the Golf Course.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Before we go I want to introduce the Department
who is here, because Mr. Hooser was not here the last time.
Chair Furfaro: Sure.
Mr. L. Rapozo: William Trujillo, Planning and Development
Chief. Craig Carney, the Golf Course Maintenance Director. Vince Parangao who is TAing
as the Chief of Parks Maintenance. George Alghren had retired effective close of business
on March 31. Of course the renowned and infamous Eddie Sarita at the Convention Hall.
Cindy Duterte, the Administrator for the Recreation Division. Behind our Parks Fiscal and
Permitting which is Lynn Kuboyama who is in charge of Fiscal and John Martin who is in
charge of Permitting and Security. Of course the Finance Department who gives us the
support and keeps me on track as to do everything financially legal.
Chair Furfaro: So when we come back from lunch, we are going
to focus on CIP especially in the western district, in Waimea, because they have a very
small fund to work with. Then after that, we will wrap it up and go to Economic
Development. Thank you very much.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Thank you.
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Chair Furfaro: We will come back at 1:35 p.m.
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 12:33 p.m.
There being no objections, the Committee was called back to order at 1:30 p.m. and
proceeded as follows:
Chair Furfaro: We are back from our lunch recess and we are in
a call-back from the Parks and Recreation Department and in particular this next hour we
will be covering CIP items, Capital Improvement Projects within the Department. Lenny, I
will give the floor to you.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Thank you, Council Chair for the record, Director
of Parks and Recreation, Lenny Rapozo. For the CIP, I believe we left off with the Waimea-
Kekaha District. So in that district, we start with page 5 of the CIP handout. The ADA
barrier access removal, this is in Waimea. This one we currently are finalizing our bid
documents, and we expect to go to construction the 1st quarter of the next fiscal year.
Kekaha Gardens, this is a project that from what I have been told by the community is
almost 30 years and it has not been done. We are proud to announce that Tomco was
selected and we executed the contract and we will be breaking ground and invitations will
be coming over to you shortly on May 9th for a blessing and dedication of this project at
Kekaha Gardens Park. The ADA access barrier removal at Waimea is additional moneys
for the project. Bleachers in the park, in parks in Waimea, and at this time I would like to
note that our CIP Manager, Keith Suga has arrived on-scene, sitting with us. I would be
remiss not to acknowledge that William Trujillo, Parks Planning and Development Chief is
also with us here. Hanapepe ADA walkways and food booth. We are currently procuring
the professional services for this contract and we anticipate the execution of this contract
will be done in May. Hanapepe tennis court lights improvement, the design is complete.
We are moving to construction in Fiscal Year 2015. Kaumakani Gym improvements is a
new project and following the recent flooding of the weather event that we had and we had
just talked about this during our operational budget review. During the last rain event
there was a flooding situation in the Gym. We corrected the flooding issue that how the
water got into the Gym, but now we have to deal with the damages of the floor. So we think
that this money here would be sufficient enough to fix the floor. Kekaha Gardens Park,
again, this is moneys in addition, to the $740,000 additional. ADA bleachers, park
bleachers replacement for Waimea Canyon Park. Improvements to Veteran's Cemetery in
the Waimea District. Deputy Director Ian Costa has talked about this at our last budget
meeting. This is the moneys for that improvement and we anticipate going out to bid for
construction in Fiscal Year 2015. Waimea roof renovation, the consultant is on-board, and
currently doing the work. On page 6, again Kekaha Gardens Park additional moneys for
the completion of that project. We are currently moving for professional services and that
contract we anticipate that contract to be executed and on-board by May. The remaining
Park Improvement Trust Fund for the District, about $50,000 and the renovate Waimea
Pool roof as part of the whole Waimea Pool renovation and that one we have the consultant
on-board as well. The same consultant, I am sorry. The same consultant, but he is on-
board and doing the work and that would complete the Waimea District, sir.
Chair Furfaro: First question for Keith, $4.7 million for Waimea
District as a subtotal on page 6. The unencumbered balances as of 21st of January 2014,
talking in terms of the whole Parks Department, $11,322,319. What is your estimate
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actually that would...in the way of dollars will be spent, completed, and depleted from the
money available in the year 2014-15?
