HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/28/2016 & 03/29/2016 Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP) 3/28/2016 & 3/29/2016
DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET REVIEWS 2016-17
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
(Operating & CIP)
1
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP)
Honorable Mason K. Chock
Honorable Ross Kagawa (present at 9:01 a.m.)
Honorable KipuKai Kuali`i
Honorable Mel Rapozo
Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura
Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro
Excused: Honorable Gary L. Hooser
The Committee reconvened on March 28, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Good morning. I would like to call back to order
the Budget & Finance Committee and the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Departmental Budget
Reviews. Let the record reflect that Councilmember Hooser is excused today. On the
schedule, we have the Department of Public Works (DPW) Operating, followed by Capital
Improvement Projects (CIP), if time permits. We have allocated today and tomorrow for DPW
as they are a large Department. Today, we will be taking DPW in the following order:
Administration and Fiscal, Building, Automotive, Highways and Roads, Wastewater, Solid
Waste, and Engineering. As we do every morning, we will take public testimony. Anyone in
the audience wishing to testify?
There being no objections, the rules were suspended to take public testimony.
There being no one present to provide testimony, the meeting was called back to order,
and proceeded as follows:
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Seeing none, I would like it call up Lyle and his
division heads. Take us through the DPWs budget. Are there any presentations?
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
LYLE TABATA, Acting County Engineer: Were you sent this in advance?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: Straight to the point, and we brought the
numbers, yes. Chair and Members of the Council, Lyle Tabata, Acting County Engineer, for
the record. I will have Keith and James introduce themselves, please.
KEITH SUGA, CIP Program Manager: Keith Suga, County CIP Manager.
Good morning, Council.
JAMES MATSUSHIGE, Business Management Officer: James Matsushige,
Business Management Officer.
Mr. Tabata: Good morning. As you know, I am flying solo as
the Department Head for DPW. I brought Keith Suga along because Keith is assisting me in
the capacity not as Deputy; however, but assisting me in some of the day-to-day spillovers
that if I am busy, he can help me chase down. I believe so far, so good. Just like every year
DPW has the same mission:to deliver excellent service to our constituents and support health
and safety of our communities, with sustainable services and solutions. This year, I would
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like to highlight DPW at a glance, just highlight some of what I feel are the pertinent
statistical information that we would like you to be aware of. The Administration oversees
and manages six (6) divisions with over three hundred seventeen (317) employees; we
produce cost-effective and administrative support of our operating budget for Fiscal
Year 2017, which we are presenting for you, of $48,000,000; our CIP budget will include a
$9,500,000 budget; and provides the general policy guidance to the six(6) operating divisions.
Our Building Division. Let me start by saying in summary, the Department of Parks
&Recreation (DPR)in 2008, as you are well aware, included the initiative of creating its own
department, which was a Charter change, which was mandated by a vote. I believe the
initiative was brought to the public, and the public asked for a separate DPR. In line with
completing the final movement of Parks and Recreation being separated out of the DPW, the
moving of the maintenance and janitorial functions to the DPR will be completed. At the
time of the initial change, eighty percent (80%) of the maintenance work orders were
generated by the DPR. Although DPW still manages the maintenance and improvements
were made to catch up on some of the backlog, parks is still a majority of the County's needs.
Today as we sit here, between fifty-five to sixty percent (55-60%) is parks related
maintenance. The options to split the maintenance and janitorial between two (2)
departments would require duplicating the management structure and would physically not
be an option, so we are moving the whole maintenance group in whole, to the DPR. Thus,
DPW is working with the DPR to complete this transition in a smooth, effective, and efficient
manner as possible.
The rest of what is left is Code Enforcement, and the Code Enforcement section of the
Building Division issued two thousand five hundred(2,500) building permits in the last fiscal
year, two thousand five hundred (2,500) electrical permits, and one thousand six
hundred (1,600) plumbing/gas permits for an approximate value of $383,000,000 for Fiscal
Year 2015. We conducted ten thousand (10,000) building inspections of which six thousand
seven hundred (6,700) were electrical and six thousand eight hundred (6,800) were
plumbing/gas inspections. We also managed projects out of the Building Division. They
completed the construction of Hardy Street Complete Streets Improvements with a value of
$8,400,000, and obtained Innovative Readiness Grant from the Department of Defense for
the Kawaihau elevated boardwalk.
The Automotive Division has been successful in meeting demands and requests of
various department agencies and the community in regards to equipment supply and vehicle
equipment maintenance. They procured the new vehicles that were authorized to be
purchased for the last fiscal year to keep the fleet as modern as effectively as possible.
Engineering Division. The Engineering Division has a section that oversees most all
of the capital improvement projects of the County. They manage consultants who completed
the design for approximately $5,700,000 worth of construction projects; completed in-house
designs as was our strategy the last few years to improve on that of$2,200,000 of construction
projects; approximately four point four (4.4) lane miles of collector roads were preserved,
improved, renovated, or resurfaced in Fiscal Year 2016; successfully completed
approximately $2,000,000 of construction projects; received approximately $14,000,000 in
grants to the U.S. (United States) Department of Transportation (DOT) Transportation
Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program and U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program;
and a regulatory review from March 2016 back to February 2016. We completed regulatory
review of fifty-two (52) subdivision projects and other large development projects with an
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average review time of fifty-three (53) days. Our Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program
supported the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Safe Routes to School
educational outreach to non-participating Kaua`i schools to step up participation to apply for
infrastructure grants to improve pedestrian and bicycle facilities. We are currently working
on design of approximately $1,100,000 worth of Safe Routes to School projects awarded in
2014 for infrastructure upgrades for five (5) elementary schools on Kaua`i. We worked with
the Planning Department to apply to HDOT for approximately $1,500,000 of Safe Routes to
School projects in December of 2015.
The Roads Division consists of the following sections: baseyard operations, levee
maintenance, and bridge and road maintenance construction. Approximately seven point
eight two (7.82) lane miles of local roads were completed in the Island Wide
Resurfacing (IWR), which we either preserved, improved, renovated, or resurfaced in Fiscal
Year 2016; baseyard maintenance completed two hundred ten (210) work orders; expended
$44,000 in outside service tree trimming funds; and kept Hanapepe and Waimea levees in
compliance, accomplishing the goals of maintaining levee compliance that permits.
participation on the National Flood Insurance Program. Bridge and road maintenance and
construction, the special construction crew completed twenty-five (25) work orders, and
traffic signs and maintenance completed four hundred eleven (411) work orders.
The Wastewater Division operates and maintains four (4) wastewater treatment
facilities, sewer collections, and pumping systems located in Wailua, Lihu`e, `Ele`ele, and
Waimea. Ongoing capital improvements for all wastewater treatment plants and sewage
pump station facilities to meet the Department of Health(DOH)operations and maintenance
environmental compliance; completed the Eleele wastewater treatment plan improvements
of $4,400,000 in Fiscal Year 2015-2016; Island-Wide Supervisory Control Data Acquisition
(SCADA) is ninety percent (90%) complete for $5,200,000; the Coco Palms Station Odor
Control Project Phase I was completed in 2015 at $115,000, and started in March 2016, with
a total investment to-date of$575,000; design commenced for the rehabilitation of the Wailua
Sewage Pump Station (SPS) #3 for $286,000; the hiring of consultants for the Hanama`ulu
and `Ele`ele collection system rehabilitation projects has been completed; and the Waimea
R-1 Distribution System Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Assessment Project is
ninety percent (90%) complete for $397,000. This project is partially funded by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through a grant.
The Solid Waste Division consists of the operations of Kekaha Municipal Solid Waste
Landfill, and refuse transfer stations at Hanalei, Kapa`a, Lihu`e, and Hanapepe. The Kekaha
Landfill received eighty-one thousand four hundred eighty-five (81,485) tons of municipal
solid waste in Fiscal Year 2015, and green waste operations diverted eighteen thousand
seven hundred nine (18,709) tons of material. The waste diversion section of the County
contract diverted approximately twenty-eight thousand nine hundred (28,900) tons from the
landfill, for an overall recycling rate of forty-two percent (42%) in Fiscal Year 2015. The Pay
As You Throw (PAYT) program, which we recently implemented, had an estimated of
$2,800,000 versus a new projection of$3,500,000 was a result largely in part to more people
selecting the ninety-six (96) gallon cart and a higher number of cart selections than the
anticipated rate. The Solid Waste Division completed the transition of management of the
refuse collection operations to the Division of Solid Waste Management, we also completed
the Phase III of Automated Refuse Collection, which now completes the coverage for the
entire island, and preparation continues for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for
the new county landfill. The final Environmental Assessment/Impact Statement preparation
notice was published February 8, 2013 in compliance with the Hawaii Environmental Review
Process pursuant to Hawai`i Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 343. Recycling education and
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awareness continues. The county recycling office continues to promote and maintain
awareness of the dozens of diversion opportunities available to residents, visitors, and
businesses. For a comprehensive list, you can go to www.kauai.gov/recycling.
Challenges we face include the following: planning for the future improvements while
continuing to meet the day-to-day needs of the demands of the community; utilizing limited
funds in the most efficient manner while maintaining satisfactory levels of service; the
upswing of the economy has limited the recruitment of potential qualified personnel, which
makes succession planning more difficult; and continuing to maintain a positive working
relationship with our union partners.
Overall, the DPW's goal is to support the six (6) divisions within the department by
ensuring manpower, equipment, and material needs are met adequately by implementing
systems that will serve to reduce complaints in emergencies, which will allow us to focus on
proactive activities; implement the Mayor's Public Works Hobo Holo 2020 projects; and
ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the project.
I have attached a chart that explains the goals of DPW. Goal #1 is to support
implementation of systems that will serve to reduce citizen complaints in emergencies,which
will allow to us focus on proactive activities of the day. One of our objectives is to enhance
media relations by providing information on DPW programs, projects, services, and
achievements. How are we going to measure that? We are going to measure that by the
amount of updates in the form of media releases. The outcome we would like to see out of
that is to send communications that affect the community as soon as possible. The number
of media releases annually will be measured by making sure that the messages are clear and
concise. The second objective is to improve relations within community groups and other
non-governmental agencies through periodic scheduled informational exchange sessions to
learn community needs and concerns, and to educate the community regarding department
responsibility, funding, and projects. DPW will measure the success by the number of
presentations provided to community groups and other governmental and non-governmental
agencies annually, for which the outcome we would like to achieve is to perform timely project
meetings, securing community support and buy-ins by employing the design charrette
process whenever possible. In addition, DPW is represented at all of the Mayor's outreach
comment meetings. He does monthly community meetings at the different communities. The
third objective relates to public inquiries requiring response. DPW will measure the success
by providing a response within two (2)working days, and if a more detailed study is required,
then we will supply an estimated timeline. The outcome of objective is to meet the
community's expectations.
Goal#2 is to implement the Mayor's Public Works Holo Holo 2020 projects. We have
six (6) different projects, which are in the Holo Holo 2020 project summary. The first project
is the Hanapepe Road Resurfacing/Improvement Retrofit. To measure the success, DPW
would like to complete the design/build document and be ready for solicitation by the end of
Fiscal Year 2017. The second project is Kawaihau, Hau`a`ala, Mailihuna Road Improvements,
in which DPW will measure the success by having one hundred percent (100%) plans,
specifications, and engineering estimates to bid construction phase by May 2017. The third
project is Po`ipii Road Improvements, to which DPW will measure the success by identifying
phased work components, meet the seventy-five percent (75%) planned specifications and
estimates by the end of Fiscal Year 2017. The fourth project is Puhi Road Improvements for
Phase I, to which DPW will measure the success by having the construction complete by the
end of 2017. The fifth project is Sheltered Bus Stop Improvements Phase II, to which DPW
will measure the success by having the construction complete by the end of Fiscal Year 2017.
The sixth project is the new landfill, to which DPW will measure the success by having the
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Environmental Impact Statement phase, Traffic and Road Engineering Feasibility
Study (TRFRFS), and the Wildlife Management Plan (WLMP) complete by the end of 2017.
Goal#3 is to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the public, in which the objective
is to support the needs of the DPW delivery of health of programs for health and safety for
our employees. How are we measuring that? We are measuring that by ensuring adherence
of the countywide safety program. The outcome that we are seeking is no adverse activities,
and actively participate in the countywide safety committee, which I believe you will be
learning more about in the Department of Human Resources (HR) presentation. The second
objective is to support the needs of DPW delivery of the programs for health and safety to the
public. How are we measuring that? We will ensure compliance of all regulatory agency
requirements that are state and federal, and the outcome of this objective is to not have any
adverse activities, ensure compliance of all county ordinances, and meet all the regulatory
needs of our County. So that is just a quick overview of the entire DPW, each division will
have their own detailed presentations. Just a quick summary on the comparison between
the Fiscal Year 2016 and Fiscal Year 2017 operating budgets, I believe we are presenting a
pretty flat budget, a three percent(3%)increase is mainly as a result of the salary and wages
for the covered employees. I will open up to questions and we can go through the line items
in the Administration budget, if you would like to proceed that way.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We will start with any questions on the
presentation, but let us have them focused on the Administration side. Then as we go
through the other divisions, we can ask the questions in those sections. Do we have any
questions on the presentation? Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Good morning, Lyle.
Mr. Tabata: Good morning.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you very much for an excellent
presentation. I am especially impressed by your goals and objectives, success measurements,
and outcomes because it really begins to lay out what your department is trying to do, and
commendation on especially Goal #1 to try to be proactive about citizen complaints. My
question is with respect to Goal#3: ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the public. I am
imagining that timely maintenance of our systems would be under that category, and so what
comes to mind is our roads backlog. I am guessing that without the revenues to get rid of
that backlog, we will not be able to catch-up.
Mr. Tabata: Yes. Just in general, we put together the original
half percent (0.5%) General Excise Tax (GET) plan, which was going to allow us to touch
pretty much every single road within a ten (10) year period. I believe we were going to
complete it within eight(8)years, and then we would begin an ongoing maintenance program.
After we had the discussion of the one-quarter percent (0.25%), I had the roads people go
back and reevaluate. They are still working on trying to give me a date of when they feel we
can get to that same point of touching every road, meaning perform some sort of maintenance
on it, and then have an ongoing cycle of how we are going to maintain it and keep the roads
effectively usable.
Councilmember Yukimura: I appreciate all of the work, and I am thinking
that...I mean, I have already raised the issue about the appropriateness of using an excise
tax for road repair. I hope the Administration is looking for other sources of money for that
particular thing. Because the backlog is so big, I think it would be very difficult, as I believe
you explained it during the discussion on it, to actually catch up.
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Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: Because it is like a loan that if you are just paying
interest on, you are never going to get to pay the loan off.
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: I am hoping that just like the Council has asked
for you to find alternative sources for salary funding, that the Administration will look for
other sources as well. Then, I am really concerned about the Wastewater Division. I think I
brought it up last budget, and I do not have an overall view of the system, but I am aware
that when I was Mayor, we installed the sewers in Kapa'a Town, which have served us well
and allowed Kapa`a Town to really prosper because on cesspools, those restaurants and other
places could have never happened. I am concerned now that it is over twenty (20) years, and
I am hoping that there is a replacement plan or a maintenance plan that is addressing that,
and I am not as familiar. I think Hanapepe we also did, I am not real clear. But just like
you folks have taken an evaluation of the roads system, which I really appreciate and I feel
that you are really beginning to engage in best practices in roads, I am just wondering about
the state of sewers, and if you want to address that when we get to sewers...
Mr. Tabata: When we get to sewers, but in general, like I
mentioned in the summary, we are starting with the evaluation of the Hanama`ulu and
`Ele`ele collection systems. Ed can go a little deeper into that and the future plans, but we
have purchased new equipment and we have ongoing maintenance programs that the
Wastewater Division employs. I believe Ed can go into more detail.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, I will wait for that.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you. Good morning. Thank you for the
presentation.
Mr. Tabata: Good morning.
Councilmember Chock: I really appreciate the goals that you folks have
outlined here in the administration. I just had a question about Goal#1. I see that the goal
is to reduce citizen complaints to focus on proactive activities. I was wondering how you came
up with the number of meetings or media relations as a success measurement.
Mr. Tabata: I feel that the more we can get out to the
community and ensure that I sent out timely notices, and by doing that we have in relation
to the notices, the amount of projects that we bring forward to be able to educate the
community. The outcome would be that we get the community educated and when we bring
the projects forward, we do not have an uproar from the community saying "why are you
doing this, this, and that, and it is not what we are asking for." I am going to tell you that
every meeting that I have attended, what we have delivered is what they asked for, but of
course, we never ever reach everybody.
Councilmember Chock: Yes.
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Mr. Tabata: We have to do a better job and better outreach
getting to more of the community to attend meetings, and it is possible that we are not having
it at the right time of day.
Councilmember Chock: I see. Yes, definitely the timing.
Mr. Tabata: I am saying that if I can get these numbers
matching the projects we have or say we are going do maintenance in an area, we make sure
we alert the public ahead earlier enough.
Councilmember Chock: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: Of course many times we get emergencies and
things comes out today for something that is happening right now.
Councilmember Chock: Right. At these meetings that we hold, do we have
any evaluative process for community engagement to occur? I know a lot of it is educating
and then hearing from them, but do we take any specific evaluation from them?
Mr. Tabata: Yes. Many of them are consultant driven and we
are there to support the consultants. So they are there making the presentation to the
community and we are there to answer any questions along with them. They take the
meeting notes and then we compile the questions and the responses. I believe many times
we get the responses back to the individuals who say they would like a response from us.
Councilmember Chock: Okay. Good. I think when I read it, I was just
thinking about it from the perspective of a potential opportunity of the success measurement
being if our goal is to reduce the complaints, to measure how well that complaint is being
addressed. That would seem, to me, the direct outcome we are looking for, so that was why
I was questioning it. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Lyle on that, as Councilmember Chock is
suggesting, one way to address complaints is how many were resolved and how many were
resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant. Timely response is there already, number 3,
and that is very good; respond within a certain time period and then if you cannot, let them
know how long it will take to give a response. That is really good. You may want to measure
how many were actually resolved, but then you have to define that.
Mr. Tabata: Okay, I have taken note of that. Thank you.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: That is something good to measure. Some of the
things that we have already employed since I have taken the steer of the ship, especially for
the regulatory side, is to bring the people who are violating in and thoroughly have them
understand what our role is, what they are doing wrong, and help work with them to create
timelines of when they are going to complete it versus the improvements versus just issuing
a fine. I believe that should help us be a better member of the community and help our people
versus being punitive.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
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Mr. Tabata: It is just something that I felt I wanted to try from
my side, and let us see the results we get.
Councilmember Yukimura: And that is excellent customer servicing. You are
seeing your customers, one, those who are regulated, and then you are also seeing as your
customers, those citizens who get affected by DPW projects. In fact, you might want to
include in Goal#1 that one of the purposes is to not only to allow you folks to do the work,
but also to increase citizen understanding and support. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I had a follow-up to Goal#1 that we are trying to
respond to citizen complaints. The number one citizen complaint by far for me is why have
we shortened the hours of throwing away trash at refuse stations from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.?
How did we respond to that one, because that one still lingers every time I throw rubbish or
every time I am walking around, I have to hear"when are you folks going to extend the hours
back to how it used to be for thirty(30)years or whatever, from whatever to 5:00 p.m.?" With
that complaint, do we tell them "Sorry, we cannot help with you that complaint," and then
pau?
Mr. Tabata: No. I believe three (3) years ago, we embarked on
cost-cutting initiatives of which a major one was overtime. I believe I brought forward our
reduction in overtime costs from over $800,000 close to $900,000 down to now in Solid Waste
is now about $200,000. That was a major reduction, ten (10) hours a day is overtime. So
keeping it at eight(8)hours as straight time, and that was a major component of the savings.
Getting to eight (8) hours, I believe, was a key element of the cost savings that we did obtain.
Councilmember Kagawa: But it is still eight (8) hours if we are open from
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., right?
Mr. Tabata: I believe...
Councilmember Kagawa: Instead of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., we go 7:00 a.m. .
to 3:00 p.m. You do the math, and it is still the same hours, right?
Mr. Tabata: So that part of the change was to align ourselves
closer with some of the county operations that would have incurred overtime. It was looking
at the big picture that ended up to the place that we ended up at. We had to look at the global
aspect of just the community, but then we also have to run the operations of the county and
with all of that in mind, the decision was made to that time.
Councilmember Kagawa: The complaints from the public though is that you
forced them to either go with automated, you either take smaller can, the regular sized can,
or you just pay the minimal fee a month, twelve dollars ($12), and you go throw your rubbish
at your own convenience. For the public who is paying for that service through property
taxes, they are saying, "Well, why can we not just keep the old hours? Why are you making
it hard for us to throw away rubbish when we do not finish work before 3:00 p.m.?"
Sometimes we have to operate like a business. We cannot operate on convenience or
overtime, right? It is when the public can throw away rubbish, which is a problem if it stays
and gets maggots and flies at their homes, and then you have neighborly disputes. I am
thinking that it is a large public complaint and what can we do? Can we just say in this case,
even though it is a tough complaint, forget about it because we are not going there? Is that
the response?
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Mr. Tabata: No, we have the opposite of that. The people who
were affected by us opening later came to us and said they wanted it earlier. I mean, there
are two (2) sides to every coin, so I believe that as many as you had that complained against,
we had also as many against because they wanted it earlier.
Councilmember Kagawa: Well, the public is watching. You call DPW and
you tell me which coin you like because I am hearing the other coin a lot more.
Mr. Tabata: Okay.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: First a follow-up. Do we know whether people
have been adjusting or whether the level of complaints have gone down?
Mr. Tabata: Maybe Solid Waste can explain that when they
get over here. I myself directly, I do not have that information right now, and I will make
sure in the break, that they come with whatever they have. But we do know that complaints
have dropped, and like Councilmember Kagawa says, maybe they just gave up. I am not
sure.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. Actually by cutting overtime, I think you
were acting like a business operation.
Mr. Tabata: Thank you.
Councilmember Yukimura: I am hopeful that people have adjusted. I mean,
if it is just so they do not have to have a cart and do not have to pay, all of us have to pay in
one way or another, but we have a stake in keeping operations efficient.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: My question on another subject is about your
operating budget discussion where you...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have a follow-up from Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay sure.
Councilmember Kagawa: My follow-up is that if we are operating like a
business, when we went to automated we freed up many positions that no longer had to ride
on the truck. So if you are operating like a business, one would think you would operate more
to the needs of the public rather than to yourself. You get more workers freed up because of
the lack of needing them on the automated truck, yet you cut the hours to your convenience.
How is that like a business?
Councilmember Yukimura: It is a balance.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I do not want to go back and forth. Let us direct
the questions...
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Mr. Tabata: Can we direct that in Solid Waste?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Let us direct the questions...
Mr. Tabata: Can we bring that up in Solid Waste?
Councilmember Kagawa: We can, but I am going answer when she
contradicts me because I am saying that there are two (2) sides of a coin to operating like a
business as well.
Councilmember Yukimura: I agree.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura, next question.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you. You show that there was an increase
in salary and wages, and a reduction in operating costs, and that the reduction in operating
costs came from reductions in travel.
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: Department employee costs for employment
testing and safety equipment. My question is that in line with best practices, because if it is
reduced just so that your budget does not show an increase is one thing. If it is reduced
because you actually found some waste, or "fat," or whatever, or another way to do things
under the line item of travel or employee costs for employment testing or safety equipment,
then that is alright. But if it is just deferring the cost to the next year, or the following year,
the following year, that is not a true savings nor a true picture of good practices.
Mr. Tabata: You are right. The employment testing is being
moved to HR. It will be housed there, and they will control the entire County's
pre-employment testing in one (1) bucket so they can keep better control of that.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is good.
Mr. Tabata: Safety equipment, you are right, we found some
fat and so we reduced accordingly. The travel is only me now, and so we were able to pretty
much reduce part of our Administration travel. Every division has their own travel budget,
so in Administration, we reduced accordingly.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: So that was the majority of our operating
reduction.
Councilmember Yukimura: As long as in reducing travel you were not
negatively affecting your goals and objectives, because I remember in the Housing Agency
when the travel budget was reduced, it did not allow the Housing Agency to go and lobby for
very key pieces of legislation that affected us and actually caused us more costs in the long
run. Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: Thank you.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions from the Members? I have
a quick question, and it might be better for the Roads Division, but accomplishing the goal of
maintaining levee compliance that permits participation in the National Flood Insurance
Program. What are benefits of that?
Mr. Tabata: I do not have that specifically with me.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: If not, I can direct it towards the Roads Division.
Mr. Tabata: There is a process by which people who have flood
insurance get a discount if we keep the levee in compliance, exactly what that is, I cannot
answer it. I believe part of that answer will not be answered because we are still working
with the Army Corps of Engineering on the new flood maps. There are several parts to it,
one part is keeping the levee in compliance, so the roads maintenance part is one part and
then there is the engineering half.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any further questions on the presentation
for the Administration or Fiscal? Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you have the Deputy County Engineer position
or is that your position?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: With hopefully some kind of compensation. So it
is the County Engineer's position that is empty right now?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: But the budget is remaining there because the
Administration is looking for a County Engineer?
Mr. Tabata: If somebody does, we need to keep it as funded.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: But the intent is for me to finish the term.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Alright, thank you very much.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions on the presentation? If
not...
Council Chair Rapozo: Let me just follow-up on that question.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: So the intention of the Administration is to not
recruit for a new engineer?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
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Mr. Tabata: I will finish the term with Mayor Carvalho.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. I apologize, are you sitting as the Deputy?
Mr. Tabata: Because I do not have my Professional Engineer
license, I can only be "acting." I am sitting as the Acting County Engineer, and the Deputy
position, which is my position, needs to still be...
Council Chair Rapozo: But we do not have to fund both positions, right?
Mr. Tabata: That is a question for the Department of Finance.
Council Chair Rapozo: We can ask that. I mean, I do not know why we
would do that. But we will just ask that when Department of Finance comes up. We will
send it over because that makes no sense, funding two (2) positions with the intent of not
filling one (1) of them. That makes no sense. We will follow-up with the Department of
Finance. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I just want to state for the record, and I want to
praise Lyle, that having a license does not mean that the engineer is a good engineer. I am
glad that Lyle has stepped up for the position and having a license does not mean that the
person is good. I am glad that Lyle can run this large department with his experience and
knowledge. Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: That is a good question that we will have to
answer regarding are we going to continue to fund both positions, the county engineer and
the deputy county engineer, if there is no intent looking for a county engineer?
Council Chair Rapozo: I guess...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Or if we have an answer...
Council Chair Rapozo: I know we have done it. I am trying to think
where we have done it. We have done it where you had a salary adjustment line that would
basically fund the difference, whatever the difference would be, would go to that funding line.
The county engineer position, at this point, should be dollar-funded.
NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Managing Director: Nadine Nakamura,
Managing Director. Thank you for asking these important questions. We did fund both
positions, and as Lyle said, the intent because there is two and a half(21/4) years left in the
Mayor's term and just basically there is a shortage of engineers on-island and there is no
future job security, that there are some questions as to whether we can fill that position. But
we do realize that running this large department does require two (2) positions, so we would
like to have some flexibility in figuring that out because Lyle does not have the licensing
requirement set by the Charter, but we feel like as Councilmember Kagawa said, that Lyle
possesses the skills to do the job, to run the department, and that we want to find some ways
to help Lyle be successful in running the department. So we have put the funding in there
for the director, and the reason why Keith is here is because we would like to have Keith step
up and take a more hands-on management role to assist Lyle in this department, but we are
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still trying to figure out how to make that work. So we do want to have some flexibility to
try to make that happen.
Council Chair Rapozo: Why would that not be in your presentation? I tell
you, every year we go through this because we get surprised midterm. That is what I think
what we get upset about. You cannot have it all. If that is your plan, then tell us the plan,
but we still have to dollar-fund the position. If you do not have a licensed engineer, that
position cannot be filled. That is not our call, that is the law. So you dollar-fund that and
then you come and you tell us"we are thinking about creating another position to help Lyle,"
that is how it should be done, not wait until the budget passes, keep the money in the
engineer where you know you are not going fill, then after the budget is pau, do it, and then
we find out later. That is not how we do it.
Ms. Nakamura: No. We do not have anything definitive to share
with you that this is the plan.
Council Chair Rapozo: I understand, Nadine,but what you just explained
is not something that you just made up. It sounds like you folks have put some thought in
this, and I do not think anybody here is going to argue with that, but my God, let us know.
We know one (1) thing, we cannot fund or I am not going to support funding of the County
Engineer if we have no intent of filling it. But I do not have a problem funding another
position to have that second body. I do not think anybody would oppose that either, but tell
us in the budget. That is why we talk about these things.
Ms. Nakamura: Yes, and unfortunately we just have not figured
out what position we want to reallocate in order to fulfill that function, so I apologize for that.
Council Chair Rapozo: No. This is our opportunity, so we do not get
surprised and we do not get caught three (3) months from now. "What happened? Did you
just hear what they did, huh?" That is all this. This is the opportunity for that, so thank
you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are all of the positions listed here filled at the
present time?
Mr. Matsushige: Except for the Payroll Specialist in the fiscal
office.
Mr. Tabata: We are presently recruiting for the Payroll
Specialist.
Councilmember Yukimura: I do not see...
Mr. Matsushige: On page 151.
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, I see. Okay.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Committee Chair, are we moving on?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Wait, we are still on...
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Councilmember Yukimura: That is under...
Mr. Tabata: Fiscal is part of the Administration.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, your Administration is divided into two (2)
lists, right?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: One (1) on page 148.
Mr. Tabata: The line item in budget, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. So are you recruiting for your Fiscal
Specialist?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Matsushige: Payroll Specialist.
Councilmember Yukimura: Payroll Specialist.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Are we on Administration or are we on Fiscal?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We have Administration and Fiscal together, but
let us stick to Administration first.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Councilmember Kuali`i: There are two (2) separate reports.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions on the Administration line
items? Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: My question is with regards to the Private
Secretary, the budget that is showing includes some kind of increase. What is the salary for
E-25 Private Secretary S-20 showing as $70,158? How much of an increase is that from last
year's budget, and did it happen to have more than one (1) increase in the last fiscal year?
Mr. Matsushige: It is the same as last year's budget. I think the
increase already happened, her step movement, according to the Collective Bargaining
Agreement Unit 3.
Councilmember Kuali`i: But this is not a collective bargaining unit
position, correct?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The "E" means appointed?
Mr. Matsushige: She is excluded, but she is a Unit 3. The private
secretary is part of the...
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Councilmember Kuali`i: But $70,158, it is over a year now? It is the same
as last year's budget is what it is?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, I think she got it this year, so it is going to
carry over to next year.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. I am also already submitting a question to
HR on all of the positions that are in this category, but that is the same from the last year is
what you are saying. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Administration line
items? If not, we are going to move on.
Mr. Matsushige: Excuse me, let me correct that again. I was
looking at the wrong worksheet. It did increase by $5,000, sorry.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So, yes...
Mr. Matsushige: She may be getting another across the board or
something. I am not really sure what the Unit 3 agreement is for next year.
Councilmember Kuali`i: There was an increase or it is proposed budgeted
to have an increase?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are going to move on to Fiscal. Do we have
any questions for Fiscal?
Mr. Tabata: The Payroll Specialist was downgraded to an
entry level position from last year reducing that cost.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Again just to confirm all of the salaries, increases
were due to collective bargaining?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any further questions for Fiscal? We are
going move on to the Building Division. We are done with Administration and Fiscal. Doug.
Next on the list is the Building Division, which is on page 8 in the presentation. We are
skipping the Engineering Division until the end. Okay, Doug or Lyle.
Mr. Tabata: The mission for the Building Division is
responsible for code enforcement and facility development. The building maintenance and
janitorial services, as I mentioned, are being transferred to the DPR. All of the programs are
responsible for providing the people of Kaua`i with safely constructed public and private
facilities.
Successes include the completion of the Hardy Street Improvement Project,
completion of Pono Kai Seawall, and building permit system improvements to the electronic
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plan review in partnership with the Department of Finance, Information Technology (IT)
Division.
Challenges, as I mentioned earlier in my summary, is filling the vacant positions in a
timely fashion due to lack of qualified applicants; managing multiple projects with minimal
staff; and getting one hundred percent (100%)...we are trying to get to one hundred
percent (100%) electronic plan review.
The goals and objectives are to ensure the minimum construction standards contained
within the Kaua`i County Code and reference building trade codes are adhered to; continually
update the Kauai County Code to meet current building industry codes, which reflect the
latest industry standards and changing technologies; provide effective training and adequate
staffing to increase the efficiency of services to the public in the review, issuance, and
enforcement of building, electrical, plumbing, and sign permits; improve the implementation
of electronic building permit applications; complete conversion from paper plans to one
hundred percent (100%) electronic plans for building permits; complete construction of the
Moana Kai Seawall repairs, which is presently under construction; complete the design of
the Pi`ikoi Building renovations providing new offices for the Planning Department, DPR,
Victim Witness Office, and Liquor Control; and ongoing development of Ke Ala Hele Makalae
bike and pedestrian path. The priority right now is the Kawaihau elevated board work and
the Lydgate-Kapa`a bike pedestrian path Phase C and D. Phase C and D is from Papaloa to
the Bull Shed Restaurant. As you noticed, Doug's budget was significantly reduced because
of the removal of the maintenance functions, and the majority of the increase has been the
wages, salaries, and benefits that reflects the six point four percent (6.4%) increase. We will
open up for discussion now.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: Chair, I do not know if we are going have this
discussion on the green box transfer now, but I just wanted to hear more details on the
implication of the transfer from a fiscal standpoint. While I understand it is has changed, I
am thinking about things like grant transfers and so forth, as well as personnel needs and
how that would affect our business.
Mr. Tabata: I do not think that any grants are involved, and
Doug can correct me if I am wrong. It is just the maintenance functions and the personnel
that are moving to the DPR as well as their maintenance budget.
Councilmember Chock: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: Majority of the work that is funded for the parks
improvements were funded through their own funds, so the major improvements that they
were making are either CIP or they are specific park funds.
Councilmember Chock: Okay. I am under the impression you folks are
happy about the transfer, supportive, and that it will not affect the work that you folks have
already committed to in the past.
DOUGLAS HAIGH, Chief of The Building Division: I can address a little
bit on that. Doug Haigh, DPW, Building Division. The CIP projects, the major facility
development projects, are staying with the Building Division. It is still managed by the
Building Division. The maintenance type of projects, which includes significant projects, are
moving over with the budget, and the personnel that was managing those projects is going
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over with them, and that also includes the contracts for maintenance of our elevators and our
air conditioning systems. All of that is going over to the DPR, but the position that has been
managing those projects is also going over. So from a standpoint of dividing the fiscal with
the people, that is how it is occurring.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Follow-up question, Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: How much operating money is being transferred
to the DPR?
Mr. Tabata: Approximately $3,200,000.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, and...
Mr. Tabata: I am sorry that was last year's budget. I do not
have a line item anymore because it got transferred to them.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: And it is building repair and janitorial.
Mr. Tabata: I believe it is really close. I am sorry?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Building repair and janitorial.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, building repair and maintenance.
Mr. Haigh: I think I can get you that number. Do you have it,
James?
Mr. Matsushige: No.
Mr. Haigh: Okay.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, okay. If you can provide it.
Mr. Haigh: For the maintenance side, it is approximately
$1,300,000, and then I think janitorial is also separate.
Councilmember Yukimura: $1,300,000 was for what?
Mr. Haigh: Okay, building repair and maintenance is around
$2,700,000, oh wait, it is up to $4,000,000, was the Mayor's request.
Mr. Matsushige: Actually, this is...
Mr. Haigh: I think it would be better to redo that with the
DPR.
Mr. Matsushige: Ask the DPR. It has changed since we submitted
it to the Administration.
Mr. Haigh: Yes.
Mr. Matsushige: So I am not sure what exactly was transferred.
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Councilmember Yukimura: It has grown bigger?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We will get that answered.
Mr. Matsushige: It is being transferred and it is not in ours.
Mr. Tabata: Because they merged projects that DPW and the
DPR had. I believe they merged it.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. What the Building Division are not the
DPR the Building Division? Do you have an inventory of that?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct. All your fire and police stations,
Lihu`e Civic Center, and that is it.
Mr. Tabata: This building.
Councilmember Yukimura: How about Historic County Building?
Mr. Haigh: Yes, the Historic County Building, I am sorry. To
me, that is part of the Lihu`e Civic Center.
•
Mr. Tabata: Transportation.
Councilmember Yukimura: Sewers?
Mr. Haigh: Transportation is still separate, and housing still
a has separate inventory.
Councilmember Yukimura: And what about...
Mr. Tabata: The wastewater treatment plants. We do much of
the maintenance ourselves, but they do some, and so they will still be responding too.
Councilmember Yukimura: Wastewater treatment...
Mr. Tabata: Solid waste, our transfer stations, and the
resource facility at Lihu`e Refuse Transfer Station.
Councilmember Yukimura: Solid waste facilities?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: So those are all non-parks?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: That are now going to the DPR?
Mr. Haigh: Well, they are not going to the Department of
Parks and Recreation, but the DPR will be responsible for providing maintenance support.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Right. So if DPR cannot even do its own
maintenance, which has been a major area of public criticism, why are we putting all of these
from the Building Division under them?
Mr. Haigh: I believe DPR could best answer that question.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, I would like the Administration to answer
that question.
Mr. Tabata: In the past, DPW was responsible for all of the
maintenance.
Councilmember Yukimura: It makes sense, DPW.
Mr. Tabata: When the DPR was created as its own
department, the original intent was to move the maintenance with them.
Councilmember Yukimura: What maintenance, every maintenance?
Mr. Tabata: All of the building and janitorial maintenance.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, who created that intent?
Mr. Tabata: That is what was...
Councilmember Yukimura: I mean, we have go back to the first issue of
whether that is the best way to organize this County's repair and maintenance.
Mr. Tabata: Okay. What I mentioned upfront was if we were
to split the maintenance between DPR facilities and just straight non-DPR facilities, we
would have to create a whole other management entity.
Councilmember Yukimura: I do not agree with that.
Mr. Tabata: I believe we cannot afford that.
Councilmember Yukimura: I agree.
Mr. Tabata: So it was moved entirely with their management.
Councilmember Yukimura: But why not move all of DPR under DPW since
DPW is in charge of building repair and maintenance, and keep one (1) administrative body?
Why put it under DPR, especially because they do not have the legacy of taking care of the
Building Division and facilities, and they have not been...I mean, I think nobody will deny
that we have been getting a lot of complaints and issues about DPR maintenance.
Mr. Tabata: I believe that even though we did make some
improvements, the same people who did the maintenance came from DPW...
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, what about the Mayor's...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura...
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Councilmember Yukimura: I am sorry.
Mr. Tabata: ...one hundred percent(100%) under DPR control.
Councilmember Yukimura: I would be for it if I could be assured that it is a
good and proper way to handle repair and maintenance in this County, and I have heard the
Mayor say that we work across departments. So what is the problem with DPR working with
DPW to get their the Building Division repaired? I mean, to me that makes more sense just
because DPW has a broader mandate than DPR. I am concerned that if it is in DPR, the
other non-DPR the Building Division might not get the kind of maintenance it needs,
especially because DPR has not shown itself able to even take care of its own in working with
the Building Division. I am not saying that DPR should have their own administration, but
have a system that refers it to the Building Division and gets it made, so I am wondering why
that system was not considered or was it?
Mr. Tabata: At this point in time, I am inclined to support the
change, and we will still be available if needed to assist them. But I believe we completed
what was initially in the program back in 2008.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, but nobody has really told me that back in
2008 it was a very well-based decision, and I would not want to implement something that is
not well based.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Nadine, do you have clarification?
Ms. Nakamura: I just want to sort of echo what Lyle just said, that
this is based on a plan that was established a while back, and it is implementing that portion
that never got implemented. You may have questions about whether that was a good plan
in the first place, and I think everybody is saying that the maintenance and the function
should remain together. It is what department should it be placed in, and it has in the past
been in DPW, that is the historical place for this to be. The Mayor feels very strongly that
because at one point a lot of maintenance requests were all DPR related and that part of the
reason for not being able to address the concerns in the parks was just not having the bodies,
the control over how that work is being done. So this is an attempt to finish up a portion that
was never completed previously and to carry on that function.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, when you are embarking on such a big
transfer you need to see whether that decision made long ago was really in fact the best
decision rather than just follow it because it was made long ago. I have not seen the evidence
that that is the best system. You said "at the time of the initial change eighty percent (80%)
of work orders were generated by DPR," well, what is the percentage now?
Mr. Tabata: It is between fifty-five percent (55%) and sixty
percent (60%).
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so it is half and half, and you are going to
put half of the work that is not DPR related into DPR. I really question whether that is the
best way to go.
Ms. Nakamura: The personnel will move along with the function.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: It is basically...
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Councilmember Yukimura: But there is an issue of management and who is
going to manage, and we cannot even manage the parks system that exists.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Got it. We have a follow-up question. I think in
general, the basic question is why move it into DPR or why move it into DPW? What is the
decision? I think the overall decision was to consolidate all the maintenance. If DPR has a
maintenance question, you ask the same people or if DPW has a maintenance question, but
I think right now we are getting into the conversation why DPR versus DPW, and we will try
to get that answered later. Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I am kind of in agreement with Councilmember
Yukimura on just taking it slow and understanding it before we make such a drastic change
because all of these years it is been under the Building Division, the maintenance, repair,
and janitorial. What about, for example, this empty building where we have the homeless
sleeping by the entrance? That building, if we wanted to move forward and turn it into offices
and whatnot, who would be in charge of that? Would it be you, Doug?
Mr. Haigh: As I had mentioned, the Building Division will
maintain the responsibility for the CIP building projects. Actually, it is a project we are
currently working on.
Councilmember Kagawa: But once everything is installed, contracted out,
contractor does all the work, and light bulbs need to be replaced and whatnot, you would need
to ask DPR?
Mr. Haigh: Yes. After the one (1) year warranty period, then
DPR would be responsible for maintenance of the building.
Councilmember Kagawa: It is just like we are doing the same thing, but it
is just that we are moving it from the Building Division into DPR. Is that basically what it
is?
Mr. Haigh: Correct, and the personnel that is managing the
maintenance operation are also moving.
Councilmember Kagawa: Were you not part of the management?
Mr. Haigh: Well, I was overviewing the management and
there has been a partnership there. I would still be available to help out, but I would not be
directly responsible, so I would not be getting the calls on the weekends and after-hours on
"this is not working, we have to get it fixed."
Councilmember Kagawa: How much of your time would you say went to that
side?
Mr. Haigh: Well, I have been spending probably thirty
percent (30%) of my time on maintenance issues and a lot of it is personnel issues.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay, so not so much like management and what
to do next and how to proceed with fixing the problem?
Mr. Haigh: I prefer to delegate as much as I can because that
is what I have been doing, so I have tried to delegate.
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Councilmember Kagawa: So two (2) of your managers are going to move?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: The top-level?
Mr. Haigh: The building manager and then the maintenance
supervisor.
Councilmember Kagawa: Would it not be like, I think Councilmember
Yukimura mentioned it, cleaner because the voters said "let us have a DPR and let us have
DPR take care of everything relating to parks." Would it not be more, I guess, clearer as far
as management to separate and say well, if you have forty percent (40%) of the fixes under
the Building Division that are not related to DPR and keep forty percent (40%) of the
personnel under you and maybe keep one (1) of the managers, and then let the other sixty
percent (60%) go with one (1) of the managers to split it so that way it is really clear. Right
now, we are placing a lot of confidence in the DPR and he may be able do it. But when a new
administration comes in, is the new mayor going to say, "Okay, let us switch it back?" I think
we have to try and make sustainable decisions, and this is a huge switch. That is why I feel
kind of like Councilmember Yukimura. It is like, okay, let us walk down slowly. Let us do it
right, instead of"ready-fire-aim."
Mr. Haigh: If the funding was available, that would make
sense, but you do end up getting duplicate position because by union agreement, we are going
need to have supervisors over our personnel. So say you split the janitorial apart, now you
need supervisors on both sides, and once you split the mason personnel apart, then you need
supervisors on both sides. So the upper management positions may be able to stay the same,
but then once you get into the actual workforce, all of a sudden you are going to have to create
some duplicate positions.
Councilmember Kagawa: Doug, sorry for cutting you off. I did not mean to
do that. Say you have four (4) electricians total, and you say, "Well forty percent (40%), but
I cannot split four (4) into forty percent (40%), so I will say two (2) and two (2)." For staff of
two (2), do you need one (1) to be a manager?
Mr. Haigh: I would think you need a Supervising Electrician.
Councilmember Kagawa: Oh, my goodness. You would think that when it
is just that small, it can just be like a partnership. To have a manager managing one (1) and
for even the unions to demand that just seems pretty outrageous.
Mr. Tabata: That is why I made the statement that the
management structure...
Councilmember Kagawa: I understand.
Mr. Tabata: ...that would not be re-duplicated. We are going
to do our darndest to work with DPR to make sure this works. We are not just saying"Here
it is to you and we are going to turn our backs and walk away." We are not going do that.
Councilmember Kagawa: Understood. It is just concept of us are saying we
are going make this big change, but the change is just basically re-switching the whole thing
to the other side.
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Mr. Haigh: Another comment on that, when you split them
into smaller crews absenteeism, injuries, and retirements get very complicated because you
do not have the backup. Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) has been
asking us "can you loan us your electrician to do work because our person is out and we only
have one (1) person?"
Councilmember Kagawa: I understand.
Mr. Haigh: So that is an issue that becomes even more
complicating. We have our challenges as it is with the size of our crews on absenteeism,
retirement, injury, and maintaining a working crew with those issues. One of our biggest
challenges has been maintaining our crew size, plumber and electricians in particular, has
been a challenge the last several years. So that is one of the disadvantages of going smaller
split crews.
Councilmember Kagawa: I kind of stated that before that it is difficult to
compete with the private sector for plumbers and electricians. But you are saying the
absenteeism becomes a huge problem goes from four (4) to two (2)?
Mr. Haigh: Absolutely, because if you lose one(1),you are half
and some jobs you need two (2) people.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Mr. Haigh: If you get both people out, you do not have
anybody, so if you have emergencies or whatever, you are really stuck. Of course we would
try to borrow.
Councilmember Kagawa: What is the cost to switch it? I mean, I know you
folks are saying ask DPR, but what is the next effect, cost increase to make this big switch or
is it just a wash?
Mr. Tabata: We created the budget, actually, and it just got
moved over.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay, alright.
Mr. Tabata: There is no increase in costs. Part of the synergies
I see is they have a larger maintenance workforce that they can combine and utilize because
they had a group that was maintaining some of the facilities and grounds, and when they
created DPR alone, that was a large segment that was removed from DPW. I believe moving
them and reconnecting will be a positive for the County.
Councilmember Kagawa: Are you talking about the beautification workers?
Mr. Tabata: Groundskeepers. They do some minor repairs.
They have an irrigation crew that also does work. I believe they can work with the plumbers
and synergize.
Councilmember Kagawa: They said that the janitors can unplug the
toilets...not the janitors, but caretakers can sometimes do minor unplugging.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, they have been doing a lot.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Alright. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. In the DPW building inspection
budget in the regular salaries, there is an increase of $105,000. Is that a new position or
where is that from?
Mr. Haigh: That should be just the payroll increase.
Council Chair Rapozo: Payroll?
Mr. Haigh: We have not added any new positions.
Council Chair Rapozo: Is that collective bargaining?
Mr. Haigh: Yes, that would be collective bargaining.
Council Chair Rapozo: $105,000? That is not counting benefits, is that
just straight salaries of$105,000?
Mr. Haigh: I would have to defer to Fiscal. I am not sure.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. So you are saying the transfer of the duties
is just a transfer, so there is no cost implication whatsoever?
Mr. Haigh: As Lyle said, we continued with our normal
budget to the very last minute and after we did our reviews with the Mayor and justified the
maintenance budget, shifted everything over to the maintenance side to DPR.
Council Chair Rapozo: So there is no budget implication whatsoever?
Mr. Haigh: We do not know exactly what they did once it went
over there, that is why I said DPR would best address that because we shifted...
Council Chair Rapozo: Well somebody here needs to be able to answer
that because it does impact your department and it impacts DPR. I just want to know if there
is a fiscal impact in this exchange, because I think that is critical. Now in the transfer, does
all the equipment, lawnmowers, all of those things transfer as well?
Mr. Haigh: Yes, all of the equipment for the maintenance
personnel goes with them and the janitorial.
Council Chair Rapozo: So everything completely moves, so you folks
wash your hands of that part?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct. There is the question of what are
building facilities? I do not know whose asset it would be considered since they are doing the
maintenance, but it is a question that really does not affect the budget so much.
Council Chair Rapozo: No, it affects the budget because if we do not agree
or we think it is not going to work, then we do not approve it.
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Mr. Haigh: Okay.
Council Chair Rapozo: So it does impact it.
Mr. Haigh: Okay.
Council Chair Rapozo: This is where we ask the questions.
Mr. Haigh: I would assume...
Council Chair Rapozo: I do not want to assume.
Mr. Haigh: I cannot answer the question as far as the building
assets, if they are looking at transferring all of the building assets to DPR also.
Council Chair Rapozo: Was the union consulted and agree with this?
How does this work?
Mr. Tabata: It is in process.
Council Chair Rapozo: In process, meaning?
Mr. Tabata: Consultation.
Council Chair Rapozo: And what is their take or position? Is there
something that they are going to oppose or is it something that we are going to have to deal
with?
Mr. Tabata: I cannot answer that right now. Sorry, I cannot
answer that right now.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. When we do a restructuring like this, this
is a major restructuring. What percentage of the Building Division will go across to DPR or
DPW just in employees? Maybe we just have to set up a special meeting in the committee to
have a discussion because I think this is complicated and it is not just switching over. It is
not just as simple.
Mr. Tabata: I had the number and I am sorry, I apologize.
Mr. Matsushige: About forty-eight (48) employees.
•
Council Chair Rapozo: Twenty-eight (28) out of?
Mr. Matsushige: Forty-eight (48).
Council Chair Rapozo: Twenty-eight (28) out of forty-eight (48)?
Mr. Tabata: No, forty-eight (48).
Mr. Matsushige: Forty-eight (48) employees.
Council Chair Rapozo: Out of how many employees?
March 28, 2016
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Mr. Matsushige: About seventy-three (73).
Council Chair Rapozo: Forty-eight (48) out of seventy-three (73), so that
is more than half.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: More than half of the employees are going to go
over to DPR?
Mr. Matsushige: In the Building Division.
Council Chair Rapozo: In the Building Division. So when we do the
restructuring, do we restructure the other position, like for Doug? This is no offense. We
talk about making it a business. When you lose over fifty percent (50%) of the personnel,
how does that affect compensation, job duties, and responsibilities?
Mr. Tabata: Right now, it will remain the same. Doug will be
helping us more with project management.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Council Chair Rapozo: Staff, I would ask that we have a Committee
Meeting agenda item for this item so that we can have the thorough analysis because I am
not sure. I met with Lenny and it sounded smooth and easy, but it is not that simple. It is
not that simple.
Mr. Matsushige: Can I just clarify one (1) question? I was not here
when Council Chair Rapozo asked about the $100,000 increase.
Council Chair Rapozo: Scott just told me. He clarified it for me that
one (1) of the positions was nine (9) month funded.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: And then the rest was collective bargaining.
Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I think the overall question is are there any steps
that are going to prevent it from going through, and then what is the backup plan? Then, we
are going to have to move the budget back into DPW, and I think that would be a good
question in the presentation also. Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I noticed on the vacancies report that there are
seven(7)listed as the Building Division, but when I looked at some of the titles, some of them
are the ones that probably being transferred. Let me just confirm Janitor II, Maintenance
Worker I, and Plumber I will all be transferred from the Building Division to DPR.
Mr. Tabata: Right.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: There are two (2) positions, 1541 and 1856, which
are called Electronic Equipment Repairer, will those stay or go?
Mr. Matsushige: Those would go too.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Those will also go?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So of the seven (7) vacant positions, only two (2)
remaining in the Building Division will be Code Enforcement Officer and Building Permit
Clerk, correct?
Mr. Matsushige: Correct.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Yes. Lyle, originally you talked about the filling of
vacant positions in a timely fashion due to the lack of qualified applicants was a challenge,
and that was your number one bulleted challenge. When you say"filling vacant positions in
a timely fashion," what period do you mean? Do you mean three (3) to six (6) months?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Would that be timely if you could do it in six (6)
months?
Mr. Tabata: If I could, three (3) months. I have seen us fill
positions as short as three (3) months if the people are available and we get through the
on-boarding process.
Councilmember Kuali`i: When you say"due to lack of qualified applicants,"
is it that you are just not getting applicants during recruitment or are you getting applicants
that you have to turn away because they do not meet the standards that you want?
Mr. Tabata: Both.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Both?
Mr. Tabata: There are several positions that we have not been
able to receive any applicants.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So a few of those positions and in fact, three (3) of
them...oh no, one (1) of them you are keeping. A couple of them, like one of the Electronic
Equipment Repairer and the Plumber that is being transferred over, in last vacancy report,
it was dollar-funded. So now we are going to look to DPR to see what their decision is for the
new year?
Mr. Tabata: The Plumber was dollar-funded last year in last
year's budget, and we have had ongoing recruitment.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: In that time, we had another plumber leave and
we filled that position, but we have never been able to get fully...we said that we would come
back to fund it when we did have a candidate ready to go, and that never happened, so we
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did not come back. If somebody would walk in the door tomorrow, fully qualified and hirable,
we would be back in a couple of weeks with a money bill to fund the position. So that was
dollar-funded in last year's budget.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Is that a similar situation for the Electronic
Equipment Repairer because in fact, there are two (2) positions?