KEITH SUGA, CIP Manager: Keith Suga, County CIP Manager. Good
afternoon, Chair and Councilmembers. So like you mentioned for the total, unencumbered
balance as of 01/21 for Parks is roughly $11 million. I ran as of 4/1/14, I ran the latest
unencumbered balance and because of some projects getting to contract award, the new
balance is $9.6 million. So from April 1st through the remaining of the fiscal year, I think
with some of the projects kind of close to the award phase, we could probably look at
another roughly maybe $1 million, $1.5 million being encumbered for the remaining
months in the fiscal year.
Chair Furfaro: Okay. So how much of your time and Trujillo's
time is actually charged against these projects?
Mr. Suga: I believe none of my time and I am not sure how
much of William's.
Mr. L. Rapozo: None of William's in General Fund.
Chair Furfaro: I will ask the Administration why not? Why not?
What prevents us, since you manage these projects that a portion of administrative time is
not charged against the projects?
Mr. L. Rapozo: I am going to ask Steve for help with that one. I
am not aware I could. It is a good question.
Chair Furfaro: Yes.
STEVEN A. HUNT, Director of Finance: Steve Hunt, Director of Finance, for the
record. It really depends on the source of funding and looking at Bond Fund and BABS
Funds especially, you have to be very careful as to the amount of time being billed to that.
We have come across this and requests from other Departments, looking at billing labor or
having the Bond Fund fund a portion of the labor. But we potentially jeopardize the tax-
exempt status of the bond if we are not accurate in projecting that. We have to make sure
that the time specifically allocated to that project is actually going to that project and that
that project qualifies. When you are dealing with someone who manages multiple projects,
it is often very difficult to determine how many hours are spent on each project.
Chair Furfaro: It is just a matter of managing the project. But
here let me pose this question, because I was in San Francisco with the Bond Counsel when
I asked this question. If we are using in-house labor to build a brick wall that is going to be
used for a park, the project can take a credit for that portion of the work.
Mr. Hunt: I would agree with that.
Chair Furfaro: Thank you. Now who is giving the oversight of
the phases of the projects, we should be able to charge a percentage of project oversight to
recover our administrative costs and I think that is a possibility.
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Mr. Hunt: It could be a possibility. I do not want to commit,
because there are issues, you know, determining on how many projects are being managed
and which would be eligible?
Chair Furfaro: Sure. But at the same time, when we are
spending another $350,000 on the Kilauea Gym roof, and we need to actually send
somebody out there to make sure that the right washers are being used with the right bolts,
with the right plugs on the interior, that requires making sure the standards of the roofing
contract was done appropriately. So that the roof does not leak and we should be able to
charge for that.
Mr. Hunt: Again, it depends on the...how it is capitalized, I
guess would be the appropriate response.
Chair Furfaro: Typically how much could we capitalize, Steve?
In a typical world of managing over sight of a contractor or accountability of the moneys,
the payouts? Because those fine terms are usually in every general contractor's contract. I
mean will there are legal definitions of what can be done.
Mr. Hunt: It is much simpler when it is done outside. When
it is done inside and this was something that I did discuss with our Bond Counsel Brian
Hirai, and if it is a project manager that is specifically working on only CIP projects, it is
very easy do. But if you are intermixing regular duties with work that is involved with
capital projects, it is not a percentage. It is actual billable hours and including the fringe
and calculating it. So we would end up spending a lot of administrative time trying to bill
administrative time.
Chair Furfaro: I have always billed in the private world $50
million hotel renovation projects, I have always been able to charge the oversight of the
Chief Engineer, the oversight of the Assistant Controller, who is managing the money, who
is reporting the cash flow, to the people that we are borrowing the money and in most cases
it is the owners / lender and of course, to make sure that we have the appropriate...I mean
third-party hotel ownership, we get audited all the time and we want to make sure we have
an audit trail. So there are some challenges there, I agree. But it could be done. I will
send that over as a question with some urgency. We do this, like in the Building Fund, that
we have with Doug and, in fact I introduced a piece that allowed that to be increased to
$200,000 as a Revolving Fund. So we could recover time, because Doug could not do it all.
He could not be in Kekaha and the liilauea Gym and Pat Kaihara helped us with the $4.2
million restoration of this building to be here to manage our part of the project. So I would
really like to get in some urgent information on, that because I think would could take some
credit here, rather than have small amounts carried over for the work that we do in-house.
Mr. Hunt: Specifically the conversation I had with Brian
Hirai was about Pat Kaihara and whether we could allocate his time and even with
someone who is dedicated to projects like that he said be very, very careful.