Mr. Tabata: Recently, we had an employee retire and then we
had an electrician move over towards the regulatory side in inspection, so that vacancy is
presently being recruited for.
Councilmember Kuali`i: But the vacancy that was dollar-funded this year
is showing vacant as of July 16, 2013, so that is more than two and a half (2%) years. I
wonder how you have been doing the job with the position vacant for two and a half (2%)
years, and if instead of dollar-funded, maybe that was a position that could be eliminated?
Has the vacancy review looked at that?
Mr. Haigh: I was caught a little off-guard here. Which
position are your referring to?
Councilmember Kuali`i: There are two (2) Electronic Equipment Repairer
positions, one is 1541 and the other is 1856, and that throws me off because the numbers are
kind of out of sequence. Is that because that it is a contract position or something different?
Mr. Haigh: I am not sure how Personnel assigns those
numbers.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So one (1) of them has been vacant since
November 2, 2015, so maybe that is the person who just retired a few months ago. The other
one has been vacant since July 16, 2013, so nine hundred seventy-three (973 days), more than
two and a half(2%) years.
Mr. Haigh: That was a position that was dollar-funded. As
part of our challenges of recruitment, we have been looking at an Electrician Helper position.
We have personnel who kind of seem ready to move up through that process and just have
not been able to finalize how we can best do that process. So we do have somebody in-house
who we are trying to promote within, but it is a challenge working out the legalities and
personnel issues to make that happen.
Councilmember Kuali`i: These are positions currently an Electrician
position and you are trying to work on least one (1) of them being an Electrician Helper so
you can have a better chance of recruitment?
Mr. Haigh: Yes. We have somebody who wants to become an
Electrician and he is close. So we are weighing is there a way to bring him in as an Electrician
Helper or can we wait until he is ready to be an electrician? Those are the challenges that
the Building Manager has been working on with Human Resources to figure out the best fit
to make it happen, and it is been complicated, and going on longer than I would have liked,
but it is still being actively pursued.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So all of this now, considering these positions are
transferring over to DPR?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: Are you going to be part of their recruitment? Is
it going to be like now it is their problem? You have been dealing with it and you may be
close to a solution, so how is that going to cross over?
Mr. Haigh: The Building Division Manager is moving over
with, and so the Building Manager has been the one that is actively involved in those details.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Great.
Mr. Haigh: So that should be able to continue.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Now of the seven (7), two (2) remain in the
Building Division. My question on those two(2)positions, one(1)is Code Enforcement Officer
1527, vacant since November 1, 2014, so vacant for over a year, year and a quarter or so.
What is your expectations to fill the Code Enforcement Officer position that has been vacant
for over a year?
Mr. Haigh: This has been a challenge. What we have recently
done working with Personnel, which has taken time, is to upgrade the position in order to be
able to offer a higher salary. I believe we are just about done on the paperwork to make that
happen. Actually, I was at a conference of Hawaii County Building Officials last week and
was talking to some of the personnel in national organizations and the west coast who said
they would be able to help in recruitment because I expressed difficulty in trying to recruit
that position. Our problem is that we have nobody in-house who can qualify, and so it is a
challenge. This next go around, we will have a better chance, I believe, because we will be
able to offer a more competitive salary and I am also going to be working with some of my
colleagues from the Mainland who are ready to kind of help us get the word out.
Councilmember Kuali`i: You have been working with Human Resources
and the thing you are changing is a more competitive salary, but there is no consideration
given to the qualifications of the people in-house? Do we have another one of the sort or is
this the only one?
Mr. Tabata: This is the only position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So we only have one(1)Code Enforcement Officer?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Haigh: Correct.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And yet, that has been a priority of this County for
a few years now as far as all of the outstanding violations, the things that we see on the
websites, and the illegal vacation rentals. So at what point are we, and this is probably the
Administration, the Mayor, and Nadine...
Mr. Tabata: Well, Doug has been filling that role the best he
could under the circumstances, and it is a challenge.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Right.
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Mr. Tabata: We re-described this position a couple of times,
and you cannot just pay the position more. So we had to re-describe it and we modified it a
little bit now requiring the position to either be an architect or an engineer.
Councilmember Kuali`i: In my opinion, just seeing how it has worked in
other counties before, if we are serious about this, we have to get it done and we probably
need even more than one (1) position. I think if you have presented it, you would probably
find support on this Council, but we have to get started. We have to least have the one (1)
position. What is your actual expectation on when you are going to fill it? Is it three (3)
months, six(6) months, or nine (9) months, or"oh my gosh it is so difficult that we may never
fill it this year?"
Mr. Haigh: We are hoping in a month we will be actively
recruiting.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Actively recruiting in a month?
Mr. Haigh: With the new position. I just got an E-mail last
week that I have not had a chance to review yet. I believe everything is in place so that we
can start actively recruiting again. So hopefully within a week or so, and then hopefully
within three (3) months, we will be able to be engaging and interviewing for the position and
hopefully filling.
Councilmember Kuali`i: When you do recruit, based on how the position is
re-described or have been changed, would any of the in-house people qualify?
Mr. Haigh: No.
Councilmember Kuali`i: They still would not qualify?
Mr. Haigh: They still would not qualify. We did not
downgrade the qualifications for the position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. It must be some super-qualifications. The
job description is in line with job description at other counties for code enforcement officers?
Mr. Haigh: Absolutely, yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. The other position then, that is vacant...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: This is a follow-up. I have a clarification. The
code enforcement is for Building Code enforcement, right, it is not for Transient Vacation
Rental (TVR) enforcement? TVR enforcement would be in the Planning Department?
Mr. Tabata: That is the Planning Department.
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So this code enforcement just does building and
electrical?
Mr. Haigh: Building, electrical, plumbing, and sign
ordinance.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Did I hear that you upgraded it to require an
architect's or an engineer's license?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: If you did that and you are having a hard time
recruiting engineers, would you not be able to have a really good retired general contractor
to be able to do that position if they learn about the Code, as I presume an architect or
engineer would have to learn about the Code, too, if they come from another State?
Mr. Haigh: I would not say no since I come from the general
contracting world, but the expertise and the Code issues that get involved tend to be more on
the technical side. At the level of that position when we are talking about new Codes and
working with structural engineers on a proposed amendments to our Codes, having that
expertise on the technical side is an advantage.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, but are you trying to find somebody that
you have had over two (2) years looking for and you have not been able to find, so you are
putting them in a category that you are having a hard time recruiting for a County Engineer
and all of these other positions, too? I am just not sure how it is going to make it easier for
you to recruit. I mean, that was the only way to get the salary higher and you believe
that...but $71,000 for an architect or engineer is not very high at all. Are you not then
excluding some people who might be able to? I was going to ask you on-island, there are some
really skilled retired people, people who have either been here for a long time or who have
come here to retire, and would they not be in this pool of possibility, unless you require
engineering and architects' degrees and then you are cutting them out?
Mr. Tabata: I believe that the intent is for an architect to
apply.
Councilmember Yukimura: Because you think you can recruit an architect
more than you can recruit an engineer now?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, that is the hope.
Councilmember Yukimura: What was the salary before you raised it?
Mr. Tabata: I believe it was in the low $50,000.
Councilmember Kuali`i: $59,000.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Yes, that is pretty ridiculous for the level
of expertise you are looking for. I agree that you would have to raise it, but if by raising it
you are cutting out a group of people that might be able to do the job, then.... is there no other
way to raise the salary level without requiring those credentials of an engineer or an
architect?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Again, I think they are trying their best to find
somebody for the position.
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Councilmember Yukimura: I know. Have you consulted with HR on this? In
the whole world of salary setting, we do not have a thing that says if we have a hard time to
recruit a position that has been open and unable to get for so many years or months, then we
are allowed to increase the salary without increasing the qualification level?
Mr. Haigh: That can be done.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well then why did we not go that route?
Mr. Haigh: We would have to consult with HR and get back to
you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So let us sends a question on that one, because I
do not think they are prepared to answer the question now.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: When was the last time we had a Code
Enforcement Officer?
Mr. Haigh: November 2014.
Council Chair Rapozo: And we have actively recruited with the
newspaper and all of that?
Mr. Haigh: We have, and there have been long periods when
we were not actively recruiting where we were trying to figure out what to do to move
forward.
Council Chair Rapozo: When did we raise the pay?
Mr. Haigh: I forget exactly when we asked HR to do that, but
it was some time ago, and it has taken time to figure out how do it.
Council Chair Rapozo: It has taken time to figure out how do it?
Mr. Haigh: It has taken time to get to where we are today.
Council Chair Rapozo: So you are saying it is still not ready? You said
you got an E-mail, but you have not really read...
Mr. Haigh: Like I said, I got an E-mail last week while I was
at the conference. I have not had a chance to review it in detail. If we are not there, we are
just about there.
Council Chair Rapozo: Has it been three (3) months or six (6) months?
How long has HR had it?
Mr. Haigh: I do not remember exactly
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Council Chair Rapozo: Somebody help me with this. "I do not knows" are
not acceptable for me, it really is not. Does anybody know? It is always an issue. Is it
three (3) months, six (6) months, eight (8) months, ten (10) months, a year, two (2) years, or
five (5) years?
Mr. Tabata: I have to get back to you.
Council Chair Rapozo: Do you folks have someone in mind? I am going
to be blunt, do you have someone in mind and you folks are waiting for somebody to be
qualified so we can hire somebody that we want to hire, is that what you are saying?
Mr. Tabata: No.
Mr. Haigh: I wish we did, but we do not.
Council Chair Rapozo: Mr. Barreira, maybe you can enlighten me
because if you ask me when we put in for an Auditor's position, I did not actually do it, but I
can tell you it was in the last six (6) months or nine (9) months. That is all I am asking.
ERNEST W. BARREIRA, Assistant Chief Procurement Officer/Budget Chief:
Obviously that information can be gotten to you, because whatever the classification
action was made, those were dated properly and is on the record. I cannot speak to the
specific date. I can tell you...
Council Chair Rapozo: I do not expect you to, but I expect these people to.
Mr. Barreira: There are a couple of questions that came up in
terms of the vacancy review to take a look at the position.
Council Chair Rapozo: All I want know is how long has HR been hanging
on to this reclassification?
Mr. Barreira: We can get that information.
Council Chair Rapozo: Well, so can I. I can call them, too. Staff, maybe
we can find out before they do. Thanks.
Mr. Barreira: Chair, one (1) more thing. The question with
regards to the price of the position...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: You have to state your name.
Mr. Barreira: Excuse me. Ernie Barreira, Budgeting and
Procurement Chief. The question with regard to difficultly to fill positions, there was
absolutely a process, but it does not change the requirements for minimum qualifications hat
have to be met.
Council Chair Rapozo: I think we need a caption break anyway. It has
been way over two (2) hours.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: No, we have about twenty (20) more minutes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Doug I think I asked you last time, and I just want
to refresh my memory. You said that since we lost the Code Enforcement Officer, but as far
as processing building, residential, and commercial permits, and we switched to doing it
online, so it is actually improved since that time? Without the Code Enforcement Officer, we
are not experiencing any significant problems with processing permits, questions from the
public, and what have you?
Mr. Haigh: We lost our champion for electronic plan review.
We made adjustments. Actually, the Managing Director personally got involved and took us
through some steps, which really helped us to get improvements to electronic plan review. I
believe we started that last spring and continued through the fall. I think we made some
significant steps at that time, so it has impacted us. I am fortunate our staff is excellent,
committed to doing excellent work, and are working very hard. While I have picked up some
of the Code Enforcement Officer duties, I am getting help on the day-to-day personnel
management side for the code section on that. Also on the violations side, one of our
supervising building inspectors is picking up that work, but then again, we are behind
because we still have our day jobs and the other things that we have to do. So we are
continually pushing for improvements and we are making improvements, but I feel we
certainly would have done much better quicker if we had that position filled, which is a full-
time position.
Councilmember Kagawa: Your number one goal in DPW is to reduce
complaints, are you getting complaints about the delays of processing or getting inspections
done, or what have you, that you can attribute to not having the Code Enforcement Officer?
Mr. Haigh: I cannot put an exact definitive causal
relationship. I do know that we did have challenges. We went through a period on electronic
plan review where we lost that champion who was pushing it and working with the other
agencies, and we fell behind. There was definitely a period there where I started hearing
from outside that they were into the happy with it and that some people were telling them
"just go paper, do not go electronic," and that period, I think, is directly related to losing that
champion. Moving forward on Code adoption,while you are saying ahead of where we should
be, we are really behind on where we should be. We are on our 2006 Code and this is 2016.
Councilmember Kagawa: Yes but the other counties are behind as well,
right?
Mr. Haigh: They have the exact same challenges we have.
They have been going through this personnel issue because they have had a lot of retirements
in their senior personnel.
Councilmember Kagawa: Are saying that it is a statewide problem?
Mr. Haigh: Yes, it is a statewide problem.
Councilmember Kagawa: Of not having the pay be attractive enough for an
architect or whatever to grab that position?
Mr. Haigh: I am not sure exactly what City and County of
Honolulu's issues are on why they have not been able to hire, but I do know that they did
have a lot of their upper level people retire and that has been a challenge.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Can you check with the other counties?
Mr. Haigh: On the pay, yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: No, if they have having problems filling top level
code enforcement officers or whatever, and if they found the solution. She mentioned simply
increasing the pay as a way, but maybe that might not be true. So if you can check with the
other counties if they have had any successes with that kind of method, then perhaps it might
be easier for the Council to agree that that is something that we should try. But I think it
might be deeper than that, that sometimes there is not enough qualified people that live here
that find it attractive to apply. I do not know. It can make $1,000,000, and yes, people will
apply, but is that realistic? It should be under your pay, right? A job under you cannot be
higher than you, right?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The other vacant position is Building Permit
Clerk, and it has been dollar-funded for this past year. I wonder if it is been dollar-funded
prior to that, and the question is do you need this position. What is the workload under
Building Permit Clerk? You have another Building Permit Clerk that, I guess, is occupied.
Mr. Haigh: What we did with this position is we tried to fully
fund it in this budget. We are told that now is not the time yet. We are funding the position
with the Building Permit Revolving Fund, but it is a full-time position, and in the past, it
was fully funded. So we will continue every budgetary period, to ask for full General Fund
funding for this position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Can you repeat what you said about how it is
currently funded?
Mr. Haigh: It is dollar-funded and we are funding it. We have
filled the position, and we are paying it with the Building Permit Revolving Fund. It is a
required full-time position for the department, so we would like to get it general funded when
the budget will allow for that, because by funding it with the Revolving Fund, it does limit
our ability to use the Revolving Fund how it was meant to be used to take care of increases
in building permit volume that are unexpected and to be able to hire people quickly with the
sufficient funds there.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Do you intend for to do for the next budget year?
Mr. Haigh: Until I am retire, I will keep trying every budget.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura, follow-up.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. Thank you. Are you saying that you actually
have a permanent ongoing need for this position?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: What does not get done, or is it harder to recruit
because it is not a civil service position and it is just a temporary position?
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Mr. Haigh: We have been fortunate, we have been getting
really good hires.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Haigh: We have an excellent personnel in that position
now doing a good job, so fortunately on the Building Permit Clerk side, we have been able to
recruit because it is a good-paying position for that type of work.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, good. So the only thing that differs is the
source of the funding?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: The funding is not the ongoing General Fund
funding, but is the Revolving Fund, which is funded through permits?
Mr. Haigh: Fifteen percent (15%) of the building permit fee
goes to the...we call it a "plan review fee," and that money goes into the Building Permit
Revolving Fund. It is fifteen percent (15%) on top of the building permit.
Councilmember Yukimura: And your concern about this is it is using or
depleting that fund so that you might not have it to respond to a rapid increase in building
permits?
Mr. Haigh: Right, and it is also a source of funding for other
county agencies that are in the building permit process. We have funded Planning positions
in the past, we have funded engineering positions in the past with the fund, but now when
we are using it to fund what was previously General Fund, that does restrict our flexibility.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So the purpose of the Building Permit Revolving
Fund is to help the County out during times of high...
Mr. Tabata: It is a flex fund. It allows us to flex and be able to
meet the immediate needs. If you are looking at our budget, we have right now four (4)
positions funded with the Revolving Fund in the Building Division. We have a Plans
Examiner, T-1976, an Assistant Building Inspector, T-1966, and two (2) Building Permit
Clerks.
Councilmember Yukimura: What page is that?
Mr. Haigh: It does not show in the budget. It shows up on our
organizational chart.
Mr. Tabata: On my organizational chart.
Mr. Haigh: The fund was established years ago, and it was
the private sector who strongly supported it because it would allow us to be able to respond
quickly to changes with personnel. I think it has been successful over the years. We have
been able to respond and keep up.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have a follow-up. Does the Revolving Fund
salary expenses show up? Where does it show up in the budget?
Councilmember Yukimura: Nowhere.
Mr. Matsushige: It is not part of the Operating Budget. It is a
separate fund, so it is not on the Operating Budget.
Mr. Haigh: What you see mentioned in the budget is where
each year, Council establishes how many personnel can be hired under the Revolving Fund.
That is an annual budgetary decision made for the Revolving Fund.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Lyle mentioned four (4) positions and two (2) of
the positions were Building Permit Clerks, I think, so are there two(2)other Building Permit
Clerks, because in the budget here, we have: 1437, $36,939 and then we have 1439, the one
we are talking about that is dollar-funded. Is the other one, 1437, $36,939, funded by General
Fund or by this Revolving Fund?
Mr. Tabata: That is General Fund.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Are there two (2) other positions that are funded
by the Revolving Fund?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, T-1984 and T-1981.
Councilmember Kuali`i: T-1981?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Where can we get a report on all of these
temporary or these other positions and how they are funded, and are there any other
positions in this budget other than that one that we have a dollar-fund, that has crossover?
Mr. Tabata: I believe the Department of Finance will have a
summary of all our grant funded positions.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And not only in the actual full salary, it could be
partial salary or it could be overtime. Is there any salary related expenses that crossover
from the General Fund to this Building Permit Revolving Fund?
Mr. Tabata: No, we pay everything from the fund for the
employee.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So those positions you mentioned is fully paid out
of the fund?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: You are just maintaining this dollar position for
the future?
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Mr. Tabata: Instead of General Funding it, we are
utilizing...times are tough, like you folks keep saying.
Councilmember Kuali`i: True.
Mr. Tabata: We are utilizing every avenue of funding available
to us. The Building Revolving Fund is at our disposal, and we are using it to man-up right
now. I have one (1) more position available that I can use that we have not filled, so we have
room for one (1) more temporary Revolving Fund position if the funds are available.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Along the lines of times are tough, we are using
every mechanism available, I think I am just not clear, so I want a "yes" or "no" answer. Is
any overtime for General Fund positions paid by the Revolving Fund?
Mr. Tabata: We have some training expenses that were paid
for out of this fund. I believe we do have some overtime for certain...
Councilmember Kuali`i: For what positions, or maybe you can just
follow-up with a report because this is a lot.
Mr. Haigh: If you read the Ordinance, which establishes the
Revolving Fund, it does provide for payment of overtime because that is another way to
catch-up. We have not had a lot of success in the past of getting our personnel to work
overtime, but we have utilized it. I do not know if this last year so much, but the previous
year, I know some of our plan reviewers were working overtime to allow us to try to stay up
with the flow.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura, follow-up.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. You said that every year the Council
authorizes a certain number of positions to be funded through this Revolving Fund?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Where do we do that?
Mr. Haigh: It is in the budget. I see it in the front of the
budget.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Budget Proviso, Section 12.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We authorized not to exceed eight (8).
Mr. Haigh: I think it has been pretty steady at eight (8) over
the years.
Councilmember Yukimura: Not to exceed eight (8)? Okay.
Mr. Tabata: But based on funds available.
Mr. Haigh: Yes. If we do not have the money,we cannot do it.
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Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: If you are funding a permanent position, you will
not be able to do it if that permanent position is taking up the last of your moneys?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct. Like Lyle pointed out, we give
that position a temporary number, so it is not like the same number that is being filled.
Basically, we are keeping this permanent General Fund position vacant at dollar-funded, but
we are having to hire somebody under the temporary fund who would normally be in that
position. But since we do not have the funds for that position, we cannot fill it under that
position number.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are coming up to a break, so we are going to
take the break right now. Keep your questions and we can continue on this when we come
back.
Councilmember Yukimura: Alright.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We will take a ten (10) minute caption break.
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 10:58 a.m.
The Committee reconvened at 11:10 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Welcome back. We are still in DPW, and we are
on the Building Division. I just want to make an announcement now, as far as your questions
regarding the transition from the Building Division to DPR, we have DPR coming up on
Friday, so I am going to ask DPR to do a thorough presentation on that transfer and we can
try and hopefully get a lot of our questions out there in our budget meeting on Friday. With
that, we are on the Revolving Fund. Councilmember Yukimura, do you have any more
questions?
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. I just want to be clear the position 1439
Building Permit Clerk, which is dollar-funded in this budget, you are actually funding a body,
but it is through another "T" position using the Revolving Fund moneys?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I was looking at your narrative report on
page 1 of the Building Division, this is your Administration report. It includes statistics
about number of permits issued, and my question is compared to last year, are we seeing an
increase, do we project it to an increase this year, and are we going to have the capacity to
handle an increase if that is your projection?
Mr. Haigh: Surprisingly, we have not had a significant
increase this year. Our residential is very busy, but we have not had the large commercial
projects. The ones that have been out in the wings since the great recession are starting to
come back, so we are hearing word that some of these larger projects are going to start moving
forward now. I still believe we should be anticipating some increasing next year, because I
expect these larger projects to move forward. We have the Hanama`ulu triangle residential
work coming up, we have in the Coconut Plantation area, we know one (1) project is getting
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close for building permit and another one may not be too far behind, and Coco Palms, who
knows what is going to happen with that. Like I said, surprisingly this year we have not had
a huge increase so we have been able to keep up pretty good with our performance, but next
year I am anticipating probably getting some increase.
Councilmember Yukimura: And given your budget, you feel you will be able to
handle it with the Revolving Fund?
Mr. Haigh: With the Revolving Fund. Our key is probably
going to be plan review, and we have looked at second-party plan review with Bend, Oregon,
with electronic plan review that is very doable. We came fairly close. We have been working
on an agreement over several years, we have kind of put it on hold this last year, and we will
probably start working on that again as kind of a safety valve for these larger projects. So if
we do get several large projects at a time and really get swamped, it would be nice to have a
safety valve where we could get another agency to help us in the review.
Councilmember Yukimura: It is second-party or third-party?
Mr. Haigh: It will be considered second-party because we are
hiring them. They would be hired by us to do the work.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see.
Mr. Haigh: We would be probably coming in with an
ordinance change once we have the agreement so that we would be getting the owner to pay
for that additional plan review fee.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, that is sort of how we did it after Hurricane
Iniki. We hired a firm.
Mr. Haigh: Yes. Really, Hurricane `Iniki would have been a
second-party because it was somebody in-house. Actually at the Hawaii Association of
County Building Officials (HACBO) Conference, I was talking to people who work with City
and County of Honolulu and they actively have ongoing third-party reviews. So that has
been ongoing for the City and County of Honolulu the last ten (10) years.
Councilmember Yukimura: Third-party review is when there is a third-party
that you certify as qualified to review, but you do not pay them?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, alright. Well, when you are ready for that,
you are going to be coming before us because it requires an ordinance change?
Mr. Haigh: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Haigh: Unless we paid for it with Revolving Fund,
because current language of the Revolving Fund says that we could pay a second-party to do
a review. But we would probably be like to be able to secure the revenue from the owner to
pay for that expedited review.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Building Division?
Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: The third-party review, we are not doing that?
Mr. Haigh: We tried ten (10)years ago. The County Attorney
did not feel comfortable with the liability issues with third-party reviews.
Council Chair Rapozo: Did we try with the new County Attorney?
Mr. Haigh: No we did not.
Council Chair Rapozo: Maybe we should try because I trust this one is a
lot better. Everybody does third-party reviews, most municipalities, a lot of municipalities
do, so I do not think there is a legal issue. The nice thing about the third-party is that, it has
to be more recent than that, in fact, probably, two (2) or three (3) years ago that we had the
discussion, and I thought we were moving forward on that...then the builder pays, right?
Mr. Haigh: My memory is about ten (10) years ago before the
great recession, is when we were looking at actively third-party review, and we had formally
submitted a request to the County Attorney to review the option.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay, I do not know. For some reason I remember
it being more recent. Anyway, maybe we can try to revisit it with the new County Attorney
because it saves the County money, it saves a lot of time, and puts the onus on the builder to
go and get the review done by a private person.
Mr. Haigh: Yes, and there are firms currently active in
Honolulu who are doing that.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I would just ask that you make sure that there is
quality control.
Mr. Haigh: From the City and County of Honolulu, the
workers are not that happy because it does increase their workload a little bit, because now
they have to be more diligent in the making sure of the plan. So there is another review
anyhow just to make sure, and then during the inspection side. So there are challenges there.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Building Division?
If not, we are going move on to the Automotive Division.
Councilmember Kagawa: Committee Chair, can I make a request since
Doug is here? On Friday, we have the review of the DPR budget and I am sure we are going
to talk about the big change. I do not know if you and Lyle can make yourselves present
during that discussion because it does not seem like it is a "slam-dunk" on the table, just to
make sure that we have the questions answered. We are going to try and see if we can discuss
all of that, Committee Chair, under that meeting, and see if we need more time, than perhaps
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we need to do another budget review. But instead of waiting for Committee and we might
run into time problems with adopting the budget before we get a good understanding of that,
we are going try that method, I think. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have one (1) last follow-up question that you
might have the answer to, how much time have we saved for electronic processing? This is
for Doug or do we not have the answer yet?
Mr. Haigh: Sorry, what was the question again?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: How much time have we saved with electronic
processing?
Mr. Haigh: I do not have an answer for you right now.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Automotive Division.
Mr. Tabata: The mission of the Automotive Division is to
manage and maintain the equipment and vehicle fleet of DPW as well as other County of
Kauai agencies, enabling the County to provide core services to all districts and communities.
A couple of Dwayne's successes and achievements for this past year in the Automotive
Division include the following: they have been successful in meeting the demands and
requests of various departments, agencies, and community in regards to equipment supply,
vehicle, and equipment maintenance and repairs despite inadequate facility conditions and
staffing; procurement of new vehicles that were authorized to modernize our fleet, in which
the purchases included two (2) aluminum open top refuse trailers, one (1) utility pickup truck
for building maintenance, and one (1) 25kw trailer mounted generator; the design of a one
thousand five hundred (1,500) square foot second floor storage area that being completed by
the Engineering Division, which is one of the in-house designs. The construction of this
additional storage will allow us to utilize overhead space and create more usable floor space.