Chair Furfaro: Well, I would not want us to go in there and be
sloppy and I would expect people to be careful on what they are doing, but this is something
that I expected that we could have got out from an audit of the Building Department. I
have not seen it yet. You know? And yet I am very, very aware of the opportunity here
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that we have, even if we save $200,000 in salaries in the operating account, because we are
managing $11,322,319 of asset improvements that are for the Parks. It is a question well-
worth asking. Anything that you can get me caught up on, Steve, I would appreciate it. I
would appreciate it very much. Questions for the Parks Department? In building on CIP,
especially in the...let us see we have $4.7 million going towards the west side. JoAnn, you
have the floor. Go ahead.
Ms. Yukimura: Thank you. Of that $4.17, from my calculations
about $1.6 million is going to Kekaha Gardens Park. So have we included in the design
energy-efficiency issues? Are there motion-sensitive lights? Those kinds of things in the
design?
WILLIAM TRUJILLO, Chief of Planning and Development: William
Trujillo, Chief of Planning and Development for Parks and Recreation. There are energy
considerations put in, if you are asking specifically about motion sensors, there are no
motion sensors. We are taking more natural light. We put in the solar tubes to get more
natural lighting in. And, in fact, excuse me, even in powering the irrigation, we took some
energy considerations into that. To be honest, that site does not have much energy draw
that we are foreseeing just because it is a comfort station and a pavilion, but we do
whatever we could to make it.
Ms. Yukimura: Well, sounds like you did some real thoughtful
things. The sun is so hot there that it seems like...do you have parking lights? None?
Mr. Trujillo: No parking lights.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. But bathroom lights?
Mr. Trujillo: Bathroom lights, yes.
Ms. Yukimura: It is wonderful that you have natural light built
in. But if you have lights for night-time, those could stay on all night if people do not turn
them off?
Mr. Trujillo: I would have to look at what kind of controls we
put in and if we have timers on them. Because we could put timers on it also.
Ms. Yukimura: It is usual to put timers on bathroom lights, is
that your practice now in designing new facilities?
Mr. Trujillo: We are looking at different options on how to
control lights and make sure it goes off at night and things like that, or after a certain
amount of time.
Ms. Yukimura: And you have figured out which is the best?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: So is it that if timers are better than motion-
sensitive lights?
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Mr. Trujillo: According to the consultant, when he we were
first looking at options for controlling the power at that site, that was the best option. If it
was timers by time or how long the lights stay on, then it automatically goes off.
Ms. Yukimura: So you can follow-up and let us know?
Mr. Trujillo: Definitely.
Ms. Yukimura: I am interested in something that becomes a
standard practice for whenever we design. Using whatever research you do for the first
project that determines a good system. It will not always apply. I mean, Kekaha is a lot
drier and hotter than the north shore, but you would tweak then for difference of place, but
still some standards. So your bathrooms, are we getting a park designer to design a new
bathroom style every time we have a new park to build or are we having a standard
bathroom?
Mr. Trujillo: One of the items in the CIP budget is to hire a
consultant to do standardized comfort stations and hopefully give us a few different size
options. But to give us a standard design that we can, like you said, go out and tweak as
each site needs.
Ms. Yukimura: Excuse me and so where is that in your budget?
It is an operating cost, right?
Mr. Trujillo: Negative. It is a CIP, page 1. Comfort Station
Improvements, $250,000.
Mr. L. Rapozo: This was our discussion in our last CIP meeting.
Ms. Yukimura: Right. So it is like the second to the last...or
third to the last. Yes.
Chair Furfaro: Okay, can I follow-up on your question? So that
is the $250,000 for the improvements into the public facilities.
Mr. Trujillo: The thought behind this item was to come up
with standard design of comfort stations that we could apply going forward as we construct
new comfort stations.
Chair Furfaro: So I guess where JoAnn is going, is there thought
about the design that makes the contribution to energy savings? If we are making energy
savings, what is the proposed spending going to show us as a return on investment? What
is the ROI on the building if we are going to spend $250,000 to design it? I know a very
capable architect, who is sitting behind you, could save me $250,000. What is the return on
the investment, because we are spending a quarter of a million dollars?
Mr. L. Rapozo: I hear the question. And this one is to get the
consultant to do the design, so we will find out what you are asking.