Other successes and achievements include: the Princeville Police/Fire substation fuel site
project is scheduled to begin construction April of this fiscal year to be completed by June;
funding is currently being procured for the renovation of the Hanapepe Baseyard fuel site,
which will be discussed in CIP; building maintenance roof leaks and structural repairs to the
thirty-seven (37) year old facility are ongoing; and then a re-pavement of approximately four
hundred(400) square foot of parking and working area within the area within the Automotive
Maintenance Facility is scheduled for April of this fiscal year.
Some of our challenges include: meeting the demands and requests of the many
divisions, departments, and agencies that we service daily as equipment and fleet ages and
deteriorates, timely hiring of...I have to say again, qualified personnel to fill vacant positions
has been difficult because of the lack of the qualified applicants; and operating productively
within our limited space has become a daily battle because the County's vehicle and
equipment inventory has increased by thirty percent (30%) over the last thirty plus (30+)
years and continues to grow while our resources remain constant.
The Automotive Division's goals are to provide vehicle and equipment maintenance
and support for all departments, and agencies, allowing the county employees to perform
their duties effectively; modernize the County's vehicle and equipment fleet, providing
agencies are reliable and efficient units; and offer support for disaster relief services to all
agencies in the community in emergency situations.
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The objectives to being able to provide these equipment is that we are going to look at
an analysis of the manpower needs in addressing the needs for transitioning the retiring
employees to new hires. Presently, unless the person is fully capable and ready to go, we
tend to...I guess, that limits our ability to recruit. When I was running AMFAC Sugar, we
had a training program that utilizes apprenticeship. I wanted to work with HR and revisit
that now that we have an official HR department. They are going to create the support
structure to support our apprentice program, so that would be one (1) of the ways that we
would look at possibly utilizing, somewhat like what Doug was trying to explain. But the
mechanism to accomplish that is not in place yet. We would have to look at developing some
kind of program. Another objective is an analysis of the workplace facility capacity. Part of
the GET presentation was to have us be able to find property and build a new facility. We
presently are seeking funding from State to help us begin the process, but the space that we
have is limited or the footprint is limited. I have to admit that Dwayne does a fantastic job
utilizing the space he has available. I believe every square inch is utilized. You might hear
of vehicles waiting to come in at various external baseyards until the parts are available
and/or the space is available. They come in and do a check, they look at what they need to
order, they order it, and then bring the vehicle back later on when space and the materials
to work on the equipment are available. Then, our last objective relates to the reduction of
industrial accident rates by improving training opportunities with HR. The goal is to reduce
to zero (0) accidents.
Looking at his financial comparative between Fiscal Year 2016 and 2017, the bottom
line is that you will notice that he has a minus five point seven percent(5.7%), in other words,
he reduced his budget. A bulk of that comes from the operations. In spite of increases in
labor, he completed some maintenance activities that will not be funded moving forward
because it was a one-time funding for the previous year. With that, I open the floor to
questions for Dwayne.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any questions from the Members on the
presentation? Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you very much for the presentation. The
new vehicles and equipment received in 2016, did the trailer mounted generator include both
the trailer and the generator?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, one (1) piece.
Councilmember Yukimura: Was that the one to replace the one that was
stolen?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. We never found it, did we?
Mr. Tabata: We did get it back.
Councilmember Yukimura: You did?
DWAYNE ADACHI, Superintendent: Good morning Councilmembers.
Councilmember Yukimura: Good morning.
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Mr. Adachi: Dwayne Adachi, Automotive Division. Yes, the
Kaua`i Police Department (KPD) found the generator, we got it back, we reconditioned the
generator, and we are using it now.
Councilmember Yukimura: How come we had to get a new one?
Mr. Adachi: But we already went through the process.
Councilmember Yukimura: You had already purchased the new one?
Mr. Adachi: Yes. We went through the process of procuring
this generator through the insurance fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see. So we did not pay for it ourselves?
Mr. Adachi: The insurance fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, we are self-insured.
Mr. Adachi: Yes, self-insured.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, okay. Do we need both?
Mr. Adachi: Yes, honestly we do. We have an increasing
amount of community events that we provide power, and so yes, we do.
Mr. Tabata: But we also have facilities that, in emergencies,
do not have specific generators assigned to, and now we will have one (1) more facility to
assign generators to.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do we have protections against what happened in
place?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you. Lyle, I was really delighted to
hear you talk about an apprenticeship program. I recently learned about an apprenticeship
program that Waimea High School has with Waimea Plantation Cottages where the kids go
after school and are learning various trades, maintenance, and so forth. I actually had
written here "internship with Kauai Community College (KCC)" before you made your
presentation, so I imagine that would be the level of apprenticeship for our County needs in
this arena. Am I correct?
Mr. Tabata: The program that I oversaw in the plantation was
the State of Hawai`i has an apprenticeship program for the various skilled journey worker
positions in every arena; plumbing, electrical, internal combustion engine mechanics, and so
forth. Traditionally, the County hired employees who were fully qualified, and in this day
and age, competing workforces is challenging. So I believe we need to look at building our
own. There are no plantations to steal from anymore. There are a number of employees that
are doing shop. I remember they worked for me at Kekaha Sugar, so with that demise, I
believe we need to create our own program.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Is it something that you can include as a goal for
next year in working with Dwayne and HR?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: That you might be able to develop such a program,
because I think it could help our recruitment process and that seems to be a key. May I
continue? Your industrial accident rate, I presume is a good one given the size of our
department. I am sorry, I do not have a really good point of reference to judge by, but one (1)
accident per year is a good safety record. Is there a threshold definition for "accident?"
Mr. Tabata: It is a recordable requirement visit to the doctor.
Councilmember Yukimura: The doctor?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so that is how you judge. Do you track
anything else less than that in terms of accident or risk management?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, every accident is logged and a report is
generated.
Councilmember Yukimura: So even...
Mr. Tabata: Even if it does not require it.
Councilmember Yukimura: Even if it is not to the level of requiring a doctor?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: How do those statistics look? Do they look pretty
good, too?
Mr. Tabata: We have to look that up.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I am just saying that if your goal is zero (0)
accidents, you would probably look at those upstream issues, so to speak.
Mr. Adachi: Well, you cannot predict accidents when they are
going to happen.
Councilmember Yukimura: True.
Mr. Adachi: Like last year, for example, we had zero (0), but
you are not going to see zero (0) every year.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Adachi: The best you can do is provide a safe working
environment and just be persistent with the employees as far as practicing safe working
habits. That is the environment that we work in.
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Councilmember Yukimura: A safety culture?
Mr. Adachi: Accidents do happen.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Adachi: But you are trying to prevent them, so you try to
do best you can.
Councilmember Yukimura: And forgive me, I had forgotten last year was
zero (0), which was really a great achievement.
Mr. Adachi: Yes, we were lucky. We try for zero (0).
Councilmember Yukimura: It is great that is your goal.
Mr. Adachi: The most important thing is just for the people to
work safe and to be aware of safety.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Adachi: Just work safely.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you are creating a culture of safety in your
workplace?
Mr. Adachi: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Lyle, instead of asking it for every other division,
do you have accident record for all of your divisions?
Mr. Tabata: I believe we do, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So maybe you can report on those, too. I have
one (1) last question. Where you say your goal is to provide vehicle and equipment
maintenance and support for all departments and agencies, does that include Police, Fire,
DPR, and all of those, but not the Transportation Agency?
Mr. Adachi: Can you clarify that question?
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, I am trying to understand what your
language is saying here, "provide vehicle and equipment maintenance support for all
departments and agencies."
Mr. Adachi: We do, but Fire has their own maintenance staff,
but we assist them.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. Okay. So Fire has a separate maintenance.
Police, too, or do you do Police?
Mr. Adachi: We provide maintenance for KPD.
Councilmember Yukimura: What about the Transportation Agency?
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Mr. Adachi: They have their own maintenance facility.
Councilmember Yukimura: And you assist when they need help?
Mr. Adachi: Yes, we do.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is there any other department like that where
they do the main maintenance and then you folks come in and help when needed?
Mr. Adachi: Yes, pretty much. We assist wherever.
Councilmember Yukimura: But the other departments...
Mr. Tabata: No, everybody else comes to the shop.
Councilmember Yukimura: Other than Fire and Transportation, you do the
maintenance?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I noticed on page 288 of your line item
budget, you show that a reduction for services to non-highway funded departments and
divisions under the salary account, so what you are saying is that you are paying for some of
the labor from other funds so as to keep the integrity of the Highway Fund.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is that correct?
Mr. Tabata: That is the carve-out that the non-highway
funded vehicles that we work on gets charged to.
Councilmember Yukimura: So that is for salaries. Where is the other offset
for operations, supplies, and materials for the non-highway?
Mr. Matsushige: On page 166.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is on the top page number?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: What is the bottom page number?
Mr. Matsushige: 215.
Councilmember Yukimura: 215?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: It is the last page of DPW.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Matsushige: Under the General Fund.
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Mr. Tabata: The line item is for labor and repair equipment for
Police, the fringe and so forth, generators, parts and supplies because we are doing car
washing, the gasoline and diesel. I am sorry, the labor and repair equipment for vehicles
including Police. I am sorry, not only for Police.
Councilmember Yukimura: I am not sure how to read this. I am sorry. What
is this?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Just for clarification, these expenses on page 215
are coming directly out of the General Fund, and the $277,975 that Councilmember
Yukimura was looking at is money that is allocated to the Highway Fund because those are
Highway Fund expenses?
Mr. Matsushige: $277,975 is originally charged to Highways, so we
are taking it out of Highways and charging it to the General Fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: The $277,975 is a General Fund charge?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, for when they work on non-highway things.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right, but it is only for salaries?
Mr. Matsushige: For that line item.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right, so the supplies and other operational
costs...
Mr. Matsushige: If you go down, there are supplies at $4,302 or
$4,303 on page 215.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Matsushige: And there is also fuel.
Councilmember Yukimura: So these are not minuses, this is General Fund
budget charges?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see. Okay.
Mr. Tabata: Police pays for their own parts.
Mr. Matsushige: It is not shown as a negative on Dwayne's budget,
we just take it out.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is page 214 the summary, so it is the total?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
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Councilmember Yukimura: The $603,000 is the General Fund contribution to
the Automotive Maintenance Facility?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: For operations, and then if you add salary of
$277,975, so it is a total of about almost $900,000.
Mr. Matsushige: No, you do not add. The total is $603,000.
Mr. Tabata: The $277,975 is the regular salaries and other
benefits.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, but you have salaries in the summary
statement on page 214. Are you just subtracting it from the Highways Funds?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see.
Mr. Matsushige: Because all of the personnel are charged originally
in there based on their certification.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. The $603,676 is the General Fund
contribution to the Automotive Maintenance Shop for non-highway costs?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. Dwayne, what happened to Ben
Sullivan's Motor Pool Program?
Mr. Adachi: The company that we were dealing with went
bankrupt, so we are now in the process of trying to establish a contract with a new
company...well, actually a company that bought out the technology. So we are working with
the company that bought the product that we were using and we are eventually probably
going to reinstall that back into the vehicles and start the Motor Pool Program again.
Councilmember Kagawa: When we did the Motor Pool Program, did the
company install it into the cars?
Mr. Adachi: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: The company did it?
Mr. Adachi: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Not you folks?
Mr. Adachi: No.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Who paid for all the batteries that died, because I
heard there was a disaster where...
Mr. Adachi: We absorbed the costs.
Councilmember Kagawa: County paid for it, and came out of whose budget,
your budget?
Mr. Adachi: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: How much?
Councilmember Kagawa: Do you know how much?
Mr. Adachi: I am not sure.
Councilmember Kagawa: Would you say more than one hundred (100)
batteries were changed because of the motor pool?
Mr. Adachi: Not that much.
Councilmember Kagawa: Fifty (50)?
Mr. Adachi: Not that much.
Councilmember Kagawa: Twenty (20).
Mr. Adachi: Maybe.
Councilmember Kagawa: Maybe twenty (20)?
Mr. Adachi: Roughly.
Councilmember Kagawa: So the motor pool device was draining the
batteries when it was not in use, is that what happened?
Mr. Adachi: Correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: Even if the car is not working, it just drains the
energy from the battery?
Mr. Adachi: Right.
Councilmember Kagawa: Because it is like electricity?
Mr. Adachi: It has a memory, so you need to provide constant
power to keep the memory alive. On top of that, we have the units that we installed for fuel
systems, and so the installation of the motor pool hardware created an additional drain on
top of what we already had. So that was part of the problem too.
Councilmember Kagawa: I am wondering if we go back with another
company, are we going to continue to drain the batteries?
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Mr. Adachi: Probably.
Councilmember Kagawa: My simple question is why have a motor pool if the
car does not work? You want to monitor the cars, but you do not need to monitor it because
the car does not work. That does not make sense.
Mr. Adachi: True.
Councilmember Kagawa: Before we do that, can we relook at that because I
would like to know the answer to the question? Are we going to continue the Motor Pool
Program that is going to kill the batteries, so we are going to try and monitor the use of cars
that are not going to work anyway? Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are we talking motor pool of electric vehicles?
Mr. Adachi: No. We created a motor pool of roughly forty (40)
vehicles. The goal was to reduce the size of the fleet and to make more use of the vehicles
that were not being used.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Adachi: So we created a pool and installed these electronic
devices on it to assist with the implementation of the pool. So that electronic hardware
created some mechanical issues for us.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see. Okay. Are you going to provide the amount
that it costs us?
Mr. Adachi: Please do not ask me that. That is a lie. I do not
know if I can come up with how much the cost was.
Councilmember Yukimura: Wow. Did we not have a contract where they
warranted something so that if anything went wrong, they would pay for it?
Mr. Adachi: I am not sure. The thing is we already have Fuel
Master.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right, in terms of the fuel.
Mr. Adachi: Well, part of the Fuel Master program is we have
units mounted on the vehicle to keep track of mileage and provide data.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Adachi: Now when we installed hardware for the motor
pool, we need to be sure that the equipment they install is compatible with the equipment
that we already have.
Councilmember Yukimura: Why do we not just use the Fuel Master program?
•
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Mr. Adachi: The Fuel Master program cannot run the motor
pool for us.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Councilmember Kagawa: I think I can provide some clarity. The intention
was great, but the technology drained the battery and we did not know it would do that.
During the downtimes, it would drain the battery. So after a weekend, the car would not
start. I think we wanted computers to monitor vehicle use to and try to add it up so we could
efficiently monitor what proper business use is and if we had the accounting. But I think
when you have a small County like ours, sometimes you have management that does that
and you trust that management can accomplish it, because when it is technology, but then it
is a detriment the vehicle and forcing the Automotive Division to go change batteries every
week, then is it working when you are dealing with only forty (40) cars?
Councilmember Yukimura: It is not.
Councilmember Kagawa: Dwayne needs to get with all of the stakeholders
including Ben Sullivan, and just see if we have better technology that perhaps will not drain
the cars'batteries so they can work or whether we do away with the program and use human
management as we have done in the past fifty(50) years or whatever. If that helps to explain
a little bit.
Councilmember Yukimura: It does. Thank you.
Councilmember Kagawa: Our intentions were great, but there were some
consequences.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, you know about intentions, right?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Basically, it was a combination. It may have
worked if it was just the motor pool device and the fuel device would probably have worked
if it was just the fuel. But when you have both, then it drained more energy than they thought
it would.
Councilmember Yukimura: I know, but anytime we allow a contractor to sell
us a project, or a pilot, or anything, we have to have some contractual obligations, so if it fails
or if there is problems...they are supposed to be the experts. They are supposed to know their
technology, and so we have to make sure there are safeguards in our contracts with them so
that they pay if there is are any errors.
Mr. Tabata: I believe the unfortunate fact is that they went out
of business three (3) months after we implemented it.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, we should not give them access...so we did
do all of these insurances and now they are judgement proof?
Mr. Tabata: I believe we had checks and balances in there. I
was not privy to the contract, and the contract was run out of Office of Economic
Development (OED) when Ben was driving this initiative. But I believe we had quite a bit of
checks and balances on them, but they went out of business.
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Councilmember Yukimura: And we checked their references before we
started? We did a competitive process?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Again, we can come back to this question when
Ben comes up, I believe in either the Department of Finance section or OED section. We can
have Ben give us what the status is and what their plans are to move forward on it is. Do we
have any further questions for the Automotive Division? We can start hitting the line items.
Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: On the four (4) vacant positions, one (1) 1004,
Repair Shop Utility Worker was vacant since December 31, 2015?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, and that went through vacancy review. With
their help, we re-engineered this position to be more flexible for us. Instead of it being just
the Lubrication Worker, we converted it to a Utility Worker so that this position cannot only
do our lubrication maintenance, but also assist us with the tires.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Is it a position that has a...
Mr. Tabata: I believe it is being posted right now.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Posted, so you expect it to be filled within next
three (3) to six (6) months, right?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Or three (3) months, probably.
Mr. Tabata: Hopefully three (3) months.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. The other position...
Mr. Tabata: Heavy Vehicle Construction Equipment
Mechanic....
Councilmember Kuali`i: I.
Mr. Tabata: II. I am kind of going from the top.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay, there is both. But start with II if you would
like.
Mr. Tabata: That is vacant, and we have that out for posting
right now.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So that has been vacant for two (2) years?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: In last year's budget, it was budgeted for $42,115,
but in this budget, it is budgeted for $58,422. Why the jump of$16,000? Was it partial year
budgeting last year?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Because you did not expect it to fill in the early
part of the year?
Mr. Tabata: We had interviews and we decided not to hire.
Councilmember Kuali`i: What did you say earlier, are you currently
expecting...
Mr. Tabata: It is currently back out.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So it is already posted?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Kuali`i: You expect to move on it within the next three (3)
to six (6) months. Then the Mechanic I.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Same thing, currently recruiting and expect to
fill?
Mr. Tabata: We filled that position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Oh, it has been filled?
Mr. Tabata: It has been filled, yes
Councilmember Kuali`i: Filled, and to start when, prior to July 1st?
Mr. Tabata: April.
Councilmember Kuali`i: It will start in April?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Start in April. Okay. The last one is a doozy, I
guess, because we have not been able to fill this for six (6) years, the Body and Fender
Repairer. It is dollar-funded. I guess it was dollar-funded last year, so obviously this is one
that presents a hiring challenge. Is that because of not getting applicants? What is the
process? What is the status as far as recruitment? Is it open right now? Is it posted right
now?
Mr. Tabata: We are just choosing to not recruit for this
position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So you are not recruiting?
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Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So you do not need to position because of the
volume of work?
Mr. Adachi: Currently, no.
Councilmember Kuali`i: What?
Mr. Adachi: Currently no.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Currently no, but has it been the case for six (6)
years?
Mr. Adachi: Well, at some point we may need to hire this body
person.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Right.
Mr. Adachi: But we currently do not. We would rather not lose
the position, so we are trying to keep the position dollar-funded when we get to the point to
hire an additional body position.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: On these dollar-funded positions that you folks do
not want to give up, do we use these position numbers for other contract positions throughout
the year?
Mr. Tabata: No, we have not.
Council Chair Rapozo: I mean, I know we have a lot of positions that we
do not fill. Six (6) years is way too long. That tells us you do not need them and if you do at
some point, then you just come back and get it. Is the Administration using these positions
for other uses for contract positions?
Mr. Tabata: No.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i? Any further questions
for the Automotive Division? I had a question on the gas and diesel projections because we
had a huge reduction.
Mr. Tabata: Based on the price that we are seeing and
expecting, and if something changes significantly, we will come back with a money bill.
Mr. Matsushige: I guess in past we were more conservative with
the real volatility of the prices, but it seems like it is settling down this year in the forty
dollars ($40) to fifty dollars ($50) range.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. For the leased items, do we have a program
as far as once the leased items are up, do we hang onto items after the five (5) year lease is
up?
Mr. Adachi: We do.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Do we have a replacement schedule as far as once
that five (5) years are up, then we have another cycle of items or some type of schedule as far
as items that we are going to try and recycle?
Mr. Tabata: We have that based on years in service, mileage,
and condition. Dwayne has an elaborate replacement program file; however, the ultimate is
what we can afford. This year, we had some significant needs that you will see in the Roads
Division and Solid Waste Division that we are replacing a significant amount of equipment.
Mr. Adachi: Basically, the term lease might be misleading. It
is not a lease, it is a loan that we secured to purchase the vehicles outright. We entered into
an agreement with the bank, they loan us the full amount of what we need to pay the
contractor, we pay the contractor the full amount, and then the bank owns the vehicle for the
five (5) years. If we make our five (5) years of payments, then we own the vehicles. As far as
the replacement schedule, that is a separate thing. We have a replacement schedule based
on recommendations by the fleet management program that we follow, which recommends
that we replace certain types of equipment at certain intervals based on the type of
equipment, the type of work it does, and the usage of the unit. Also, we make assessments
such as the overall condition or if the condition of the vehicle creates a health and safety
issue. We make decisions accordingly whether we choose to replace or not, or to defer one (1)
year or two (2) years or whatever it is, based on our financial situation.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I would want to see it just as far as like this leased
item or loan item, just level out. I do not know how you make the decision whether to do a
loan or buy it outright, but once the five (5) years come up, if you folks have a plan to do it at
the same time type of rate and say, "we are going purchase these types of equipment or loan
these equipment at a similar rate or loan rate," and then you kind of level it out, so you kind
of expect to have $55,000 in leased items every year. It is just an idea so that you do not get
these huge spikes where maybe once this lease is up, we get zero (0) and then the next year
we get maybe another $55,000 or $100,000 spike in the lease. Just plan it because I think it
is easier to swallow on the budget when you see it kind of flat line as far as the leases go in
just planning it out. Any further questions from the Members on the Automotive Division?
Any questions on the General Fund line items in the Automotive Division? I know we looked
at it briefly. It is on page 215. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: It has been several years now that we have had
the new fuel system in place, and I just wanted to see how things were working. Are we
monitoring it?
Mr. Adachi: Yes, the system is working great. We do not have
any problems like we had with the old system. The system is doing exactly what we want it
to do.
Councilmember Yukimura: We feel that the fuel use is well-documented and
that people are following the procedures, so we can feel pretty good about the integrity of the
whole system?
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Mr. Adachi: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: If there are no further questions, we will move on
to the Highways & Roads Construction Division. Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: What I am handing out is just to supplement the
original presentation, if I may divert to that. I believe you see its mission and program
description. Some of it is redundant in its successes and achievements, its challenges, and
then his goals and objectives. Maybe we can go straight to the goals. The goal is to keep
county roads and bridges safe for public use. The objective for that goal employ varied and
targeted pavement treatment methods to reduce overall roadway lifecycle cost. The
treatments we are using are reconstruction, asphalt cement overlay, seal coat, and patching
crack sealing. Goal number two is to anticipate and address road, bridge, and drainage
needs. Objective 2.1 is to work with IT to use the Geographic Information System (GIS)
mapping to identify problem areas and pinpoint public safety concerns. GIS will be an
integral part of Pavement Maintenance Management Program and of the Management
Productivity Enhancement Tool/Maintenance Management Information System; all of that
with the help of the Department of Finance and IT. Objective 2.2 is to work with the County
Planning Department, County Attorney, and legislative bodies to address roads in limbo and
paper roads. Goal number three is to make the best and most efficient use of the Division's
resources in way of reorganizing personnel and equipment assignments to make operations
more efficient. Goal number four is to improve internal and public communication.
Objective 4.1 is to provide ongoing supervisory training in planning, scheduling, report
writing, cost analysis, purchasing systems, morale-motivation training, and accountability.
That is some of what he will employ to help strengthen and improve internal
communications. Goal number five is to instill pride in the jobs that we perform by creating
objective quality measures for work performance.
Along those lines, I know that there have been much discussion on the floor regarding
what we are getting for the money we spend on the Highway Fund. Therefore, I would like
to move to the handout I just passed out. Again, the same summary that I gave earlier, at a
glance, what has the Roads Division done in the last fiscal year? The mission and program
description of the Roads Maintenance Division is to perform roadway pavements, shoulder,
bridge, sidewalk, driveway, curb, gutter, levee and appurtenances maintenance and repairs;
installation, maintenance, and repair of signs and road markings. The Roads Maintenance
Division supports the DPR and the Solid Waste Division on a regular basis, and supports
other agencies on as as-needed basis. The Division also plays a key role in disaster response.
We looked at the Roads and Highways Division and they have several sections, where
we begin with Administration. The administrative staff is responsible for the administrative
and technical support of the operations and maintenance of the Division. Key tasks list are:
recording and tracking of public complaints and have improved response and accountability;
provide training to improve baseyard maintenance planning, scheduling, reporting, and
supervisory management of roads projects and assignments; documentation of the Roads
Division Management Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP); and Island
Wide Road Resurfacing of local collector roads is initially generated by the Roads Division,
which prep and contract out the local roads resurfacing. The collector roads priorities are
then sent to the Engineering Division to complete the Federal Highway Administration's
plans, specifications, and estimate process and prepares the program for the eighty/twenty
(80/20) funding with Keith Suga, our CIP Manager, and then to HDOT for approval to
contract out the resurfacing management through the Engineering Division. In 2016-2017
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an aggressive preventative maintenance includes seal coating for the first time. Another key
task is ongoing replacement of County road signs to meet...it is not new anymore, we have
been doing this the last few years, the mandated traffic sign reflectivity requirements.
Instead of going through and replacing everything because we do not have enough men, we
have been staggering the replacement by sections of the island. We conducted a detailed
physical inventory assessment evaluation and in the present Fiscal Year 2015-2016 budget
of the Island Wide Resurfacing needs in order to ensure road conditions objectively. Another
key task is to administer the Maintenance Management Information System (MMIS), which
is a software that they use to run their internal maintenance management where they track
work orders, manpower, and materials. This software is presently being looked at by DPR.
Our Wastewater Division, State DOT, and Department of Water already are employing it. It
is called the Four Winds Group. Another key task is ongoing evaluation of pavement
maintenance management. The software tool is assisting our program managers to
determine optimal use of the highway funds that we do receive. This is what roads and
streets are county owned. In this database, we also identify the condition of the roads and
streets; surface condition, which is the pavement; we have our traffic signs in there; our
markers and delineators information; pavement markings; county guardrails; and county
bridges, culverts, drainage systems, and utilities on the county right-of-ways. This is a huge
database that we have been populating over the last few years. Another key task is that we
have conducted a survey of intersection to intersection or at points established by GIS
mapping of the centerline of our roads and with iWorq, we were able to determine what signs
needed to be replaced to meet the federal retro-reflectivity requirements. Finally, we
administered vehicle equipment safety training as needed. So that is what the
Administration does in their office.
Then we have our Baseyards. The Baseyard Maintenance are responsible for
planning, scheduling, reporting, supervisory management for the roads projects and
assignments. They implement the Road Division's Management Procedures, the SOPs, and
support island wide resurfacing of the local and collector roads; and at that point, the clerks
input the data collected into the MMIS; and they perform vehicle equipment safety training.
In the county road right-of-way, maintenance includes mowing and shredding, tree trimming,
and tree trimming of hazards that sometimes overhang our roadways. We work with trying
to get the property owners to be responsible for their items that intrude into our right-of-way.
Obstructions in the County right-of-way include trash and debris removal; and removal of
debris from streams, rivers, and ocean shorelines. Road repairs: pothole maintenance,
sometimes we have to use temporary cold mix because hot mix is not available. We only get
hot mix when it is available by the asphalt mixing plants. Right now, we are lucky that the
State is paving Kaumuali`i Highway, so it is more available; however, they are doing work at
night and we do work during the day. By the time we get to the hot mix, it is cold. So we are
presently testing other new products that we can use, which is cold, that are more permanent
fixes for pothole repairs. Talk about challenges. Then in the roadway, clearing of debris.
These people go out after every storm when trees go down and help KPD clear it. Reservoirs,
county right-of-way, and spillway clearing cleaning and maintenance of vegetation control.
Kapa'a Baseyard takes care of the twin reservoirs, Hauiki and Olohena Roads, the upper
Kapahi Kainahola Road, and lower Kapahi Kahuna Road. These are roadways that are also
dams that we have to maintain, which we inspect annually and we also get inspected. Levee
maintenance at Hanapepe Baseyard of the Waimea levee, their work includes the
maintenance of the Waimea Levee, which includes Ala Wai and Menehune Roads which are
part of the levee. Hanapepe Levee includes Awawa Road; and levee maintenance includes
the mowing, shredding, and leveling of the top and sides to meet U.S. Army Corps of
Engineering standards. That is why when people put horses, we have to chase them off
because the horses do damage. People drive vehicles on the levees, and they create problems
for us. Then we also maintain the levee gates and check valves, those risers that you see on
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the levees that if the levee rises too high, the check valve is supposed to prevent water from
going in, and we need to open the gate valve to allow water to escape which collects on the
non-riverside of the levees. So there is a whole bunch of repairs that are required. Finally,
emergency response. KPD notifies us when there are storms and tsunamis, and we help
them dispatch cones and road barrier as-needed. So these people are always there. We work
side-by-side with KPD.
Then, we have a section that we created in the last few years called Special
Construction and Bridge Maintenance. They repair guardrails;take care of sidewalks, curbs,
gutters, driveways, and ADA ramp maintenance; bridge maintenance that may include
simple spalling, reflectors, and bollards replacement; assist in failing pavements'
maintenance patching; road inlet, outlet, catch basin culverts, manholes, and
appurtenances; concrete, masonry rock, wood walls, and railings; specialized in operator
driving of our vector truck that we use to clean storm drains, we have an aerial bucket truck
to help us with the tree maintenance, we have an asphalt concrete/base course truck that we
use for larger pothole repairs; and we also have our drivers for the lowboy and our excavator.
They also take care of other special projects.
Finally, the last section is traffic signs and markings, which is the ongoing
maintenance and replacement of county roads signs and markings to meet the mandated
reflectivity requirements. They replace damaged signs, the pavement markings, traffic and
safety devices, vegetation maintenance in obstructions of our signs, and then special projects
which include helping DPR with signs on the path and helping with the moku signs that you
see around the island that are on the county right-of-way. In a nutshell, that is where all of
the money goes. It is quite an endeavor. I believe that they do their best to upkeep
everything, and as I previously mentioned, it amounts to just short of $50,000,000 that is
spent, and majority of the expenditures are in labor and benefits. I would say
three-fifths (3/5) of the money is spent on labor and benefits, and then the balance is
equipment and materials.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. We will take questions on the
presentation and then as we go through the line items, we are going to hit it based on the
presentation. We are going look at Administration; then we will look at baseyards; then we
will look at signs, roads, and markings; and then roads maintenance. Any questions on the
presentation? Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. I had a request that I did not get a
response. I think Larry Tavas used to work for the County. I think maybe James remembers
him, but he worked for County Roads a long time ago he said. He volunteered and said, "I
will volunteer to show you the workers, I would be willing watch them do some, and also
show them the right way to do the hot mix pothole repair." So that means that we used to do
that. Did we had a hot mix maker before twenty (20) or thirty (30) years ago?
Mr. Tabata: I am not aware of it. We may have; however, that
response was supposed to have come to you about two (2) weeks ago.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: We had a pretty elaborate response and did the
research. We also updated you on the present methods that we are looking at employing.
Councilmember Kagawa: Do we plan on buying the necessary equipment
and whatever to be able to do hot mix for pothole repair?
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Mr. Tabata: No. As I mentioned, part of our pothole repair is
we are looking at material available on the market today that all of the different county
operations are looking at for pothole repair.
Councilmember Kagawa: So hopefully some better technology?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, that works cold, but with the polymers today,
they become permanent repairs because the cold mix does not have any polymers to harden.
Councilmember Kagawa: Do we know that the hot mix pothole repair works
well when we have it or is that still very temporary?
EDMOND RENAUD, Chief of Field Operations and Maintenance: Good
afternoon. Ed Renaud, for the record. To answer your question, cold mix is just a temporary
fix that we have to take out. As Lyle said earlier, we have looked into different new products
and we have products now that we are shortly going to work with that we can leave in that
we are buying from the manufacturers from the suppliers in Honolulu. So we are going to
try and use that, and you can leave that in, but you still have to correct the rectangle of the
hole; you need to get a clean cut and everything and then put the material in. It is not like
the cold mix where you put it in, but then you have to remove it. From the past, we have
never done that before, and that is the procedure that all of the counties did. We have
improved and I believe all of the counties are doing the same thing now.
Mr. Tabata: To answer your question about hot mix, if it is
available...no matter which repair we do, if the structural base is damaged and not
addressed, the pothole is still going to come back. So some of the things that we have done
is to purchase equipment so that we can section the pothole section that is bad in the roadway,
but we still have to go in and fix the foundation, and then we can do whatever repair that is
available to us. If there is hot mix, we still have to address the base and then we can put the
hot mix over it when it is available, yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: If I analyze some of the potholes on Olohena Road,
it is not like the...I do not know whatever cold or hot you used there, but it is not like the mix
always just disappears. It is very wavy. I do not know what happens. Does that happen
because the ground is unstable or does that happen because we did not properly level it the
first time?
Mr. Renaud: That is a temporary mix. Temporary mix does not
have structure in it, so it moves.
Councilmember Kagawa: It moves?
Mr. Renaud: Yes. So when we do that road, that is a collector
road, then it is going to be corrected.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. I was just wondering if at the initial time
we are doing it, if it is smooth. They actually use some type of trowel or roll it to make sure
it is smooth the first time, but the lumps come out later then?
Mr. Renaud: Yes, because of the temporary cold mix, that is
why.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. I called that Mr. Potato Head a couple of
times. It is kind of frustrating because it looks like it is pretty solid, but it is just that it is
lumpy. Why did we not smooth it, but it actually becomes lumpy after is what you are saying?
Mr. Renaud: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura. Any further
questions on the presentation? If not, we will go through the line items. We are on Roads
Administration. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is the levee maintenance and park signs eligible
for highways funding?
Mr. Tabata: No, the parks work is done with General Fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you do job costing such that you are costing
out, and do you have a place in the line item budget such as the Automotive Division did
where you cost out General Fund?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Matsushige: It is on page 213.
Councilmember Yukimura: What page?
Mr. Matsushige: Page 213 on the bottom.
Councilmember Yukimura: Page 213 on the bottom, right by your page 215?
Do you want to explain it, James?
Mr. Matsushige: Those funds are what the Highway Division does
for General Fund services.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is it called"Special Projects?"
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: Yes. We just put it into this bucket because it
varies.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so you job costed or you put certain jobs in
this area and then you do the highway jobs in another fund?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. The Highway Fund Special Projects is
$302,000?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
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Councilmember Yukimura: That is how much of the highway work is funded
by the General Fund?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: And levee maintenance is in the category of
Special Projects?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, it is.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you. That is it. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Anyone else with questions on the line items for
Roads Administration? If not, we have about seven (7) more minutes and I plan to
go...Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: We have about three hundred (300) miles of roads
that we are in charge of, is that correct?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: We are spending $15,000,000 a year to maintain
it, but not repave it?
Mr. Tabata: Well, the $15,000,000 is spread over all of this
work.
Councilmember Yukimura: And this work is basically the brush, drainage,
and potholes?
Mr. Tabata: Everything that we do, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: We do not take a percentage of baseyard
operations and assign it to non-highway projects, or do we? It is again, under page 213,
James?
Mr. Matsushige: No. If you look on page 273.
Councilmember Yukimura: Page 273?
Mr. Matsushige: As an example.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Matsushige: There is a minus on the bottom of salaries.
Councilmember Yukimura: For salaries?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: $49,000.
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Councilmember Yukimura: That is good. Okay. Do you track emergency
response as a cost too?
Mr. Tabata: Only if it results in a declaration for a disaster.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, because I know that is probably a really
significant part of your work, such as this past weekend, right? I am sure there were little
landslides because of the rains, et cetera. It would be good to show the public or show us and
at some point track that cost, so that we know how much emergency costs are contributing
to the cost of highway maintenance especially if climate change is going to be increasing and
we are going to be dealing with more storms and frequencies, that will affect our budget too,
I presume. It is sort of an unheralded part of your work, but I know it is really key if a road
washes out and people cannot use it.
Mr. Tabata: Right. We have the ability to track the cost. I
believe as we move towards electronic time cards, it is going to be even easier to track.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right. If you think it is worthwhile...
Mr. Tabata: We are tracking it through work orders right now
in our database.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you actually could get a rough cost?
Mr. Tabata: Just to query and pull the report.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I think it might be good for two (2)
purposes; one, to show us all what portion of your budget that takes; and two, to anticipate
future budget needs. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Administration?
Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I am looking at the Island Wide Roads
Resurfacing line item that is $2,950,000...well, the Island Wide Resurfacing line item is
$2,400,000. Are you planning on resurfacing $2,400,000 of roads in this budget?
Mr. Renaud: We have, and we will be.
Councilmember Kagawa: We will be?
Mr. Renaud: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Can we have a list of what is our plan of attack?
Did you submit it?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay, it was already submitted.
Mr. Tabata: I submitted it. There was a Council request that
requested all of the roads that we have and how we are going spend this money. We
submitted what we are doing this year.
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Councilmember Kagawa: My next question is we keep discussing how
potholes and everything how it is all temporary, but we have major needs. We have
$100,000,000 to catch-up that we talk about all of the time, a $100,000,000 backlog in roads.
We have potholes that we can eliminate pothole repairs if we pave the roads. Are we going
to start changing our focus and start resurfacing roads that have problems rather than waste
money, in my view, that limited sources of money, on sidewalks, bikeways, and curbs into
driveways? Are we going to start looking with that the kind of focus, because we have limited
funds and we have major problems? I am wondering are we still going to take this approach
to Complete Streets when we do not have enough money or are we going start paving roads?
Mr. Tabata: My answer is we will do both.
Mr. Renaud: There is another final report that is coming
forward by the end of the week that Lyle needs to look at this, and this is the revision to the
one that he did. This is going to spell out everything.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Mr. Renaud: What that bottom line is and how many years it
will be, et cetera.
Councilmember Kagawa: What I really want is I want the full number. If
you folks say you are going to do both, give me what the full number is to do both. If you are
going to do both with curbs, walkways, bikeways, walkways, and what have you, is the
number still $100,000,000 or is it $500,000,000? What is it? Does the $100,000,000 to pave
roads in dire need include curbs, bikeways, walkways, and all of the complete streets
improvements?
Mr. Renaud: The report we have coming in is going to have
everything.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Follow-up?
Councilmember Yukimura: No, just another question.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: In your list of equipment for replacement of aging
fleet on page 25 of your budget presentation.
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: You are replacing a John Deere tractor mower
1999 and the bush whackers are from 2005, are these following basic appropriate lifecycles?
Mr. Tabata: If you look at the first four (4), we pretty much got
all of the useful life and beyond and more.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. They are ready to go?
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Mr. Tabata: We are beyond ready. Then the 2005 items, it is a
different kind of equipment and they took us as long as they could. Then the 2002 clipper
mower...these are based on priority. They are just beyond their useful life already.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: We put off purchasing previously. Committee
Chair Kaneshiro has a good point that we should try to flat line rather than the spikes, but
unfortunately we are at the point where we have to do the spikes right now.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, that is how we are with road maintenance.
But if we get into a preventative maintenance plan, I know the Fire Department is trying to
cycle their equipment so it is not a spike, but every year we are replacing a certain number
of equipment. If you could get into that kind of schedule, but the reason you are not in that
schedule right now is because we have not been doing regular replacement, right, we have
deferred?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: When we should not have, and so now we have to.
What is the total bill for these equipment?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Are you looking on page 274?
Councilmember Yukimura: No, I am looking at page 25 of the narrative.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The total price of a five (5) year lease is $340,000
for the tractor mower, bushwhacker, and clipper mower.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you. $340,000?
Mr. Tabata: It is going to be based on lease.
Councilmember Yukimura: Lease payments are $174, is that right?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The total for that one (1) of a five (5) year lease is
$340,000, the new lease for those items.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: It looks like we have moved past Administration,
I think we are at a good spot to take a lunch break.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are going to cross off Administration. When
we come back, we are already looking at baseyard equipment, so we will start with Hanapepe
Baseyard when we get back.
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 12:33 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 1:31 p.m., and proceeded as follows:
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Welcome back. We are still on DPW. We are on
the Hanapepe Baseyard line items. Do we have any questions? Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I see in the Hanapepe Baseyard, there are
three (3) vacant positions, 939, Laborer II that has been vacant since March 4, 2014, which
is nearly three (3) years. That one is dollar-funded, it has been dollar-funded, and it is going
to remain dollar-funded?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So you foresee needing this position in the future,
but you can do without it for this next year, right, that is why it is dollar-funded?
Mr. Tabata: Well, we have several positions that we have
dollar-funded as cost-saving measures.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Cost-savings measures.
Mr. Tabata: Every division except for those that are bound by
regulatory concerns, have been giving up positions. Right now in Hanapepe, we have two (2)
Laborer II positions that are vacant and in the process of being filled.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Right. It almost looks like three (3) total.
Mr. Tabata: One (1) is dollar-funded.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Yes, so two (2)...
Mr. Tabata: Will be filled, yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So that other one, 184 that is just now vacant, has
the recruitment just restarted?
Mr. Tabata: We have to go through vacancy review first.
Councilmember Kuali is Okay, vacancy review first.
Mr. Tabata: And then...
Councilmember Kuali`i: But you anticipate that you will get that
completed?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: You will get the position recruited and in place
before July Pt?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Right. Then thirdly, I saw on the vacancy report
that position 1990 shows as a Laborer II, but on this budget it shows 1990 as Laborer I.
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Mr. Tabata: Right. That one went through vacancy review and
it was reclassified down as an entry level. After that was completed, I believe we posted it
and I thought my notes said that we are presently going to be filling that.
Councilmember Kuali`i: But in the next version of the budget, that will be
corrected?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, it will be. That should be Laborer I. You are
right.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Because then when we look at 1842, that is the
same.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Actually, 1990 is a lower salary because it is
Laborer I and not Laborer II. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I think we touched on it right before we left
regarding the leased items, do we have an equipment replacement schedule?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, we have a master that Dwayne creates in the
Automotive Division, and we can get that to you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Will that take care of these?
Mr. Tabata: It shows the whole county.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: We prioritized what we feel is the highest needs,
and then that is what we bring forward.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: Like I said, we are fiscally constrained, so we tried
to be as diligent as possible.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: As you look at this one, there is one-fourth ('A) of
the fifth year, next year will be fifth of the fifth year, and then you have drops. I did not you
folks started planning for what the equipment is that we need in that year to keep it more
stable. Any further questions for Hanapepe Baseyard? If not, we will move on to Kapa'a
Baseyard.
Councilmember Kagawa: I have one (1).
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa, Hanapepe Baseyard.
Councilmember Kagawa: I remember that we have the Hanapepe River and
Waimea River levees, which we used to spend a lot of overtime maintaining, and I was
wondering if those needs and hours of overtime are still in existence.
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Mr. Tabata: When Mr. Dill and I first came in, Mr. Renaud did
a reorganization of the Roads Division, and we created the levee maintenance crew and the
special construction and bridges crews. Each baseyard gave up personnel to man-up these
crews without adding to the manpower, so we have dedicated crew and that in itself
reorganization, brought the overtime down because we have dedicated people there daily. So
that helped to reduce overtime and the funding is in the O&M portion.
Councilmember Kagawa: Do they show up in the various baseyards?
Mr. Tabata: They are in Hanapepe.
Councilmember Kagawa: They are all in Hanapepe?
Mr. Tabata: They were all brought to Hanapepe from the
different baseyards.
Councilmember Kagawa: So there is no other type of work in other districts?
Mr. Tabata: I am sorry, I have to correct myself. The levee is
in Hanapepe and the special construction is at the Kapa'a Baseyard.
Councilmember Kagawa: So the Kapa'a Baseyard holds some of those
positions?
Mr. Tabata: The special construction.
Councilmember Kagawa: Special construction.
Mr. Tabata: Bridge maintenance and special construction.
Councilmember Kagawa: So some of their time is spent with levee work and
then some of their time is spent on the Kapa'a side?
Mr. Tabata: No. The levee is a separate entity.
Mr. Renaud: It is all at Hanapepe, just the levee is in Kapa`a.
Councilmember Kagawa: Just the levees? Okay. What about the river
mouth, where does that come out from the budget?
Mr. Renaud: It depends in what district.
Councilmember Kagawa: Hanapepe — Waimea river mouth, where would
that show up?
Mr. Renaud: That comes out of the baseyard.
Councilmember Kagawa: The baseyard under what item?
Mr. Tabata: However, Waimea river mouth is maintained by
the State DLNR.
Councilmember Kagawa: Oh, the State DLNR?
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Mr. Tabata: Yes. They take care of that, and then Hanapepe
river mouth is maintained by Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (A&B).
Councilmember Kagawa: So we do not do those two (2) anymore?
Mr. Tabata: No.
Councilmember Kagawa: What about, we had a request...we did not even
reach that, so I will say it later in that district. Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: But canal cleaning and so forth is done by the
Roads Division in each district.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Hanapepe Baseyard?
Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Could you repeat what you just said? The
Hanapepe river mouth is cleared by A&B?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: And?
Mr. Tabata: Waimea river mouth is done by DLNR through a
contractor. They have a contractor who is on-call.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: And to expedite clearing, we call the Emergency
Operating Center (EOC), and Civil Defense makes a declaration and the State is allowed to
perform the maintenance. It is goes through the notification process.
Councilmember Yukimura: Whose responsibility is it legally?
Mr. Tabata: DLNR.
Councilmember Yukimura: It is DLNR's responsibility?
Mr. Tabata: They pay the contractor do the work.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, but is there a statute says the counties are
responsible?
Mr. Tabata: It depends. We clear certain portions of our canals
and streams that we maintain...and tree removals. The State takes care of...I know what it
says in black and white; however, we have been...
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, it is a risk-management issue because if
somebody gets hurt and we are legally responsible for it, and we do not have a formal
agreement...
Mr. Tabata: This is formal.
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Councilmember Yukimura: ...indemnification...
Councilmember Yukimura: You have a formal agreement?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: With A&B, too?
Mr. Tabata: I believe so, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: And the State.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is good.
Mr. Tabata: We have divided up certain portions of the island.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is good intergovernmental cooperation. I do
not have any objections to that, it is just that as citizens wave the statute in front of us and
say"how come such and so much of such river mouth is not cleared"whether it is in'Aliomanu
or Hanalei Bay or wherever we kind of need to know how to answer.
Mr. Tabata: The best policy would be to direct them to DPW
and we can help you answer it.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, maybe we can ask you which ones are
covered by which and you can tell us.
Mr. Tabata: Yes. We have a list and we can forward that to
you.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Moving on to Kapa'a Baseyard. Do we have any
questions for Kapa'a Baseyard? Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I know I did a Personal Request after I received
some calls from the men that said that some of the equipment that they were using were
hampering their efficiencies, for example, not having a cab for the mower on a rainy day. The
mower and the worker gets wet. The machine gets wet and it is not good for the machine.
They said some of the equipment that was broken were not fixed and that they were hand
trimming trees that would be better serviced with machinery when you are dealing with such
a large area such as cleaning the bypass road. Those types of concerns were brought up, and
I did a Personal Request and asked if there were any equipment needs that were needed to
make the baseyard road maintenance task force a little bit more efficient and that we did
whatever we could with the efficiency of machinery that works instead of hand tools.
Mr. Tabata: Councilmember Kagawa, we appreciated that
request. I believe we responded by saying that we will be coming to this session during
budget to address the issues, and that has prompted the nine (9) pieces of equipment that we
have put forward.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Alright.
Mr. Tabata: I believe the Mayor and myself went out to the
baseyards ourselves. These pieces, as you can see, are spread across the island. We tried to
balance it so that we serve every jurisdiction.
Councilmember Kagawa: Do we share some of these? For example, if
Kapa`a has something that Hanapepe, Waimea, or Hanalei does not have, do we sometimes
share or do we try to keep everything in their district and not share?
Mr. Renaud: If it is need-be, we do.
Councilmember Kagawa: Sometimes we can if a machine is down or
whatever?
Mr. Renaud: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The one vacant position is 837, District Road
Overseer I. I know it just became vacant at the end of December...
Mr. Tabata: We are going through the process of filling that
position, which requires examination. We post it, we have an examination, and then we can
interview qualified applicants.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The salary budgeted was vacant for part of last
year as well.
Mr. Tabata: We had a temporary assignment in there for a
number of years.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And then the vacancy review report shows the
current annual salary ranges on the low side $60,696 and $63,156 on the high side. If you
are recruiting now and you are going hire somebody new, you are budgeting at the highest
range. Is that just to give you the flexibility to hire at the highest range? I mean, we are
kind of talking about during the Salary Resolution about when you hire somebody new and
you have a range to hire them at the beginning of the range or someplace in the middle of the
range so that there is still room to grow, otherwise their raises would be limited or
unavailable. This position last year was$54,660 and this year is $63,150, and that is a fifteen
percent (15%) increase.
Mr. Tabata: Mr. Renaud will speak to that.
Mr. Renaud: That is not a problem for us because we had
three (3) individuals from two (2) baseyards qualify, one (1) from that baseyard and two (2)
from an other baseyard, and we do not see a problem there.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Is it your intent to because it is budgeting at the
highest level?
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Mr. Renaud: That level was high because there was a senior
person in that position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So that person left a year ago or retired?
Mr. Renaud: Correct.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So now when you are budgeting in the new year,
you do not have to budget at the highest level for a senior retired person?
Mr. Renaud: No.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Are you going to adjust that downward for the
next submittal because right now it is posted at $63,150?
Mr. Renaud: Yes, we will.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you
Mr. Matsushige: I think it happened late in our budgeting process,
so the budget did not reflect the downward adjustment.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Kapa`a Baseyard? I
had a question on the equipment lease purchases. There was zero (0) this year, but last year,
I saw $13,000 encumbered. What is that? It is that last line item.
Mr. Matsushige: Last year we had the fifth of five (5) years, so that
has ended.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The $13,480 would have been in the leased section
in the prior year? It is on page 277 at the very bottom.
Mr. Matsushige: That is actually expenditures.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: That we have purchased?
Mr. Matsushige: No, what we paid on the lease.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Oh. It would not have come out of the prior
number lease? It is a question I can send later.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Zero (0) budgeted, but just the difference in the
leased line item and the equipment purchases. I think there is another account coming up
that had a larger number in there, so I just wanted to know what that was for. Moving on to
Hanalei Baseyard. Any questions for Hanalei Baseyard?
Councilmember Kagawa: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. Is Hanalei river mouth our
responsibility, making sure that it is open and functioning, or is that again DLNR?
Mr. Tabata: That has been up to debate and DPR is taking the
lead on that. They are assuming the responsibility, and there is a whole bunch of permitting
requirements that they need to go through, so Lenny will be heading that up.
Councilmember Kagawa: For any river mouth, do we hire a contractor to do
that?
Mr. Tabata: Not necessarily.
Councilmember Kagawa: Sometimes we do it with our equipment?
Mr. Renaud: It depends on the size.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Renaud: If we can reach it with our equipment.
Councilmember Kagawa: If we can reach it with our equipment, we do it
ourselves?
Mr. Renaud: We would.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Alright. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The two (2) vacant positions starting with vacant
position 951 Highway Construction and Maintenance Supervisor.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Vacant since August let of last year.
Mr. Tabata: We had to wait until we expended all of his back
vacation. He was a long-term employee, so we were not allowed to fill it until the end of the
fiscal year.
Councilmember Kuali`i: It was not that had you difficulty recruiting or
anything?
Mr. Tabata: No.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So now is it under recruitment? Have you hired
or is it about to hire?
Mr. Tabata: We hired in-house.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Hired in-house.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: That was as of?
Mr. Tabata: We are just finishing up the interview and hiring
process. I believe maybe two (2) or three (3) more weeks.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. The other one is Equipment Operator II,
888, which was vacant since May of last year, which is ten (10) months.
Mr. Tabata: That has been filled.
Councilmember Kuali`i: That one was filled?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So what is showing up on the vacancy report on
March 15th, was filled after March 15th or just recently?
Mr. Tabata: I have my new organizational chart that is of
March 15th, and it shows filled.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay, that is it.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Hanalei Baseyard? If
not, we will move on to signs and roads. Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So position 729, Traffic Marker that was vacant
since March of last year, which is over a year, what is the status?
Mr. Tabata: We are pending right now...vacancy review
actually.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Pending vacancy review, so likely to move within
the next three (3) months?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And then the other one in this area is 856,
Equipment Operator III, just since December.
Mr. Tabata: Yes. I believe that is the same category.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I was just wondering whether if we have a
request, such as DPR had a request for a sign for Ha`ena Beach, do we help them out and use
our sign laborers to help or do we just do road things?
Mr. Renaud: No, we have been assisting as needed.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. Another one, I actually had a request
from a close friend of the Mayor's dad, and he said Hua`a`ala Road...I do not know if you folks
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know, but that is the road by Saint Catherine's School and it goes all the way down. He said,
"Why is some parts not stripped?" When I drove it, it looked like almost the whole thing was
striped, but there were some gaps. Is there a reason why there is gaps or that it is striped
and then for maybe fifty (50) yards or so it is not striped and then striped again? There is a
break.
Mr. Renaud: It could be two (2) things. Was it striped around
bends?
Councilmember Kagawa: I am not particularly sure, and I think that is
what he was talking about. I thought when he first made the request to me during the
Mayor's speech at the state of the County, I thought that he was talking about the whole road
not being striped because I think the response he got from the Administration was that if the
road is not wide enough, then they do not put the center line stripe, and they just leave it
blank so that people know that they have to be careful or whatever. But when I drove it, I
would say seventy-five percent(75%)to ninety percent(90%) of it is striped. I was wondering
maybe he is talking about the areas that there were gaps in between that they are not striped,
and I was wondering why there would be some of those gaps, maybe three (3) or four (4) gaps
in the whole road.