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Chair Furfaro: $250,000 to get the consultant to figure out the
design on how we get a return on the investment for power in public bathrooms.
Mr. L. Rapozo: No, the $250,000 as we discussed in our last
meeting was to get three types of comfort stations, small, medium and large. I understand
what the question is and when we do the designs what would be the return on energy
savings for our investment?
Chair Furfaro: Yes.
Mr. L. Rapozo: So the consultant is going to be charged to come
up with three basic designs.
Chair Furfaro: It is your floor, I just wanted to make sure that
the thinking was going right.
Ms. Yukimura: I think we are on the same track and I think you
guys are, too. So in the process of getting the standard design, energy use will be
considered?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: So the charge to the architect will be to get a
design that is as energy-efficient as possible. Once he comes up with the design or as he
analyzes various designs he should be able to calculate return on investment in terms of
savings, compared to a conventional design?
Mr. L. Rapozo: That will be the scope of work, yes.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. So that is really excellent. I know that
does not include the retrofit of the ones that have been ADA'd around the island?
Mr. L. Rapozo: No.
Ms. Yukimura: That one you are going to wait until you get a
design expert?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: Like the Stanford process.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. You might ask him to think about it, that
consultant, you get. You never know. So if I may continue then?
Chair Furfaro: You have the floor.
Ms. Yukimura: Thank you.
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Mr. Rapozo: I have a direct follow-up to the lighting, Mr.
Chair.
Chair Furfaro: Go ahead.
Mr. Rapozo: I would recommend lights that shut off by time,
after a certain time in the restroom because the worst thing is running to the bathroom at
night and the timer time has passed and the lights do not go on. I could see after a certain
amount of time the lights shut off and I think some jurisdictions you go, why they do that, I
do not know, to confuse people. You know where you normally find the switch and it is not
there and you really have to go. So I think if we are going down that road, to consider the
late-night toilet user, because it is frustrating. Thank you.
Ms. Yukimura: A user-friendly system, so it has to work well.
Mr. Rapozo: It is just less mess you have to clean-up in the
morning.
Ms. Yukimura: That is true. You have to think about all of these
things. On your Hanapepe tennis court light improvements, all of our designs are now
being shearwater friendly or bird-friendly?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Correct.
Ms. Yukimura: Very good. Just this weekend I was asked about
the skate park in Kekaha, is that in the plans?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Not at this point.
Ms. Yukimura: I hope it is going to get into the plans. For that,
too, we could get a standard design and put them in different neighborhoods, right?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Well if you remember we had the presentation
with Danny Way.
Ms. Yukimura: I was not here, but I have heard about it.
Mr. L. Rapozo: We are planning to use the Kapa'a Skate Park as
the model as to how we are going to build skate parks on the island with partnership
between government and private. Then we will look at how we can best meet those needs
across the island after we finish the Kapa'a one.
Ms. Yukimura: How long is that going to take?
Mr. L. Rapozo: We are waiting for...and I am trying to get an
idea of cost before decision-making from the Danny Way Foundation, who is doing the
designs and will give us an idea as to what construction costs will be.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. If Kapa'a is the first site, are we not also
determining locations in other communities?
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Mr. L. Rapozo: We are. We have possible locations that were
identified in our master plan.
Ms. Yukimura: The Park Master Plan?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Correct.
Ms. Yukimura: Is there a skateboard park for Waimea / Kekaha
in the Master Plan?
Mr. L. Rapozo: In Kekaha, yes.
Ms. Yukimura: Where is it?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Located near the neighborhood center, but we
have not had any discussions with the community about this. It is just an identified site. I
hope that the Kekaha residents do not get all up in arms that they have not heard about it,
because we have not done the outreach yet.
Ms. Yukimura: It is just some mothers who say the kids are
going on the streets and everything.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: They are wanting some place safe for them.
Chair Furfaro: Can I do a follow-up on that? I thought we
talked about that a moderate-sized skate park, just for design, we were talking between
$18,000 and $22,000 just for design. I was of the impression that Kekaha was identified.
Mr. L. Rapozo: No, sir. The pilot or the pilot project was Kapa`a,
because it is already an accepted use. The skateboarder professionals that were here, they
looked at that skate park and there is some real liability issues the way it was designed. So
they want to use their expertise and we wanted to attack that one first. But they did
mention that a moderate skateboard design was about that cost.
Chair Furfaro: I kind of remember that discussion, because I
kind of had to pay with an OIP query when I let him come and speak without any Q&A.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: But for some reason I thought we were focused
this year on a design and that number does not show up in any Park CIP?
Mr. L. Rapozo: No, because we were waiting for the final design
for Kapa`a to redo Kapa`a.
Chair Furfaro: I see. I was only talking about design. I was not
talking about building.
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Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes. That was very clear.
Chair Furfaro: Thank you, JoAnn. You have the floor.
Ms. Yukimura: Kapa`a, can you really use Kapa'a as a standard
design if it is a retrofit?
Mr. L. Rapozo: I did not say it was a standard design, but the
pilot project was how we will work private and government in doing a skate park project.
Ms. Yukimura: Okay. Well, I know that I got the specs for a
skateboard park from City and County. So they have some variety of levels for skateboard
parks. So for one that is built from scratch, are we planning to work with Danny Way? It
seems that we do not have to wait for Kapa'a in order to get a brand-new built from scratch
as the model for all other places where it is going to have to be built from scratch, right? Is
there any other skateboard park on the island?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Other than the private one at Kilauea.
Ms. Yukimura: There was one at the church in Po`ipu.
Mr. L. Rapozo: On the bypass?
Ms. Yukimura: Right. We could maybe learn from them, but it is
still two different processes. Right a retrofit versus a build from scratch?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Correct. We wanted to work with the community
and the private Danny Way Foundation who will be raising moneys to contribute to this
facility.
Ms. Yukimura: If I can, I have one more question.
Chair Furfaro: Go ahead.
Ms. Yukimura: Kato Park restroom, we are in the process of
procuring professional services. Are we designing ADA restroom renovations for $50,000?
Mr. Trujillo: Kato Park Restrooms ADA improvements was
put in by Council at the end of the last CIP to put a bathroom in at the Hanapepe Sports
Complex. The thought behind hiring a professional service was that we are taking that
money, the ADA walkway and food booth, as well as the Hanapepe Stadium ticket booth
money and procuring a consultant to look at the overall scheme of the Hanapepe Stadium
Complex to see what and where everything and how everything should fit? Rather than us
building a bathroom.
Ms. Yukimura: Kato Park is not in Kalaheo? There are two Kato
parks?
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Mr. L. Rapozo: In Hanapepe Stadium it is called Kato Field
Park.
Ms. Yukimura: That is from our former County Clerk, Tatsuo
Kato.
Mr. Trujillo: Both parks are named after the same person?
Ms. Yukimura: I do not know. So that $50,000 is not just for
ADA restroom improvements?
Mr. Trujillo: Correct?
Ms. Yukimura: It is for more than that. It is for also, you said
the foodservices building.
Mr. Trujillo: That money right there on page 6, as well as the
items on page 5 are being grouped together to hire a consultant.
Mr. L. Rapozo: I guess, Councilmember Yukimura, what the
thinking is, you have the senior softballers that want a restroom by Kato and all of this
other stuff and how do we fit it? We want to plan and make sure it works well with
everything to do a complete planning and design for the whole area to make sure that
everything fits.
Ms. Yukimura: So I am glad that you are doing that, so it is not
just piecemeal single-purpose.
Mr. L. Rapozo: That is right. How does it interact? What is the
connection?
Ms. Yukimura: Where can you get the maximum utility?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Exactly.
Ms. Yukimura: Tat is going out to bid and the plan?
Mr. L. Rapozo: The stadium complex.
Ms. Yukimura: The whole stadium complex is what he is going
to be designing for?
Mr. Trujillo: Correct.
Ms. Yukimura: But the improvements are more in the area of
the Kato Park?
Mr. L. Rapozo: I think what you are asking for will be where the
food booth is, where Kato Field is and how does it relate to one another? Basically it is
pretty much the stadium complex.
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Ms. Yukimura: Thank you.
Chair Furfaro: Is there any savings in what we are doing for this
bathroom facility as ADA and standardizing it with the $250,000 we have on another line
item?
Mr. L. Rapozo: I am sorry?
Chair Furfaro: Are we not earmarking money to have someone
study and conceptually design a standard bathroom facility that is energy efficient, water
unrestricted, and so forth for $250,000? Now I am saying and over here, we have $50,000.