Mr. Renaud: I am not sure, but if that road is less than
twenty (20) feet, then we do not stripe it; only at the bends, but I will look into it.
Councilmember Kagawa: So if it is less than twenty (20) feet wide, it is a
general practice of road safety not to stripe a road?
Mr. Renaud: That is a regulation, yes. But for special
conditions and going to engineering for comments and recommendations, we could possibly
get that striped.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Mr. Renaud: But it depends.
Councilmember Kagawa: I was wondering. If there was a safety standard
reason why we do not stripe it, then I would not want to say because I am not an engineer. I
do not want to tell you folks what to do. I was just wondering. Is that the reason though,
that if it is not more than twenty (20) feet, they require it to be unstriped?
Mr. Renaud: Correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Renaud: But I will look into it, too.
Councilmember Kagawa: It makes sense. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for signs and roads? If not
we will move on to roads maintenance. Any questions for roads maintenance? I have a
question, and I think I asked it last year, but I cannot remember the answer. On the indirect
costs line item of$1,000,000, what is that for?
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Mr. Tabata: That is the general account because this is a fund
that the Highway Fund needs to pay back into the General Fund for services in accounting
and general services. It is a surcharge, I guess you could call it. You will see it in Wastewater
and some of it in Solid Waste also, because they are not entirely General Fund funded, so
they need to pay their share.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any further questions?
Councilmember Kagawa: I have one (1).
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: The street light account, what does that pay for?
Mr. Tabata: That is the electricity to power the lights.
Councilmember Kagawa: Electricity for the lights.
Mr. Tabata: So that has been reduced some. As Kaua`i Island
Utility Cooperative (KIUC) is moving towards light-emitting diode (LED) street lights, right
now we were told to plan for a twenty percent (20%) reduction because that is the first phase
of their replacement, and then I believe in two (2) full years, they will have replaced
everything, and you are going to see a significant reduction of about fifty percent (50%).
Councilmember Kagawa: Do we get a lot of requests for street lights to be
installed?
Mr. Tabata: As new subdivisions are built, they come on, and
they dedicate the street to the County, we assume those. We have some requests, but they
are very infrequent because most of our street lights are established and it costs us extra
money and power. There is a specification that the Engineering Division goes through to
calculate the areas that we do have street lights every so many feet, and in particular, the
one was requested for Haleko Road is being worked on between KIUC and the County right
now. The issue is bringing power to the street light, and that is why I believe we have not
responded still because we are still working on it with KIUC.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Roads and
Maintenance? If not, we are going move on to Wastewater. Lyle, do you want to go through
the presentation for the Wastewater Division?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, Wastewater Division. I think Mr. Tschupp
thought we were going to go longer with the Roads Division. The mission statement of the
Wastewater Management is to protect the public's health, safety, and the environment by
developing and operating the County's wastewater infrastructure. The successes and
achievements include: Capital Improvement Program wrapping up of two (2) significant
projects at `Ele`ele wastewater and the island-wide SCADA, as I did in my overview when I
did DPW at a glance; energy conservation measures identified for future CIP projects
involving the use of the Lihu`e digester gas; completed on-site Coco Palms sewage pump
station odor control improvements, and then preparing to initiate for odor controls in the
makai area of the highway. I know there has been a lot of dialogue about odor still persisting
in the Wailua pump system area, so we basically addressed the pump station itself, but there
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are odors emanating from the sewer line. So we are working our way back and why we did
not address it from the get-go is because we do not own property where we can mount the
installation of the device that we are using at the pump station to address the odors.
Presently, we started initiation of the project that will look at opportunities, we can either
partner with a landowner, or we need to buy land, or condemn land. We are presently
completing preliminary engineering Environmental Assessment (EA) for the development of
an It-1 recycled water distribution system for the Waimea area. We did the upgrade of a
Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant and we have funds for now through the EPA, for the
design and construction of the recycled water system, which we hope will then allow us to
reduce the potable water needs in Waimea the area, making more available, and use this
water to irrigate the Waimea Canyon Park and the area close by. A sewer rate study is in
process right now. We have not had any sewer rate increases the last two (2) years, so it is
time again to renew a study to look at our rates.Also, we are working on permit requirements
for the Wailua Wastewater Water Treatment Plant to identify the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) compliance needs as identified by the State and
Federal government, the EPA, on discharge requirements of the effluent from the Wailua
Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Challenges include the increased regulatory compliance complexity, particularly with
the recently issued NPDES permit for the Wailua Wastewater Treatment Plant that I
mentioned that we are working to identify the needs; aging infrastructure; developing and
maintaining required specialty skill and licensing for our wastewater operators. Our staff
has seen recent retirements and we need to help the lower level employees obtain the
required licensing to be licensed operators. We are limited with funding from a small
customer base, and anticipation of growth within the wastewater service areas and
preparation to ensure capacity and capability to maintain service levels for new residential
development.
Goals and objectives for Fiscal Year 2017 include continuing to improve operations by
staff development, safety and efficiency improvements, facility maintenance, and capital
improvement projects; continually improve operation maintenance practices and procedures
using the SCADA system that we are just completing installation, maintenance management
software, scheduled equipment maintenance and replacement, adequate maintenance and
repair equipment and supplies, and skilled maintenance personnel; continued regulatory
compliance; and financial sustainability via sewer user fees that cover the cost of providing
sewer services. As mentioned earlier, the rate study is in progress. Other goals and
objectives include seek additional training opportunities including new venues. The former
State-run wastewater operations training program has been taken over by the University of
Hawai`i; complete improved baseyard facilities for operation and maintenance staff where a
new superintendent and maintenance personnel office area at carriage house mezzanine
construction is nearing completion; improved bio-solids handling to develop beneficial
alternatives for bio-solids management to reduce costs and save landfill space; seek funding
opportunities including grants and low cost loans to support our CIP needs; continued
development of wastewater reuse opportunities, particularly for the Wailua system where
grant funding is available, preliminary studies completed and reuse water user interest
identified, including Waimea Canyon Park, as I mentioned earlier; and finally proceed with
design for improvements at Wailua and Lihu'e wastewater treatment plants for continued
facility improvements needed to maintain existing facilities functionality and prepare for
service area residential growth.
Each objective has success measures and outcomes that we would like to obtain. I
just talked on the bullets, and you can review each of Ed's goals. In the financial summary,
you can see again that Ed reduced his budget by close to five percent (5%), and the main
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difference was in operations where we completed some one-time maintenance activities and
was able to reduce the budget. Some of it is also savings for electricity, so even though our
salary and collective bargaining agreements had an increase, utilities with lower energy rates
helped us, and as I mentioned, opportunities for cost-savings were implemented.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any questions from the Members?
Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you, Chair. What is the average cost for a
single-family homeowner right now? What is their monthly bill right now?
EDWARD TSCHUPP, Public Works Chief of Wastewater: Edward Tschupp,
Chief, Wastewater Management Division. Our single-family residential monthly rate is
$60.09, something on that order of about $60.
Councilmember Kagawa: Is there any proposed increases?
Mr. Tschupp: Not for this current year. We are working on a
rate study right now, so we anticipate that the results of that will be available for Council
consideration going forward during the next fiscal year, but we are not ready for a July Pt
decision.
Councilmember Kagawa: And the expected revenue for 2016 is about almost
$1,000,000?
Mr. Tschupp: We do not have the revenue projections worked in
quite as detailed as the expenditure side, but we have been running, yes, $7,000,000 to
$8,000,000. We do have a General Fund transfer every year, so we are not entirely
self-sufficient.
Councilmember Kagawa: So we have a General Fund transfer every year,
but we are pretty close to self-sufficiency?
Mr. Tschupp: Getting there.
Councilmember Kagawa: Getting there. Of all of the users of all of the
residents and businesses, what percentage is serviced by a sewer system whether it is county
or Grove Farm or whatever? What percentage would you say has water treatment, fifty
percent (50%) or thirty percent (30%)?
Mr. Tschupp: I am not sure.
Councilmember Kagawa: I am saying how many of people have cesspools
and septic tanks then?
Mr. Tschupp: Oh, okay.
Councilmember Kagawa: How much are we servicing the people of Kauai
whether it be a county sewer system or private sewer system, which is the better way of
managing?
Mr. Tschupp: As opposed to a cesspool or something?
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Councilmember Kagawa: Yes.
Mr. Tschupp: My basic feel is that the County is serving with
our sewer systems roughly twenty percent (20%) of the residents and possibly as much as
fifty percent (50%) of the businesses.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Mr. Tschupp: Then the private utility, Grove Farm, Inc., is
probably serving around another ten to twenty percent (10-20%), which means that of the
remainder of the island's households, something on the order of sixty plus percent (60%+) is
either septic or cesspool.
Councilmember Kagawa: So maybe forty percent (40%) of the whole island
now. Are there any plans in this budget to work on raising that number or upgrading the
system so that we can branch out a little bit more? Is it a goal of ours in this budget to try
and expand?
Mr. Tschupp: No, not explicitly. That is a very expensive
proposition to go in and dig new lines to serve, and the ideal candidate areas would be infill
areas that are near the sewer system and have fairly high density. So there are some places
in the Hanapepe area, or Wailua Houselots, or some of the area there along Baby Beach that
would be potential candidates because there is enough density. I am happy to say that the
Kohealoa project, which is breaking ground and the contractor has been given his notice to
proceed, that will be connected to the Lihu`e system. So it is much easier which you have a
master developer coming in and building everything for them to also build a sewer line.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you for your answers.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have a follow-up to that. Do we have capacity at
all of our sewer plants for this type of additional development that would add economies of
scale to our system?
Mr. Tschupp: In three (3) of the four (4) plants, we have excess
capacity presently. The one that is closest is the Wailua plant, and we have some capacity
there. There is potentially a lot of development that could occur in Wailua between resort
developments where there is sewer lines right next to the property. We are starting to see
some resort building starting to occur, Coco Palms of course, but there is Coconut Beach
Resort that has also broken ground, and then the area just below the middle school, there is
a proposed subdivision there that we would consider being within our service area.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: You said our current plant can handle that or it
might have problems in the future handling that?
Mr. Tschupp: At some point we will need an expansion of the
Wailua plant. This is déjà vu all over again because I was here in 2007 when we had lots of
resort people planning and Coco Palms was still there working on their plans. We thought
that we were running ourselves to capacity in Wailua, and then 2008 came along and
everybody pulled the plug. We are still pretty much in the same boat as we were then, so it
really depends upon how much construction actually occurs.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Thank you. Councilmember Kagawa.
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Councilmember Kagawa: I see that we have two (2) chemist positions.
Mr. Tschupp: Correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: Are they filled right now?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: So this is more like a true or false question, I had
a complaint that although we have chemists, we still go out and hire a private firm or
company to assist us, and I am wondering if now that...I think one (1) chemist position was
open, so I am wondering now that we are full, are we still doing that?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes, and we will be probably in perpetuity because
there are chemical analyses that we are required to do annually and monthly that are most
typically done in commercial labs even by big organizations because the labs that are set-up
to commercial laboratories that are set up to run things like priority pollutants, have all of
the equipment and facilities, gas chromatic graph, mass spectrometer is a chunk of
equipment that is probably $100,000. So it would not be efficient for us to try to equip our
lab to run those sorts of analyses, yet we are required to submit those kind of results every
year. So it is a one (1) a year deal kind of thing. It does not make sense.
Councilmember Kagawa: It was never our intention that having the chemist
would eliminate that need to go outside?
Mr. Tschupp: That is correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: We just do whatever we can with the chemist?
Mr. Tschupp: We do what we can in-house that is efficient to do
in-house. One of the reasons that we have two(2) chemists is that we do seven (7) day a week
testing at a couple of our plants, so they are on a staggered schedule like our operators who
also run the plants on a seven (7) day a week schedule.
Councilmember Kagawa: Very good. I appreciate that because I think it is
important that we test a lot because we do not want that to get into our waterways. Thank
you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions? Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: 1858, Operator IV,which was vacant since August
for seven (7) months, what is the status of filling that position?
Mr. Tabata: We do not have any qualified personnel to fill it.
It is ongoing, open recruitment, and we are trying to look at ways where we can be...what is
the term? Out-of-the box thinking as far as how we replace and bring people up to speed so
that they qualify to become licensed operators. In the past, we have looked at teaming with
KCC to provide the related training. The City and County of Honolulu has a program
whereby they hire people specifically with the goal in mind to become licensed operators;
however, that is a term employment meaning that they get hired with the intent that if they
do not become licensed within x number of years, then they do not have a job. So that takes
working closely with our union and we want to look at other options first before we get to
that point.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: And based on where you are, you are hopeful that
you have movement in next three (3) to six (6) months because you are fully budgeting for
this position as of July 1st?
Mr. Tabata: These are regulatory positions, so we cannot
short-fund these this. It is an area where I would not advise us to short-fund. As I mentioned,
we are under continuous recruitment and we still at the same time,want to look at developing
our in-house employees.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And the increase of four percent (4%), that
represents what?
Mr. Tabata: That is all based on the collective bargaining
agreement.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay.
Council Chair Rapozo: I have a follow-up.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: This is a follow-up. You say it is regulatory
positions, so the fact that it is not filled, are we having a problem?
Mr. Tabata: We have to spend a lot of overtime and people
sacrifice their days off by coming in, and yes, we pay the price.
Council Chair Rapozo: I mean it is a line item, but overtime at $390,000
is to accommodate the fact we cannot find qualified people.
Mr. Tabata: And we had a change in our union agreement as
far as standby pay.
Council Chair Rapozo: I see that. Standby is $275,000.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, that and the Building Division had a
significant increase for standby pay.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So everything we just talked about with regards
to the 1858 Operator IV position, does that also apply to the wastewater plant working
supervisor and the operators?
Mr. Tabata: They are all Grade IV operators, yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: They are all Grade IV operators?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, and we are bound by law to have a Grade IV
operator in those positions.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And are we having trouble filling all three (3) of
those positions?
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Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Council Chair Rapozo: Real quick.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair.
Council Chair Rapozo: What is the requirement? What is required of
those positions that has made them difficult? I mean, nobody wants to work in a sewer plant,
I guess.
Mr. Tabata: You need years as well as the related training, and
pass an exam.
Council Chair Rapozo: The State exam?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Tschupp: It is actually a National exam.
Mr. Tabata: National exam, yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Who administers that exam? Is it us here?
Mr. Tschupp: There is a State board, which is the Board of
Certification for Wastewater Operating Personnel, but they use a National test.
Council Chair Rapozo: And the salaries are standard throughout the
State?
Mr. Tschupp: Any governmental organization that is under the
same collective bargaining agreement is going to have the same...Bargaining Unit 12 is a
Bargaining Unit 12 Statewide.
Council Chair Rapozo: Do the other islands not have trouble filling
theirs?
Bargaining Unit They do.
Council Chair Rapozo: The pay is not very high.
Bargaining Unit I think that people actually kind of count on some
overtime. I personally believe that the pay for...these people are very professional, and a
Grade IV operator has a significant...they are taking personal responsibility through their
license for the operation of that plant. I firmly believe that they are not adequately
compensated through the collective bargaining system, but we have no ability to really do
anything about that.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Wastewater
Division? I have a general question and it just goes along of what.some Councilmembers
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brought up earlier, do we have any big costs that we foresee in the future that we have been
putting off because of our budget constraints?
Mr. Tabata: I believe that Ed has done a very good job in
setting up projects to address issues. A lot of our major CIP type of projects are funded
through SRF where we can get these very low interest loans, and as our debt service retires
and we bring new projects on, we create new ones. So we want to hover. Ed does a really
good job in keeping us consistent, and as one gets retired, we are ready with another project.
A lot of the moneys that is Kaua`i's share is kind of how HDOT says that we get only x amount
of funds. We compete with the rest of the State for this SRF funds, and as many people know,
the City and County of Honolulu is under dissent decrease. So they are pretty much given a
lot more funds than anybody else.
Mr. Tschupp: One of the items that is somewhat of a wild card,
and we saw it over the last few years, is our permit for the Wailua plant had some significant
changes on its last re-permitting, which the permit was issued in November of 2013, and we
have already expended over $500,000 earlier in 2013, which we did not really anticipate in
studies required under that new permit. One of those studies basically was focused on how
we are going to comply with the new rules, and the conclusion very briefly, was that our best
option for complying with the new rule is to abandon the ocean outfall. Wailua is the only
plant that has the ocean outfall and go to maximizing reuse, which then potentially involves
upgrades to get to higher quality R-1 type of water, but also, we need some alternative
disposal point besides reuse when it rains a lot, nobody needs our water. We are looking at
a project that would essentially include a giant leach field constructed at the Wailua Golf
Course. So that is all part of what we are looking at in our financing and rate study capital
planning thing, but those kinds of things can be wild cards. Early 2013, we did not know
that we were going to need to do this, the permit changed, and it is leading us in a new and
different direction.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. I am glad you are looking at different
options. I do not know if relocation of the plant to a different location would be another option
also. Again, it is hard to abandon a facility that you have spent so much money to do, but as
regulations come up, it may end up being more feasible to end up moving the facility
somewhere else or trying to acquire a facility somewhere else nearby or something, and a
leach field, or looking at all of these options. Thank you. Who knows what type of regulations
will come up in future? You just have to take it as they come and try to deal with them as
they come.
Councilmember Yukimura: I have a question.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Am I hearing that you are not going for the waiver
and are now looking at closing the outfall?
Mr. Tschupp: We are keeping our options open through the
contested case process, which has been rescheduled. We want to be behind City and County
of Honolulu in some of their actions, so we are going let them fight the contested cases first
so that we will know better what kind of arguments to emphasize or not to emphasize. We
are keeping that option open. One of the studies that we did this year was basically aimed
at how to comply with the new rules, and the technically preferred approach considering costs
was to essentially get away from the ocean outfall, and that will solve a bunch of problems
going forward. We would essentially no longer be in the NPDES type of facility. Our other
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three (3) plants are reuse or injection wells, so it is not obvious to me that maintaining an
ocean outfall is our best option at this point.
Councilmember Yukimura: I am very glad to hear that you are looking at
non-outfall options. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Wastewater
Division? Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: The City and County of Honolulu periodically has
spills that flow into the Ala Wai Canal and feeds the crabs. When was our last spill that you
can recall?
Mr. Tschupp: There was a spill not long ago in the Hanama`ulu
area, probably about a month ago or around there. I looked at our spill statistics not long
ago, and we average four to five (4-5) spills a year, most of them small and many of them
contained at a plant. People keep statistics on those sorts of things, and it seems that is more
or less what happens industry-wide.
Councilmember Kagawa: I think a lot of times O`ahu's ones happen when
they have heavy rainfall. Is that our problem as well?
Mr. Tschupp: Heavy rainfall tends to...you get a lot more flow
going into the plants and the sewer lines are more likely to run full. If you have shallow
lines, then they can literally overflow the manhole. Our problem in specific areas is things
like roots getting into the sewer line and creating clogs. So our collection system maintenance
group, which we also refer to as the line crew, is a very key part of our operations.
Councilmember Kagawa: So they do routine maintenance?
Mr. Tschupp: They do routine maintenance. They know of some
of the trouble spot areas that are more likely to be an area that is going to be subject to getting
roots, or grease accumulation, or various things that affect the collection system. They also
do a lot of maintenance work at the plants. They have the equipment. They have the crane
and the vector trucks, so they have some very specialized equipment that is under that crew's
management. Also, recently within the last year, we ended up with expanding their duties
to going and pumping park septic systems, so that has actually been an area where we
purchased a three thousand five hundred (3,500) gallon pumper truck, and we have added a
person to that crew. They are spending a fair amount of their time doing that sort of...and it
really is a service to the General Fund because when we go pump the septic systems at a
park, that is not something that is directly related to our wastewater rate payers.
Councilmember Kagawa: So the parks would save money by not having to
pay for the service?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes, that is one of the reasons that went into the
decision by the County to buy that pumper truck was to internalize some of those costs.
Councilmember Kagawa: Do you folks also use cameras, too, or new
technology?
Mr. Tschupp: We do have a camera. It is a few years old now.
It is probably due to be replaced. We do not have that in this budget. From time to time, we
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also have contracted for camera services. This last year, we videoed the entire Hanama`ulu
system above the highway because we had a spill a couple of years ago, and that gave us a
concern that maybe we had some structural damage, and we hired a company that does that
kind of camera work to come over and survey the area.
Councilmember Kagawa: My advice would be to buy the camera because if
water leaks, we lose some water, but when that leaks, I would like to prevent that.
Mr. Tschupp: We are looking at new things all the time. There
are some nifty technology that is out there now.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: If you answered this already, I will get the
information from staff or somebody. On the aging infrastructure of our sewer lines, do we
have a preventative maintenance/replacement plan?
Mr. Tschupp: On the sewer lines themselves, not really. It is
much more of a known trouble spot along with we were looking at some tools that will give
us a better indication of where blockages may be occurring, and then we address that. We
are starting to move where we have got a couple of the older subdivisions, one of them is
`Ele`ele subdivision above the McDonalds, that we are right now hiring a designer to look at
doing a rehab of that entire collection system there. Similarly, we are in the process of hiring
a consultant to assist us with the spill area that we have had in Hanama`ulu. So it is a little
bit reactive in that respect. We are fortunate actually, that even though we say things are
aging, they always are. A lot of our collection system was not really old, meaning that it is
sort of a product of the 1960s and on as opposed to the City and County Honolulu where
probably the 1920s and on. So our collection system is aging, but it is aging gracefully so far
relatively speaking.
Councilmember Yukimura: And you do not have to do any kind of preventative
maintenance like the Roads Division is beginning to do so that it will last longer?
Mr. Tschupp: The preventative maintenance that we look at is
more equipment based at the treatment plants and pump stations. Right now, an area where
we are starting to do some significant rehab work is at the older pump stations, which are
integral to the system. No sense in having a gravity collection system leading to a pump
station and then have the pumps go out. That is a spill. Our preventative maintenance type
of activities are having the line crew go surveillance, do periodical cleaning in known trouble
areas, and then preventative maintenance at the plant and pump station assets.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is that best practice or is that common for how
sewers are dealt with in terms of maintenance?
Mr. Tschupp: I believe so.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Wastewater? If not, we
are going to move on. We will head to the Solid Waste Division.
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Councilmember Yukimura: I have one (1) more question. I am sorry.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: At the top, you say one of your goals is financial
sustainability versus via sewer user fees that cover the cost of providing sewer services and
you have a rate study in progress.
Mr. Tschupp: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: What if your rate proposals are not adopted?
Mr. Tschupp: That is a good question. That is a question that
will be facing Council when we come in with a rate proposal, and it is going to be something
that the collective wisdom of the Council will have to consider.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, and the per capita costs are high because our
sewer systems are small. They do not have a big base, which the fixed costs can be spread
around, right? Is there any plan to increase the base in a well-thought out fashion, I mean,
not leapfrogging on to agricultural lands, which would not actually lower the cost per capita,
but doing more concentrated infill development that would add users, and therefore help to
support the overall system?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes, I think you have identified how we interface
as a utility operation with land use policies and planning type policies. So to the extent to
which you concentrate development areas, that makes sewering and all utility service
provisions much more cost-effective.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is the value of compact development.
Mr. Tschupp: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are you giving input into the General Plan
update? This is about long-range costs?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: You are?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes, the Department of Planning has been very
good about keeping us involved.
Councilmember Yukimura: Very good. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: They touched on this a little earlier...
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, I am sorry.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: ...regarding some of the newer developments
coming up, and talking about the infill and the capacity of the current wastewater systems.
Councilmember Yukimura: Very good. Thank you.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Wastewater
Division? If not, thank you. Thank you, Ed. Thank you for the great budget. I like how
thought-out it is. You put your line items for all of our R&M equipment and everything down,
so you can tell it is a very well-thought out budget.
Council Chair Rapozo: Just a real quick comment because you started
with Wailua sewer plant and the odor. I passed that thing at least twice a day. I have to tell
you...
Mr. Tabata: I understand.
Council Chair Rapozo: I have to tell you, it is working. I do not smell it.
I can count the times on my hand that it is noticeable, but ninety percent (90%) of the time,
I do not smell it, and I still drive with my windows down. I do not know. It is working
whatever it is. I know sometimes when it is bad, it is bad.
Mr. Tabata: Are you talking about going across the street?
Council Chair Rapozo: The makai side?
Mr. Tabata: Yes. We are working to going across the street
makai, and as I mentioned, try to find a piece of property to stage the equipment.
Council Chair Rapozo: I just wanted to thank you folks for fixing the
mauka side because it was bad.
Mr. Tschupp: On a bad day, I get complaints all the time
including from my wife who drives by there periodically on her way from work or on her way
home. Certain time of the day, Kona wind conditions and light winds, you can still get a good
dose of not so great odor. But I do think...
Council Chair Rapozo: It has improved significantly, is what I was trying
to say.
Mr. Tschupp: I appreciate that, because that is what I hear. We
have people in the office who drive by every day, but it is certainly not perfect yet.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I want to thank the Chair for mentioning it. I had
it in my notes and I did not ask about it, but it is so good to celebrate when things work. I
know it is not perfect, but thank you, Chair.
Council Chair Rapozo: It is a lot better than what is was.
Mr. Tabata: I would like to add one more thing that I would
like to head this way. We recently enclosed the entire head works, which is the receiving end
at the `Ele`ele plant. It is in a building, so you do not have any odors in that whole area now
because at the head works is where normally you get the most odors. In particular, I believe
we still get complaints at Wailua and in Lihu`e at certain times depending on the way the
wind blows, it gets really bad. So if we can accomplish in enclosing the head works areas
where the raw sewage comes into an enclosed area, we will do even better.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is that hopefully going to be included in the design
of any new works that we do so we do not have to do the retrofits?
Mr. Tschupp: I think that any kind of project that is doing
something in those areas should try to maximize odor control. When it comes to putting an
entire set of facilities like a works facilities in a structure where they are currently not, that
involves quite a significant...you have to plan the building around it. I think that becomes
kind of separate projects in and of themselves.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you cannot include them in the design, when a
system is being designed?
Mr. Tschupp: Well, if you are designing from the ground-up, yes,
you can. But most of our work ends up being a piece of this particular plant looking at this
system, one (1) of twenty (20) different processes that is sort of weakest link that needs the
next set of investments.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, if you are talking about an existing system. I
just hope that whether it is developers or anybody who has to build a sewer that is going to
become a public sewer eventually, that we include that in the design requirements if we know
it could be a problem so that we do not have to retrofit it later on at the taxpayers' costs.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: With that, we will take a ten (10) minute caption
break so we will not need to break again. When we come back, we will start in on the Solid
Waste Division.
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 2:45 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 2:57 p.m., and proceeded as follows:
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Welcome back. Right now we are on DPW, Solid
Waste Division. Lyle, you have the floor.
Mr. Tabata: I will introduce our summary of the presentation.