Is there an opportunity to save some money because the bathroom that the consultant is
going to come up with, all you are going to do is put the footprint in the stadium complex.
Is there any savings?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes, there will be.
Chair Furfaro: But it is not reflected in CIP right now?
Mr. L. Rapozo: No.
Chair Furfaro: To be announced.
Mr. L. Rapozo: To be announced, I guess.
Ms. Yukimura: May I follow-up?
Chair Furfaro: JoAnn.
Ms. Yukimura: So you have $59,800 for procuring professional
services for the Hanapepe Stadium ADA walkways and food booth and then you have
$25,000 for currently procuring professional services for the Hanapepe Stadium ticket
booth. Then you have $50,000 currently procuring professional services for the Kato Park
restroom ADA improvements. So that is a total of $125,000 for professional services? All
for an architect/engineer to design those four things?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes, as well as how to layout what the...like
Lenny said, how that complex...where these items should layout in the park.
Ms. Yukimura: So how come they are broken down and not just
one project?
Mr. Trujillo: When they were budgeted last year, they were
separate projects that were budgeted. We thought rather than having three different
people in the same area, we would hire one person to do all of the services.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Two projects came from us, one from this body.
April 22, 2014
Budget Call-Backs (Department of Parks & Recreation—
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and
Waimea District— CIP)(ss)
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Ms. Yukimura: Right. Could you not come back and propose it
was one project this year? I mean, it is just that you cannot see the connections, looking at
these as line items. So it looks like, on this paper, it looks like three different projects and
we are just not seeing all the connections and thinking $125,000, but maybe that is what is
needed. You are anticipating that the total project is going to cost what? 90% of that...it is
10%, is that what you are anticipating sort of?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: $400,000 all together.
Ms. Yukimura: For construction?
Chair Furfaro: The two projects between them, all for Parks.
Ms. Yukimura: Maybe putting it together, if, in fact, it is all one
project.
Mr. Trujillo: We will look into that, thank you.
Chair Furfaro: I guess what I am saying along the lines of what
JoAnn is saying, we are talking about ADA bathrooms as a separate project. Then we have
this, between the two of them, we have almost $400,000 and seems to me, I am going
through something like this right now in working on a project for one of my clients. I am
not spending that kind of money for design. My gosh, it almost reflects to me that you
might have to rethink that and you could probably get it done for $200,000 between the
projects. You are doing one template and it is going to be repetitive, that is what I heard
you tell me.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Chair Furfaro: One template that is going to be repetitive. There
should be some savings there. Please look into it.
Mr. L. Rapozo: We believe there will be savings, Chair.
Ms. Yukimura: I am not sure it is $400,000. I am coming up
with $125,000.
Mr. L. Rapozo: I think the Chair is also adding the $250,000.
Ms. Yukimura: Oh, I see. Thank you.
Mr. L. Rapozo: And he is right, the design could encompass ADA
bathroom because it would be a template design, but that bathroom project came in as an
addition from Councilmember Kagawa.
Chair Furfaro: Which is fine. But if a Councilmember makes a
request and it was a very good one, then we should be able to put the sheets together and
say there is some economy of scale here, especially if we are cutting the template design
April 22, 2014
Budget Call-Backs (Department of Parks & Recreation—
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and
Waimea District—CIP)(ss)
Page35
that is going to be repetitive park after park. Now I am on and JoAnn wants to speak and
she is off.
Ms. Yukimura: We will have to coordinate here. So if I could go
on. I want to ask about Kaumakani Gym improvements. I am all in favor of fixing the
floors, but I was wondering, how did...you said you solved the problem or figured out where
the water came from.
Mr. L. Rapozo: The last rain event, the floods from upper field
made its way into the Gym and it flooded the Gym. So we, with the help of Public Works,
they designed a swale.
Ms. Yukimura: Diversion.
Mr. L. Rapozo: A diversion and created the swale and did
improvements to the drain system there at Public Works' advice and we made those
corrections. Now we have to make the repair to the Gym.
Ms. Yukimura: Was that the same flood that the Prius turned
over?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: That was a big flood. I am just glad nobody got
hurt.
Chair Furfaro: We have got to get the feedback fixed on this, so
we are not turning on and off mics and I have the floor and then JoAnn has an echo. There
we go, we are coordinated here. I would like to recap, because I would like to do a tape
change before we start Economic Development. Lenny, very pleased with the work that you
are doing at the Convention Center and anticipate the great things that you have done at
the Golf Course to get it ship-shape, but please consider that we need to look at some
recovery of some revenues and I know Mr. Costa has been close to that. Then with the
Waimea District, to go with a template for the bathroom piece that are ADA compliant and
energy-efficient, and we understand that you are trying to do a master plan for the
stadium, but if we are spending that kind of money for a template, let us plan to use it and
save some money. Now JoAnn, I will shut off my mic and you have the floor.
Ms. Yukimura: Thank you. On the Park ADA bleachers, it is
$800,000 to furnish and install new aluminum bleachers, not just ADA or maybe I just do
not understand.
Mr. L. Rapozo: That is Hanapepe?
Ms. Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. L. Rapozo: That is to replace all the wooden bleachers in
Hanapepe, design and construction.
Ms. Yukimura: So it is not just for ADA purposes?
April 22, 2014
Budget Call-Backs (Department of Parks & Recreation—
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and
Waimea District— CIP)(ss)
Page36
Mr. L. Rapozo: Yes.
Ms. Yukimura: They are all ADA accessible bleachers?
Mr. L. Rapozo: They are not...the wooden bleachers are not ADA
accessible.
Ms. Yukimura: Right.
Mr. L. Rapozo: So the design is to come up with a design for the
stadium, new bleachers with ADA.
Ms. Yukimura: They do not have bleachers that are modular.
Mr. L. Rapozo: This is Hanapepe Stadium, the wooden bleachers
were built back in the day.
Ms. Yukimura: Right but now you are going to replace them all
with aluminum bleachers, correct?
Mr. L. Rapozo: Correct.
Ms. Yukimura: They do not have built-in ADA improvements?
You cannot possibly buy bleachers today without them being ADA.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Councilmember Yukimura, you have a certain
space and yes, they are going to be ADA bleachers like the baseball field at Lihu`e Stadium,
but you still need to design it so it can be put in. It is being customized. So it is in a
stadium. It is in a stadium complex configuration.
Ms. Yukimura: The bleachers are the main part of the cost or the
customization is the main part of the cost?
Mr. L. Rapozo: I think the construction of the bleachers because
that also includes the area, the announcer's booth and the area where the coaches do what
they need to do as part of the stadium complex.
Ms. Yukimura: So maybe it is just not a complete description.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Aluminum bleachers are expensive.
Ms. Yukimura: That is why aluminum is so recyclable. Thank
you.
Chair Furfaro: Lenny, I do not think we have any more
questions for you, but before we take a break, I want to call up Ernie Barreira to get
something clarified here. Gentlemen, thank you very much.
Mr. L. Rapozo: Thank you.
April 22, 2014
Budget Call-Backs (Department of Parks & Recreation—
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and
Waimea District—CIP)(ss)
Page37
Chair Furfaro: Please consider some of the comments that we
shared. Ernie, we are going to go to Economic Development and they have very specific
times for the call back items that we have here, but I want to make sure that we have got
this because the Mayor is here to make a closing statement on the first budget
presentation. This will be our last day for call-backs and May 8th is when we are going to
see a return of your reforecast here. I just want to make sure, are we going to then receive
it electronically and just get one copy that has to be date-stamped. What is your plans,
Ernie?
ERNEST W. BARREIRA, Budget & Purchasing Director: Good afternoon,
Chair, Ernie Barreira, Budgeting and Purchasing Director. With your coordination and
leadership in working with yourselves and the Mayor we submitted the supplemental
budget in electronic format and sending one hard copy for receipt for the Clerk. So with
your permission we would like to proceed in that vein, since we are working collectively to
go more paperless in the County.
Chair Furfaro: I just wanted to reconfirm we will need one hard
copy to date-stamp for the Clerk's Office.
Mr. Barreira: Including the CIP, yes, sir.
Chair Furfaro: So we will look for the supplemental budget
electronically.
Mr. Barreira: Yes, sir, thank you.
Chair Furfaro: On that note we are going to take a 10-minute
break. I have two hours...I have to take somewhere in there, I have to take a break. So if
we are not going to do a tape change, let us do a 10-minute break and then a short one, only
a tape change. Okay. So in compliance with our requirement for a caption break, we are
going to go on a 10-minute caption break now and then go until 4:30 p.m. We are on a 10-
minute recess.
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 2:23 p.m.