The mission of the Solid Waste Division is to maintain public health and safety by providing
reliable programs to properly manage municipal solid waste for the island of Kauai and to
maximize waste diversion on Kaua`i by providing cost-effective, convenient, and reliable
waste diversion opportunities for Kaua`i residents through source reduction, reuse, and
recycling. The vision is to maintain a balance of reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness
for the County's solid waste programs; identifying and implement appropriate integrated
programs to divert solid waste from the County landfill in concert with the recently adopted
Zero Waste Resolution, which the goal of diversion is to achieve seventy percent (70%) waste
diversion source reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting by the year 2023; further
maximize waste diversion by promoting all existing waste diversion opportunities to the
residential and commercial sectors as appropriate; provide technical assistance to the
commercial sector and private recyclers; provide public education in schools and to the
community at-large; and conduct County solid waste management programs and operations
in accordance with applicable government regulations.
Some of the successes for the last fiscal year was we implemented the Pay As You
Throw program, and we have statistics there. One of the things that I wanted to point out
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that was a positive for us was that when we implemented this program, we found that we
still had customers receiving service without paying, so because we converted all of the cans
to the carts, we found more customers out there who were not paying. So that along with the
larger volume of people choosing the ninety-six (96) gallon carts is what prompted the
increase in revenue, and we constantly receive calls asking for service, where many of these
requests are areas that are in private road areas. We are trying to work out agreements with
the customers on turnaround space because these are really tight roads, and so if they can
relieve the County of liability, we would be glad to service them. You are going to find areas
where the customers have to bring their carts out to the County right-of-way. We completed
the conversion to automated collection. I need to qualify the statement that I said that it is
one hundred percent (100%). We still have a segment of the population that is using what
we called a modified manual. So we still have some persons riding along, assisting in the
emptying of the cart, but we have a lift-arm on these manual trucks that lifts the cart and
empties them. This is primarily in the Ha`ena area past Wainiha where we have to cross
those weight limiting bridges. Another success is ensuring sufficient capacity to the Kekaha
Landfill. We continually work on our diversion programs in working on permitting the
lateral expansion for Cell 2, and we hope to have all of this permitting and the construction
of the lateral expansion completed by mid-2019. We continued the preparation of the
Environmental Impact Statement for the new landfill at Ma'alo, we are presently trying to
work with the Department of Transportation Airports Division on receiving comments back
on our Wildlife Hazard Assessment that was completed, and then we need to work on the
Wildlife Management Plan. Then based on requests from the Hanama'ulu community and
hearing their feedback to us, we are working on studying a fifth route that was asked of us,
and so we are completing the traffic study for that. After those two (2) studies are complete,
then we will pretty much wrap-up all of the necessary information that we need to then
complete the EIS, and then we can begin on a serious study of the design. Waste diversion
programs resulted in the close to thirty thousand (30,000) tons of landfill diversion in Fiscal
Year 2015. That was based on what the private sector programs contribute, we realized
approximately forty-four percent (44%) diversion rate. Recycling education and awareness
is ongoing by our recycling offices. We assumed management of the refuse collection
operation, as I mentioned earlier, with the conversion of automation. We also completed
moving the refuse crew from the Roads Division and is now under the management of the
Solid Waste Division. We also completed, as we mentioned, the negotiation of Phase III of
automated collections.
Challenges include landfill siting. The County continues to work on securing
commitment of the landowner for the property. We worked with DOT Airports on wildlife
hazard mitigation. Another challenge is electronic waste recycling. Recently, the contractor
who was doing the recycling for us for free pulled out and said it is no longer feasible for
them. We are working with our State Representatives at the DOH to try to get them to fund
this recycling effort, because they are collecting money from the vendors who sell the
electronics. Further, we are working on a preliminary possible agreement with Puhi Metals.
Another challenge is the used motor oil collection program. As we stated last year, the State
funded $63,000 per year to operate the residential used motor oil program. I believe this
program is going to be ending. Processing of commercial recyclables is another challenge.
We are expending the present concession contract, which provides recycling services, but it
is getting challenging as the market seems to be not conducive to covering their costs.
Finally, unscheduled closures for green waste diversion operations continues to challenge us
with in climate weather. We spent some money in helping us with equipment, and you will
see in this budget that we have even more money that we are going to be spending, which I
will be getting to.
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The Division's goals and objectives, they did a good job in identifying and putting it in
a little bit better form that is presentable to be examined, and they have measured outcomes
listed. Goal and objective one is to educate contractors and assist with compliance for the
proposed construction/demolition diversion ordinance. We hope to divert another four
thousand(4,000)tons per year, and educate businesses with commercial recycling for another
eight thousand (8,000) tons per year. These are initiatives that we hope to bring forward
soon. Another goal is to provide technical assistance to the commercial sector and private
recyclers; complete our EA for the MRF and at the same time, when we do make a decision
on the direction, we will then bring forward our initiative for curbside recycling; providing
public education in the schools and in community at-large is ongoing; and complete the
construction of improvements to our refuse transfer stations operations. We recently
completed an assessment of all of our facilities and have preliminary designs, which are
under review now to improve our NPDES storm water discharge systems. Moving forward,
and Troy will speak to it, we are also looking to utilize this as the basis for us rehabbing many
of our transfer stations. We have already started some work. We resurfaced the Kapa`a
Refuse Transfer Station access area, and we have plans for Hanalei and Hanapepe moving
forward. One of the other goals is to complete the EIS, in which we anticipate February of
2017, and then we can move forward with the design. In the Kekaha Landfill lateral
expansion is expected to be completed by February 2017 and receive DOH approval for the
Cell 2 expansion.
The performance measure is waste diversion rate is the ratio of all waste diversion
and recycling tonnage for total generation of diversion, recycling, tonnage, and disposal. The
waste diversion rate is an indicator of how effective existing diversion recycling programs are
at reducing the waste going into the landfill. Another performance measure is program
reliability, which includes refuse collection service. The refuse collection is one of the most
widely used services provided by the Solid Waste Division with a total exceeding nineteen
thousand (19,000) customers per week. Routes not collected, at least by the day after the
originally scheduled, will be monitored and causes will be identified and evaluated. Program
reliability also includes mixed waste disposal at refuse transfer stations. They operate about
three hundred fifty-two (352) days out of the year providing businesses and residents with
an option to properly dispose of solid waste. Unscheduled closures are being monitored and
causes will be identified and evaluated. I believe that some of the initiatives that we are
working on to improve the stations' receiving areas should improve our reliability. When we
do the construction of our NPDES storm water improvements, that should improve our
reliability significantly. Program reliably further includes waste diversion programs at the
refuse transfer stations that segregate green waste, scrap metal, white goods, used motor oil,
and scrap tires are accepted at all transfer stations and at the landfill. The transfer stations
operate three hundred fifty-two (352) days out of the year, providing business and residents
with an option to dispose of solid waste. Program participation is heavily dependent on
reliability and service. Unscheduled closures are monitored and identified for improvement.
Finally, program reliability also includes the residential drop-off program for recyclables,
which has eight (8) sites from Hanalei to the Kekaha Landfill, where recyclables such as tin
cans, glass, corrugated cardboard, newspaper, mixed paper, plastic bottles, food trays, and
aluminum cans are received. Available bin space has a direct correlation to the likelihood
that participants will recycle regularly. Occasions where full bins are reported will be
monitored and causes will be identified and evaluated. Part of the discussion last year was
the bins are full every time certain people go and visit, so what we have done is we have
increased the haul-outs. We have had an increase in haul-outs. I have been told that
sometimes we are hauling empty bins, so we have been trying to follow-up with that. Just
increasing the haul-outs is not the right answer. We need to monitor it more closely. Finally,
safety. The Division of Solid Waste Management operation is becoming more mechanized
where advancements in technology can be utilized to minimize employee exposure to health
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and safety risks associated with manual labor. An example of this is the County's
implementation of automated refuse collection and modified manual collection. Where
manual labor is necessary, training and personal protective equipment will be employed to
minimize risk of injuries to our employees. The Division of Solid Waste Management reviews
and updates standard policies and procedures as warranted, ensuring risks to employees,
customers, and the environment are minimized.
The following is a list of all of our grant funds. As you can see, we do receive a pretty
good amount of money from the Department of Health; however, it does not make up for
everything. I believe that our Solid Waste Fund is supplemented close to fifty percent (50%)
by the General Fund, so we do not cover all of our costs. The budget we are presenting is flat
at point eight percent(0.8%), which I believe is extremely well-done. We have some sacrifices
in there, and I believe that we are presenting a budget that I think we can live with and you
can live with.
The last thing I wanted to cover was the equipment. We started replacing some
equipment last year, where we replaced drop bins and we needed to replace one (1) of our
hook-lift trucks that moves trash around at the Kekaha Landfill. That has been ordered and
it should be here by the summer; however, we still have equipment needs, and we have
seven (7) pieces that we are looking to replace. We still need three (3) more refuse transfer
trailers. In particular, number 4 and number 5, we took a look at our operations at the
Hanalei transfer station or Princeville transfer station, and we identified that the equipment
that we have there are not necessarily the right pieces of equipment for us to do the work, so
we are proposing to replace a skid steer loader with an excavator that would greatly increase
our green waste handling capability as well as supplementing the operation with a front end
loader versus the backhoe that we have there. The backhoe is undersized and we get more
damage using a backhoe to do the moving around of green waste. So we are looking at an
excavator and front end loader to improve the operation there. I believe that will answer
many concerns of our employees out there, and placing the right piece of equipment to do the
right type of work. The Administration helped us with approving this, and we hope that you
will consider that, too. Then, we are looking for two (2) more green waste bins to make us
whole with our operation and really improve our efficiency and effectiveness in the field.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you for your presentation. I am just
reviewing the budget in full, so you have got solid waste disposal about$8,100,000, collections
about$4,900,000, recycling$3,300,000, and then we have got$532,000 for auto maintenance.
I guess that is the transfer to the Automotive Division to take care of.
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Kagawa: So$16,900,000 about total budget for Solid Waste.
In a nutshell, can you explain to myself and the public what operations go to the disposal? Is
that the landfill? What else going into the disposal operating budget?
TROY TANIGAWA, Environmental Service Management Engineer: Troy
Tanigawa, for the record. The disposal operating budget includes landfill employees, our
landfill operations contractors, it also includes the solid waste office staff, and everything we
need to operate. It further includes some of the transfer stations staff, primarily the green
waste positions that are allocated to the green waste monitoring at the three (3) transfer
stations.
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Councilmember Kagawa: What does the collections include?
Mr. Tanigawa: Collections include...
Councilmember Kagawa: The people who collect the rubbish as well as what
some of the transfer stations?
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct, refuse collection and transfer stations.
Councilmember Kagawa: So all of the rest of the transfer stations solid
waste personnel excluding the green waste pretty much?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes, so that is our truck drivers at the transfer
stations, the solid waste attendants, the equipment operators, two (2) at Lihu`e Refuse
Transfer Station to operate the backhoe, our refuse collection both automated truck drivers,
and our modified manual collection, as well as the solid waste worker group.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Then of course everybody knows about the
recycling. Thank you for that,Troy. The other question I had was where does the big contract
that we pay, who oversees the Kekaha Landfill?
Mr. Tanigawa: Kekaha Landfill is...
Councilmember Kagawa: It is a private company, right?
Mr. Tanigawa: They help us manage the landfill, Waste
Management.
Councilmember Kagawa: Waste Management, and where does that
payment show up?
Mr. Tanigawa: Look at account number...
Councilmember Kagawa: What page on the bottom?
Mr. Tanigawa: It is page 309.
Councilmember Kagawa: Page 309 on the bottom, and that contract is for
how much?
Mr. Tanigawa: I am sorry. I will back up a little bit.
Councilmember Kagawa: On the bottom, using the bottom page number.
Mr. Tanigawa: Page 307.
Councilmember Kagawa: Page 307.
Mr. Tanigawa: If you look down at the text item under account
3000, the last account number.
Councilmember Kagawa: So that all goes to Waste Management?
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Mr. Tanigawa: Right here, we are projecting some costs that is
going to go to Waste Management that includes managing the landfill, and this year, some
additional costs due to the anticipated start-up of our gas collection system.
Councilmember Kagawa: Are they the only ones that...they have all
counties in Hawaii, Waste Management?
Mr. Tanigawa: No, not all counties. They do not have a presence
on Maui, but on O`ahu and Big Island, they manage the landfills.
Councilmember Kagawa: Is this a recurring contract or it just goes out to
bid?
Mr. Tanigawa: It is a recurring contract approved by ordinance
for the life of landfill.
Councilmember Kagawa: For the life of landfill they have the contract even
if they are not doing a good job?
Mr. Tanigawa: Well, when we...
Councilmember Kagawa: I am not saying that they are doing a bad job, but
do we not have an out clause if we are not satisfied with the service?
Mr. Tanigawa: The contract has provisions for termination with
the County.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. I am not to judge whether they are doing a
good job or a bad job. I just know we do pay a lot of money. I just want to know that we have
an out if we have to get an out. We do? Okay. That is good for now. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Questions? Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you. The commercial recycling program,
where are we with that?
Mr. Tanigawa: I am sorry the what?
Councilmember Chock: Commercial recycling. I know we have talked
about moving forward with that.
Mr. Tanigawa: Are you asking about draft bills for ordinance?
Councilmember Chock: Yes.
Mr. Tanigawa: At this point, as we indicated in our goals, we do
not have a timeline penciled in yet for that. We are in touch with stakeholders, the folks that
will become regulated should the bill be adopted into ordinance, and working through issues.
We realize that we are going into something that will greatly expand the recycling program.
It has some elements in there that the stakeholders need to work through and we need to
work through with them. We are taking the time to make sure that we address these things
in detail. That is really where the issues are, in the details.
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Councilmember Chock: I know our goal is seventy percent (70%), and we
are at thirty (30) something, is that what we said?
Mr. Tanigawa: We are about forty percent (40%) currently.
Councilmember Chock: Forty percent (40%), sorry. In addition to this
commercial work recycling, where are some of our other efforts in getting the percentage that
we are seeking?
Mr. Tanigawa: One of the initiatives was the mandatory business
recycling ordinance, the other initiative is the commercial C&D or construction and
demolition recycling ordinance, and then the other component to that big push or move into
more recycling is the construction of the MRF, which basically would go hand in hand with
those other business recycling initiatives, and also curbside recycling.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: In regards to the business recycling and C&D
recycling, I guess for me it is not so much a financial issue,but please do community outreach.
I think the main question we are going hear is how does this affect the cost of doing business
for our commercial operations that need to be a part of this recycling program, and how does
it affect their costs? I know with the C&D recycling, it would affect homeowners when they
are constructing their house, their C&D that comes off of it. I think the big question for those
is how it is going to affect my costs or the costs to the residents? As you folks move forward
on those projects, please be aware to get the outreach. I think the worst thing to happen is
it comes in front of us and then we get this whole landslide of people complaining about it.
The more you folks can do on the outside, the better.
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you. In commercial recycling, if there are
ways for them to recycle, would that not drop their tipping fees?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes, that is probably one of the bigger concerns, is
the cost of actually doing the program, is it going to actually result in savings? Like
Committee Chair Kaneshiro indicated, I think a lot of it is presenting real case scenarios that
are applicable to Hawaii or at least the conditions here on Kauai, and making sure that we
have economic opportunities for these businesses to use, if not hiring a hauler, at least doing
the hauling themselves if they choose to. But those opportunities are essential to having first
the support in the beginning, identifying those in the beginning, and then actually starting
up those programs and implementing them once the ordinance is adopted.
Councilmember Yukimura: Did I hear that until the MRF is in operation, you
will not pass these recycling ordinances?
Mr. Tanigawa: No, that is not the intent. The intent is to work
with the stakeholders now to work through these issues that we see we are going to be facing,
to make sure that there is a clear understanding of what the bills will result in as far as
businesses and what they have to do, and make sure that we have the stakeholders' support
before we bring the bill forward.
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Councilmember Yukimura: I know you have been doing this for about a year
now, so do you still not have a timetable?
Mr. Tanigawa: I do not want to pencil in a timetable now. I do
not want to put down a preconceived notion because working through these issues that I
mentioned, I think it is going to take a little bit of time. So that is why I did not put a
timetable in now, but as soon as we are able to project a timeline, we could communicate that.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are you getting resistance?
Mr. Tanigawa: I would not call it"resistance." I would call it more
issues that are being presented that we need to discuss more thoroughly so that we all have
an equal understanding of what is going to lie ahead.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Hopefully you will be able to give us a
timeline at the latest next year?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes, that is my goal.
Councilmember Yukimura: But hopefully sooner.
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Eight thousand(8,000)tons a year diversion is not
a small diversion, that is about ten percent (10%) of eighty-one thousand (81,000), so that
could lengthen the life of the landfill, which would then at least give us more time on the new
landfill is what I am saying.
Mr. Tanigawa: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you have a timeline for the construction
demolition?
Mr. Tanigawa: I am going to go through the same process.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. So we will have a timeline next budget,
hopefully sooner?
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, great. I think Lyle you said when we
complete the Environmental Assessment for materials recovery, when we make our decision,
then we will do curbside...I did not quite understand that?
Mr. Tabata: They need to work concurrently. When we get to
the point where we have answered all of our questions with regards to the MRF and come up
with a more defined direction, then we will also at the same time, need to plan. We have
costs already available, but we need to package the whole construction and equipment for
curbside at the same time.
Councilmember Yukimura: You do not have the RFP as your goals and
objectives, so where does that come into play?
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Mr. Tabata: I purposefully left the RFP out because it is out
there right now and is due mid-May.
Councilmember Yukimura: But certainly you have a timeline for it.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, we do. I just purposefully wanted to stay
away from it so that I do not "cross the line" in discussion.
Councilmember Yukimura: This is your year's plan and you do not have
anything about it, right, this is your year's plan in budget? I guess you could say, we will
take it up in CIP, is that what you are going to do, you are going to give us a discussion of it
in CIP or is it not in CIP? Is it an operational cost?
Mr. Tabata: Right now, the money that we are going to use to
evaluate is in operations.
Councilmember Yukimura: Where is it? Where is that money?
Mr. Tabata: The top of page 308.
Councilmember Yukimura: What line item?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Consultant services?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Consultant Services, Waste Diversion RFP
Technical Assistant Consultant and Waste Diversion RFP Financial Consultant.
Councilmember Yukimura: For a total of $350,000, and you are not
mentioning it?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, I am not mentioning it because I did not want
to bring up anything of concern that might jeopardize our procurement right now.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Nadine.
NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Managing Director: Yes. Thank you, Nadine
Nakamura, Managing Director. If you recall on Thursday in my presentation, I did talk
about it, just generally, that we are pursuing the solid waste RFP that we are asking for. I
think the Mayor also mentioned it in his presentation as well, that we are...and this is the
time. We both talked about it, we both mentioned that funding would be in the budget for it,
and that we need the outside assistance to make it happen.
Councilmember Yukimura: We did not say we would talk about it in
Committee, I mean, in hearing?
Ms. Nakamura: That is fine. I think we just need to be very careful
about what is said in public because there is a current procurement, Stage 1, that is in place
that was outlined in my presentation, and then there is a potential Stage 2 that we are asking
funding for.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so Stage 2 is also in the budget?
Ms. Nakamura: It is, yes. Stage 2 is what is currently in the
budget.
Councilmember Yukimura: So is it the $350,000?
Ms. Nakamura: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: How much did we spend in Stage 1?
Ms. Nakamura: $50,000.
Mr. Tanigawa: We have a current contract that is in place
$50,000, and we are looking at an amendment right now of$17,000.
Councilmember Yukimura: So it would be a total of$67,000?
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: And then $350,000? What do you expect to get at
the end? What is the overall, without jeopardizing the RFP, what is your program goal here?
Mr. Tabata: A viable system.
Councilmember Yukimura: A viable solid waste system?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you are saying that the present system is not
viable?
Mr. Tabata: I believe we owe the opportunity to look at what
new technologies are out there and explore them.
Councilmember Yukimura: And you can do that every year or every two (2) or
three (3) or five (5) years, like we have kind of been doing?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, and so this is the year.
Councilmember Yukimura: This is the third interval year, right, because we
have had studies like this before?
Mr. Tabata: Okay. I know that it was not feasible when the
integrated Solid Waste Management Plan was created. It has been a while, so that was the
last that I remember.
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, no. There were two (2) subsequent studies
done after that saying that the cost was too large for a small population.
Mr. Tanigawa: After the Wastewater Management Plan was
adopted in 2009, we commissioned the study to look specifically at mass burn, and the
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conclusion of that study was that mass burn technologies, at that point in time, did not have
or had not developed sufficiently to make it economical for Kaua`i to have a mass burn plan.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right, and Big Island spent $2,000,000 to find
that same conclusion. So your RFP hopefully is also going to evaluate mass burn again?
Mr. Tabata: I do not think we should go there right now. We
cannot describe any kind of technology.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, that is a very fine way to shut down all
communication. Okay. I have another question. How much is the cost of lateral expansion?
Mr. Tanigawa: We have a projected cost of$15,000,000.
Councilmember Yukimura: Where is that coming from?
Mr. Tanigawa: Currently, we are pursuing the SRF program
again for funding like we did with the gas collection system. We have submitted paperwork,
and indications are that we have a substantial amount of funding for that project.
Councilmember Yukimura: And it will be a loan, so we have to pay it back?
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: What is the timetable for that? I am sorry.
Mr. Tanigawa: We hope to have an approved design from the
Department of Health in 2017, and at that point, go out for construction bids to do the actual
construction on the cell and other infrastructure for the expansion.
Councilmember Yukimura: The next fiscal year is when you will need the
construction money or the following fiscal year?
Mr. Tanigawa: Not this fiscal year.
Councilmember Yukimura: No, next fiscal year?
Mr. Tanigawa: Not 2017, no construction funds until Fiscal
Year 2018.
Councilmember Yukimura: The budget before us is the 2017 budget.
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you are going to need it in the 2018 fiscal
budget?
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is next year's budget, when we go through
budget cycle next year, right, that is when it is going to come up?
Mr. Tanigawa: Fiscal Year 2018.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, okay, and we are going to need approximately
$15,000,000?
Mr. Tanigawa: We are looking at a little over that because of the
construction management and (inaudible) costs for basically the construction monitoring. It
is a separate consultant contract.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Just a final follow-up on the request for
information (RFI), are we looking at the RFI or the request for proposal (RFP) for the waste
diversion program...is it to delay the need for Ma`alo, or is it to stop the continued burying in
Kekaha, or is it both?
Mr. Tabata: I believe that we are looking for a solution that
would hopefully...we will never not need a location to dispose of material into a landfill. I
believe that Kekaha has a definite end of life date no matter what program we implement,
and I believe then, it would reduce the footprint required for Ma`alo significantly.
Councilmember Kagawa: Looking at the most successful current waste
diversion plant in Hawai`i is H-Power. Are we looking at something that is comparable with
that or are we looking at something that is much better? The technology for H-Power was
thirty (30) or forty(40) years old, right? Are we looking at something with less impact to the
environment as far as just talking about mass burning? Hopefully it is improved, right?
Mr. Tabata: I will give you the same answer I gave her, we
cannot talk about technologies.
Councilmember Kagawa: I think as we did this thing, we hoped that
technology has improved, and that we do not have the same product as forty (40) years ago,
right?
Mr. Tabata: That was part of my initial statement that
technology has evolved, and we are hoping that somebody can provide us with a system.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: In summary, we went out for proposal already?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are open to any type of technology, and we are
going to see where it goes from there, but we cannot specify what technologies have come in
in particular?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura, follow-up?
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, I guess you could say so. No. Actually, I want
to talk about lateral expansion.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: Can you explain to me the other supplies covered
materials for the landfill?
Mr. Tanigawa: What page is that?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Page 309, $300,000.
Councilmember Chock: Yes.
Mr. Tanigawa: At the present time, we have a burrow source for
the landfill operation that has been the source that we have been using since the beginning
of Phase II in 1994, which is about to expire. It will run out of available soil this year, and
so we have been looking at a lot of different alternatives including having to purchase soil
from a more expensive burrow source to also obtaining something that they call"posi-shell."
This product they call"posi-shell"is something that you apply with a machine similar to what
they use for hydroseeding, and it coats the solid waste and suffices just as daily cover or soil
materials would. This appropriation is there so that we have that option if lower cost
alternatives do not come to fruition.
Councilmember Chock: In the past I know we had a tarping machine for
daily cover, is that still an option for the landfill?
Mr. Tabata: We have a new machine on its way. It is supposed
to be delivered before the end of April.
Councilmember Chock: Could we use that tarping machine instead of
purchasing dirt to cover?
Mr. Tanigawa: We will continue using it, and this appropriation
request here is just considering what other cover we need besides the tarping machine.
Mr. Tabata: The tarping machine is just temporary if we are
not able to cover at the end of the day, but the next day, we are still going need to continue
covering.
Councilmember Chock: The tarping machine is something that you put
over and take off the next day and put over?
Mr. Tanigawa: It is, but as you build out, you have intermediate
cover needs that is three (3) feet of dirt where you are not going to go back for at least the
next day. We also build the landfill in cells, so when we have established a cell that is design
size, we cap it off with dirt to encapsulate all of that waste within the dirt, and then start a
new cell. There is a significant amount of dirt that we still need even though we use the tarps
on a daily basis.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I actually do have a follow-up on the mass burn
idea and Councilmember Kagawa's H-Power question. I am recalling that the previous
County Engineer did say he would look into the issues that Honolulu has been dealing with
H-Power, which include massive cost overruns. I hope that somebody has followed up and
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there is a report from that, because they are the closest ones to similar experiences on these
kind of waste to energy plants. It was recently covered in a front page story in the Honolulu
Star-Advertiser, so I think it would behoove us to check on what they are learning.
Mr. Tabata: We are aware and I have had dialogue.
Councilmember Yukimura: You are, so do you know what the cost overruns
are?
Mr. Tabata: This is not the place for me to discuss their issues.
Councilmember Yukimura: Why not?
Mr. Tabata: Well, I would just rather have us stick to our
issues and not the City and County of Honolulu's. I do not want to say anything derogatory
about what they have done.
Councilmember Yukimura: We do not hesitate when we are trying to learn,
and it does not have to be derogatory, it can just be a factual report. I am going request that
as a follow-up to what Mr. Dill told me he would do, and I believe it is in our minutes, so
please provide that.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any more questions before we start going
into...we already started going into some line items.
Councilmember Yukimura: I have one (1) more question.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have a question, too.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, you go first.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: As far as the equipment that we are leasing and
replacing, for example, solid waste number 4, skid steer to be replaced with an excavator.
What are we going to be doing with the skid steer? Do we sell that type of equipment or move
it around to somewhere else that needs it?
Mr. Tabata: Yes. We cannot just move it around because we
have to replace and sell it, or if we want to keep it, we need to justify it because it is an
exchange one-for-one. If we need to add additional equipment, then we need to come forward
and get approval.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Is that based on the equipment schedule that you
have? For example a site has a skid steer, but you need an excavator, and so you have to get
rid of the skid steer to get the excavator?
Mr. Tabata: No, we can do that if that one is ready to go, but
this skid steer is...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Oh, it is 2004.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, it is at the end of life also.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
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Councilmember Yukimura: The used motor oil collection program, the
contractor is stopping, there is no State funds, so the County will need to assume program
costs without State support, is what you say here...oh, the money will be depleted in Fiscal
Year 2017, so it is covered for this year, but next fiscal year we will need to cover it?
Mr. Tanigawa: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do we have any ideas or plans of how we are going
to find the money?
Mr. Tanigawa: We will more than likely come and request
appropriations.
Councilmember Yukimura: Will you not need it until budget time or are you
coming in mid-year?
Mr. Tanigawa: We are anticipating that with the appropriation
we are requesting combined with the rollover funds, that it should be sufficient for Fiscal
Year 2017. In 2018, we are anticipating that we will need a full appropriation.
Councilmember Yukimura: Which will be in the ballpark of$65,000?
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Anything more?
Mr. Tanigawa: Do you want to speak to that?
ALLISON FRALEY, Solid Waste Program Development Coordinator: Just
really quick. Aloha, Allison Fraley. I just wanted to clarify that actually, the rollover funds
are being used this fiscal year, so next fiscal year we will not have any more rollover funds.
The $50,000 that we are asking for in this budget is the full cost of the program. In the past,
the State had funded more and we used it to do additional education. We had a really strong
education program for that program, and we also were giving away free motor oil buckets for
many years. Now we feel we have kind of saturated that, a lot of people have the buckets,
they know about the program, so we can pull back on the education a little bit, and just use
that $50,000 as the cost of running the program and making sure that we have all of the
safety equipment that we need and all of the equipment to accept the motor oil. It covers
everything as well as the service, so that is the full budget.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you think this program has value?
Ms. Fraley: Oh,yes. Well, it is targeted at do-it-yourself motor
oil people. A lot of people get their motor oil changed at a service center where they are
properly handling the motor oil, but the concern is that people who do their own might throw
it on the ground or leave it in their yard or whatever. This program, which is traditionally
funded by the State since I have been here fifteen (15) years, has a lot of value in giving
people a place to take it because you cannot take it to a service station if you did it yourself.
There would be no place to take it if we did not provide the service, and it has been used
steadily for fifteen (15) years.
Councilmember Yukimura: If you did not have it, the accumulation of oil that
is poured into the land or is not...
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Ms. Fraley: Or kept at people's houses. Who knows what
people would do? They could just pour it on the ground or maybe they put it in an absorption
box and it would go to the landfill. That is one way they do it in other counties.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Ms. Fraley: It is a good program.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Is that the grant-in-aid line item of $50,000 in
collections?
Ms. Fraley: No, the $50,000 grant-in-aid is for us to distribute
to give out funds for recycling programs.
Councilmember Yukimura: Where is it in the budget?
Ms. Fraley: In the budget it is under Other Services. It is on
the bottom of page 318.
Mr. Tabata: 36-00, the top third. The middle of the page.
Ms. Fraley: No, it is page 317.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Grant-in-aid recycling is $50,000 on page 318.
Ms. Fraley: It is page 317, sorry. It is Recycling Other
Services. It is the third from the bottom line item on the page.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Got it.
Councilmember Kuali`i: "Used motor oil."
Mr. Tabata: Oh, the used oil, yes, but it is not the grant.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay, got it.
Ms. Fraley: Did you have another question about the
grant-in-aid?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: No, and I will probably come back to when we get
to that line item.
Ms. Fraley: Alright.
Councilmember Yukimura: One (1) last question. If instead of using the
$50,000,000, and this is not a question probably for Allison, but probably Troy or Lyle. If we
took $8,000,000 of the $50,000,000 that we are planning to use for lateral expansion, we still
do not where we are going to get it —well SRF money, for an accelerated diversion program,
could we obviate the need for lateral expansion at half of the cost? Have we studied that at
all?
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Mr. Tanigawa: If we do an accelerated diversion program, we will
not have enough time to put those components in place to divert enough waste to avoid the
lateral expansion as planned. In fact, if we stagger it...
Councilmember Yukimura: Stagger what?
Mr. Tanigawa: We are already looking at staggering the
construction to be able to complete it in time. You said just build half of the expansion, that
is why I am saying staggering.
Councilmember Yukimura: No, I am just asking how much you would divert
if you accelerated the diversion program, so you would have to be really focused on your
commercial diversion and your C&D, which means that you would be cutting down by twelve
thousand (12,000) tons per year that would not be going into the landfill. How much life
would you gain that way?
Mr. Tanigawa: Maybe two (2) months, less than two (2) months.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Really, is that all?
Mr. Tanigawa: Currently we take in roughly six thousand five
hundred tons (6,500) a month and sometimes more. It is getting more consistent where we
are collecting at least that much. There were months previously that we used to go down to
as far as below six thousand(6,000) tons a month. That occurrence has disappeared in recent
months for at least the past year.
Councilmember Yukimura: Because the economy is revving up?
Mr. Tanigawa: We see the waste generation amount increasing.
Councilmember Yukimura: And we are not doing that much in the reduce
arena?
Mr. Tanigawa: We are maximizing what we can as far as waste
reduction, but with the amount of waste going in, we have to do the expansion as planned so
we have sufficient time to get the permit approved, get the contractors on-board, and build
the expansion in time to provide space.
Councilmember Yukimura: Alright. Well, maybe you can just provide me with
the actual calculations because I am sure if you reduce it by one thousand two
hundred (1,200) tons a month...I do not know that you are just going to save two (2) months
really. Just show me the numbers how you figured that out. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Let us start hitting the line items. We are on Solid
Waste Disposal. Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So back from the top?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Yes, Solid Waste Disposal.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Position 827, Civil Engineer IV, has been
vacant since July 1st. I show the last budgeted salary as $55,236 and the new salary only at
$56,202, which is only a one point seven five percent (1.75%) increase, which is not in line
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with what we were seeing at four percent (4%). What is the reason, what is the situation
with this position, where are they at in recruitment, and when do you expect to fill?
Mr. Tanigawa: We have been in continuous recruitment all fiscal
year, and we have not had candidates to fill at this level. So we are looking at alternativea
because we have the work there and we need someone to help accomplish that work to look
at possibly re-describing the position to something else. For example, like a project manager
type of position. Once that is done, we will do another recruitment and hopefully we can get
applicants in a timely manner to fill the position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: We sort of talked about earlier with Lyle in a
timely manner being three (3) months. Has this position been sent to HR for that
re-describing thing you talked about?
Mr. Tanigawa: We have had some discussions, but we are still
working on the new description right now.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Do you believe you will finish that, you will get it
to HR, they will approve it, they will do the recruitment, and in the best case scenario, you
will get somebody to start on July 1st? Do you think it is even possible?
Mr. Tanigawa: I will have more discussion with them, and I think
once we get the description to them and they have had a chance it look at, we might be able
to develop a timeline for you.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Well, I would like to see more on that going
forward. The next position, 1055, Landfill Work Site Supervisor,which has been vacant since
December 31, 2014, which is over a year. That one is in line with the budget as far as a four
percent (4%) increase. What is the status of recruitment and when do you expect to fill?
Mr. Tanigawa: Right now, we are working to re-describe that
position to a different level supervisor because overall, we are looking at a reorganization
where the re-described position is necessary. We are looking at reorganizing so that we have
a working supervisor that reports to that landfill supervisor. We feel that type of
arrangement will serve us better than the organization that we currently have, and so we
are in the process of finalizing our description to get that to HR, and then after that, we will
have some time to consult with the union. So we are hoping to achieve that.
Councilmember Kuali`i: It is similar to the first position in that if
everything goes well, you may be able to start this position on July 1st, but you have to be
pretty successful with the steps, finishing the re-describing, and getting HR to do the
recruitment being candidates that can qualify and what have you. Again, you will know
better in another month or so on how that is going, because basically what I am saying is if
the position is not going to start July 1st and the full salary for twelve (12) months is not the
correct salary, and maybe you will have a better idea in another month or so.
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: Councilmember Kuali`i, we are re-looking at
reorganizing. We completed the transitions of refuse from the Roads Division to the Solid
Waste Division, we completed automation, and as Councilmember Kagawa stated earlier this
morning, you have been using these employees who are not on trucks anymore. We have
been using these employees where we now classify them as Solid Waste Worker I, and we
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also filled in Solid Waste Worker II. The Solid Waste Worker II are used to back fill
equipment operations as operators as transfer stations and on the refuse line. The Solid
Waste Worker I have been used to backfill many of the...and we converted the attendants at
the transfer station to be classified as Solid Waste Worker I. We are using these employees
to backfill vacancies in a lot of areas, and along the way, we have received requests from
other departments to expand our services. For instance, we are working with the
Transportation Agency to take on the responsibility of trash collection at our bus stops. Part
of the realization of what we have learned in the process since we completed the transfer and
the transition is that these employees are sent to the various worksites, and we have one (1)
supervisor overseeing all of them. For instance, we have four (4) transfer stations and we
are finding out that we have lost efficiencies without having enough supervision. We have
begun preliminary discussions with the union to do a consultation to then outline, and we
hope that by the May 8th submittal, we are going to have a new structure in place that we
can present that is clearer. But the idea is to put working supervisors at the transfer stations,
that we have somebody there daily full-time who can plan and direct the workforce, especially
since we are utilizing our employees as floaters at the various worksites. We feel that we
need more on-site supervision. So that is what we are working on trying to create right now.
I realize that you see many vacancies, but we need to maintain them until we complete our
restructuring so that we can reclassify some positions and utilize them in that manner to
become worksite supervisors. I believe you are going to see that we have a vacancy at Lihu`e
Refuse Transfer Station. The plan is to move one (1) of those out to Kapa'a and then take
one (1) and create one (1) for Hanalei and also one for Hanapepe. We pretty much tentatively
have selected different positions to reallocate that are vacant right now and we are working
towards that goal. Then when the dust settles, we still have some vacancies that we are
going to still have to fill just to maintain our operation.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The next one on this page I just wanted
clarification because I see two (2) different titles. In the vacancy report 1927 was called a
Scale Attendant and then in this budget, it is Solid Waste Worker I. It is a position that has
been vacant for two (2) years. It is dollar-funded in the budget, but I do not understand why
it is that way. In the work that you are doing to figure out how the dust is settling, you
determined than that this one (1) position, and how did the title just change?
Mr. Tabata: It is filled. I am sorry?
Councilmember Kuali`i: Is position 1927 a typographical error?
Mr. Tabata: 1054 is a newly hired scale attendant.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: 1927.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The position is 1927.
Mr. Tabata: Okay. We are using that as a temporary hire as a
scale attendant. Councilmember Kagawa is very familiar with our scale attendant
attendance. So we took a position to create a temporary hire that this person can be on-call
for us to backfill in case we have emergencies because these people are licensed
weighmasters. We cannot just send anybody over there, so we created a position temporarily
so that we can meet the community's needs and expectations.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Follow-up.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: Just one (1) mechanism of seeing a dollar-funded
position could be that it is being used temporarily like you just explained, and what about
the two (2) different titles? In the budget on page 306, 1927, Solid Waste Worker I is showing
as one dollar ($1), but in the vacancy report, 1927 is showing as Scale Attendant. There, it
is showing as one dollar ($1) too, but it is two (2) different position titles.
Mr. Tabata: You are right.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay, so fix it and get back to us next time.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Follow-up? Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Just to follow-up since I never got this question
answered. I remember for a while, as you go into the Kekaha Landfill, there are two (2)
scales; one (1) going in and one (1) going out, and only one (1) side was working, which caused
some issues with having to direct traffic to make sure that when they go in and come out,
they go in through the side that was working. Is the scale fixed now?
Mr. Tanigawa: Both scales are operational.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Both scales are operational?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Has it been back for a while?
Mr. Tanigawa: Already at least a couple of months.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay, old news. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The last one here, and it is a more recent vacancy,
116, position 1932, Landfill Operations Assistant. Is that currently going back into
recruitment or is that like the other two (2)?
Mr. Tanigawa: Landfill Operations Assistant...which position
number are you looking at?
Councilmember Kuali`i: 1932, which was vacant as of January 16th, just a
couple of months.
Mr. Tanigawa: As I mentioned for the landfill supervisor position,
we are looking at re-describing this position to become working supervisor.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay.
Mr. Tanigawa: In operation, yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So then you will follow-up on how you are getting
that done within pretty much three (3) months before July 1st.
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes, I will give an update.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: I was corrected. That position though
dollar-funded, is temporary because we needed a slot, and we only pay when this person is
used. He does not work every day.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Right.
Mr. Tabata: In fact, the latest incident we had, he was
babysitting and could not come in. If we plan ahead, he is available.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The odd thing is that in some other places you see
temporary positions and it has a little"T" and it has another number, but in this case it looks
like it is a regular position, but you are not going to fill that position so you are dollar-funding
it and you are kind of using it to do this temporary work.
Mr. Tabata: HR helped us think outside of the box and we did
this really quickly because of trying to meet our expectations in the public.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have a question. Other Services, in the prior
year we had$300,000 for mattress and bulky item shred and we got rid of that item this year.
What is the reason?
Mr. Tabata: The vendor that we are working with is working
diligently to allow us to encumber the funds that is in this year's budget.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Can you repeat that?
Mr. Tabata: The vendor that we are working with is still
working through permit issues; however, I have been told that they should be able to get
everything in line so that we can expend the funds this year.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The money is already encumbered?
Mr. Tabata: We hope to be.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: They are on notice.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions? For that, it is just to try
to reduce the size of the material going into the landfill?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I got this question from the Solid Waste
Attendants as well as from UPW. When we looked at how we can accommodate the hours
that I talked about, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., they said that the reason why it is difficult now is
that we switched their hours from ten (10) hour workdays to eight (8) hour workdays. I kind
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of want to know why we initially changed and why it would be hard to change back now,
because it seems that now with the additional workers as we look for what to do with them
and make them more efficient, maybe the old system of the four (4) day ten (10) hour
workdays. I do not know. Some of the employees seem to like that schedule because we do
not find too many operations in government where you have seven (7) days a week service,
and that is one of the rare ones besides park cleaning and what have you. I do not know if
you have an answer on that as far as whether we would be willing to look back at the old
work days as a solution for better efficiency from our workers to serve the public.
Mr. Tanigawa: Going back to the ten (10) hour days, we are going
to have to definitely look at increased overtime costs because even with the extra workers
from refuse collection, they are currently helping us fill in during the eight(8)hour schedule,
and we are still experiencing overtime. We are going to have to take a real hard look and
recognize that there will be significant cost increases.
Councilmember Kagawa: How is the five (5) days eight (8) hour workday?
Do employees have to take turns taking weekends or does a set amount have their weekends
during the week days?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes, we still go according to the pre-selected
schedule, their twelve (12) week schedules. The most senior employee gets to choose first,
and their schedule, instead of a four (4) day week is now a five (5) day week. The manpower
requirements are mapped out by our supervisor and then the employees just fill in their
five (5) workdays according to the manpower requirements. It is still equitable for the
employees. It is the same seniority system, but it is spread over a five (5) workday week.
Going back to a four (4) day workweek, we reduced overlap from three (3) days for the
different crews to a one (1) day per week ten (10) hour days. For example, somebody calls in
sick and you need to call in overtime, you would have to call somebody in for overtime on a
ten (10) hour day versus right now, overtime is just for an eight (8) hour period. It will
increase our costs.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Solid Waste Disposal?
If not, we will move on to Collections. The plan is go until 4:30 p.m., and I do not know if we
will be able to finish or not, but we will stop wherever we are at. Any questions for Solid
Waste Collections? Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Position 954, Solid Waste Working Supervisor,
which has been vacant since April 7th of last year, which is ten (10) or eleven (11) months.
What is the status of recruitment and filling? Is that a difficult position to fill?
Mr. Tabata: That is one of the positions that I mentioned that
we wanted to reallocate to another location.
Councilmember Kuali`i: To another location?
Mr. Tabata: Yes. In order to do that and to give employees at
that worksite the opportunity, we are keeping it vacant until I can complete the consultation
with the Union.
Councilmember Kuali`i: When do you anticipate that to be done? How
much longer will you keep it vacant?
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Mr. Tabata: We have to finish the consultation with the Union.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Is it going to take a month? Is it going to take
six (6) months?
Mr. Tabata: They are in support, so hopefully a couple of
months.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Then the other one, there are three (3) or
four (4) more. But the one that kind of pops out to me is 864, Equipment Operator III, which
has only been vacant since January, but I do not know if you are recruiting to fill that position
because I also saw it on the transfer report along with position 962. What is happening there?
Mr. Tabata: There are plans to fill this position. Every
position needs to go to vacancy review, so I believe we need to file for review.
Councilmember Kuali`i: What was the transfer about that was effective
January 16, 2016 between 962 and 864? 864 is Equipment Operator III that has been vacant
since January 16th, and 962 is Solid Waste Worker II. The salaries are actually the same.
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes...
Councilmember Kuali`i: In the end, are you planning to have both
positions filled?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The position that is vacant now whether it be that
one or another one, are you going to be filling it within next few months? Is it being recruited
for? Do you have to complete the transfer reallocation and vacancy review?
Mr. Tanigawa: Vacancy Review Committee, and once it clears
that, then we are free to start recruiting.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Do you expect that in next three (3) months?
Mr. Tanigawa: We are hopeful, yes. That would be on a separate
track actually. We are looking at filling it as-is currently.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Collections? I have a
question, and I have probably been saying this question the whole time, but as far as the
leased equipment, do you have an equipment schedule for replacement?
Mr. Tabata: The schedule I was talking about that the
Automotive Division creates is a master schedule for the whole County.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Does it have this also?
Mr. Tabata: These are the highest needs.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any further questions for Solid Waste
Collection? If not, we will move on to Recycling. Do we have questions on Solid Waste
Recycling?
Councilmember Kagawa: I have one (1).
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Where do the green bins for Garden Island
Disposal show up, or not just for them, but whoever runs the household ones? What page is
the bottom page number?
Mr. Matsushige: Page 317.
Councilmember Kagawa: Page 317. Which line?
Mr. Matsushige: The two (2) at the bottom.
Councilmember Kagawa: Other Services?
Ms. Fraley: Yes, Other Services, and it is the first line item of
Other Services.
Councilmember Kagawa: $565,000.
Ms. Fraley: Correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: I had an idea, because that was one of Lyle's
messages that he hears that the public complains that the bins are full and to bring efficiency
to that, can we consider maybe staying with...because I think it is a waste of time to bring
the big trucks if the bin is empty. I also find it inefficient if people find it full and then it
turns them off to recycling because the purpose of the bins is to recycle. What if we put a
number on the bin that says "Call the County if it is full," and then we can call for the extra
pickup?
Ms. Fraley: That is what we do.
Councilmember Kagawa: Oh.
Ms. Fraley: Yes, thank you. That is what is happening.
Councilmember Kagawa: I have not seen that sign.
Ms. Fraley: Those signs are on the bins.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Ms. Fraley: We take the calls when they come in, and that is
why you can see the budget is a little bit higher than last year, because we have what we call
"on-call hauling" with Garden Island Disposal where we have an increased level of hauling
based on that happening, that we did get more calls.
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Councilmember Kagawa: The regular contract, and then we have a separate
line for the on-call?
Ms. Fraley: Yes, it is a line item in the contract that allows us
to increase at certain locations depending on the need, and the need is from those phone calls.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Ms. Fraley: Good idea.
Councilmember Kagawa: Great. You folks are already doing it. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you. Hi Allison. Just in regards to the
electronic waste that was talked about earlier, I just wanted to clarify. Are you looking for
an appropriation for that as well moving forward? I see a figure of$400,000 for a consultant.
Ms. Fraley: No.
Councilmember Chock: To take that on?
Ms. Fraley: We do not have an appropriation because at this
point, it is possible that we can have a contract at no cost. There are some discussion in the
works right now.
Councilmember Chock: Okay. But we do not have anything solid, which
means the program will end in May, is that correct?
Ms. Fraley: The program will end in May, but it is very likely
that we will have something after that. It is just bad timing for me to talk about it on the
floor.
Councilmember Chock: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I noticed that the Lihu`e Refuse Transfer Station,
I do not want to speak for the rest because I do not go to the rest often, but we do not see the
metal recycling bin anymore.
Ms. Fraley: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Are we going redo that or are we going to go with
a different plan to collect metals?
Ms. Fraley: My understanding, and Troy can correct me if I
am wrong, we direct people to Puhi Metals because it is already in the Lihu`e area.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Ms. Fraley: We did have that bin there only for scrap metal
and not appliances, but there were permitting issues.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Permitting issues with the vendor?
Ms. Fraley: The State Department of Health.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Ms. Fraley: There just was not space to do that. Is that
correct, Troy? Do you want to add anything to that?
Councilmember Kagawa: My follow-up is what about places other than
Lihu`e, where can they bring their metals so that we do not bury something that we could
recycle?
Ms. Fraley: We do offer metals recycling at all the transfer
stations and the landfill except for Lihu`e where we have Puhi Metals.
Councilmember Kagawa: Terrific.
Ms. Fraley: We can direct them there. Also, since it is in the
area, which reduces our hauling costs. The customers can take it straight to Puhi Metals.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Ms. Fraley: We save money there.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. Is that the Grove Farm site?
Ms. Fraley: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Alright.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: There is this position that is vacant, transferred,
and reallocated, so three (3) different things are happening and I am not sure I can follow it.
Maybe you can explain it with a real-life example of what it really is. T-1996 Recycling
Specialist Trainee, which was vacant since December 1, 2015.
Ms. Fraley: We have hired that position. They were hired
mid-December. Again, that did go through the Vacancy Review Committee, and so that is
why there was a slight delay in the hiring, but we were successful in getting a really good
candidate.
Councilmember Kuali`i: But in the budget, T-1996 and T-1980 has an
asterisk, and it said "fully funded by other source," so no dollars are showing.
Ms. Fraley: Oh, I am sorry. Pardon me.
Councilmember Kuali`i: But yet I see on the transfer report where the
vacancy reported is because that was on the vacancy report as well.
Ms. Fraley: Okay.
March 28, 2016
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Councilmember Kuali`i: On the transfer report it also says position 1992
and T-1996 are involved in a transfer effective December 1, 2015, and then position T-1996
is involved in a reallocation on December 16, 2015. What actually happened in the office and
who is paying for what?
Mr. Tanigawa: Okay. So what happened with T-1996 is that
position initially went through a reallocation from a Trainee to Recycling Specialist.
Councilmember Kuali`i: When that happened, was there already a
Recycling Specialist or was that the creation of a Recycling Specialist II?
Mr. Tanigawa: That is a normal progression for that series.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So there was not a position and then an
incumbent prior?
Mr. Tanigawa: No, that is an existing position that has been
hired, has performed through an initial period, and then that position become eligible for
reallocation.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The Trainee position?
Mr. Tanigawa: The Trainee position became...
Councilmember Kuali`i: Into Recycling Specialist II?
Mr. Tanigawa: A Recycling Specialist.
Ms. Fraley: He was a Specialist I at time, and then he got
reallocated to a Recycling Specialist II.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I guess I am saying is that there was not a
Recycling Specialist II prior to that happening because I see only one (1) Recycling Specialist
in budget now?
Mr. Tanigawa: Correct, that is the current Recycling Specialist,
who moved from that position, which was a DBC position, over to a permanent position in
the office.
Ms. Fraley: Last fiscal year though, we did have two (2)
Recycling Specialists IIIs, and since that time, we had someone leave the County, so this is a
new staff person in the 1998 position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: As far as budgeted with General Fund, we are
basically funding two (2) positions instead of three (3)? We used to fund three (3)?
Ms. Fraley: No, we have always funded two (2).
Councilmember Kuali`i: So it used to be two (2) Recycling Specialist IIIs
and now it is a Recycling III and a Recycling Specialist II?
Ms. Fraley: Yes.
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Councilmember Kuali`i: Those other positions are listed there, and that is
the other two (2) positions, which are funded by other than General Fund?
Ms. Fraley: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Where are they funded from?
Ms. Fraley: By the State Department of Health with the bottle
deposits.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Oh, that is what you were saying.
Ms. Fraley: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I apologize, I thought we could get through this,
but we are going to finish at 4:30 p.m. I think we will finish right now.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I am done.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have two (2) questions or three (3) questions. I
do not want to encourage overtime, so we will just come back tomorrow. We are not in any
time crunch. Tomorrow we will finish up Solid Waste, we will have the Engineering Division,
and we will have the CIP.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: And we will finish by 12:00 p.m.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I am not going to say anything. At this time, I
would like to recess the Departmental Budget Reviews. We will reconvene at 9:00 a.m.
tomorrow, Tuesday, March 29, 2016 where we will continue with the DPW, Solid Waste
Recycling.
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 4:28 p.m.
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued)
Honorable Mason K. Chock
Honorable Ross Kagawa
Honorable KipuKai Kuali`i
Honorable Mel Rapozo
Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura
Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro
Excused: Honorable Gary L. Hooser
The Committee reconvened on March 29, 2016 at 9:02 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Good morning. I would like to call back to order
the Budget & Finance Committee, and the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Departmental Budget
Reviews. Let the record reflect that we do have a quorum. On the schedule today, we are
just going to be looking at the Department of Public Works (DPW) Engineering and then
DPW Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). As we do every morning, we are going to take
public testimony.
SCOTT K. SATO, Deputy County Clerk: The first speaker is Tommy Noyes
representing Kaua`i Path, followed by Juno-Ann Apalla.
There being no objections, the rules were suspended to take public testimony.
TOMMY NOYES: Aloha Councilmembers. I am Tommy Noyes. I
serve as the Executive Director of Kaua`i Path, the non-profit 501(c)(3) Advocacy
Organization. I have copies of my testimony here for your reference, and I would like to read
that. Dear Committee Chair Kaneshiro and Councilmembers, Kauai Path's Board of
Directors strongly urges the Kauai County Council to approve the investment of
approximately $2,000,000 in county funds to leverage the $13,800,000 Federal
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) award. Towns with
active transportation infrastructure connect residents with schools, commercial and
government, and medical offices thereby creating an integrated livable community with low
cost transportation options. Accordingly, some six hundred (600) communities around the
country prepared and submitted applications for these highly sought after TIGER funds.
Because Kaua`i's proposal to implement the Lihu`e Town Core Mobility and Revitalization
Project includes comprehensive public input and incorporates best traffic flow design
practices, our proposal is among the five percent (5%) of communities selected for funding.
Taking full advantage of these federal funds will result in Lihu`e, the heart of Kaua`i, being
more desirable as a place to live, work, and play. Lihu`e has the opportunity to serve as an
example of best development practices for the entire island. Kauai Path's goal is improved
health outcomes for Kauai residents. We are honored to be a committed partner with the
County of Kauai in implementing smart changes to the built environment that will result in
better health outcomes, and we urge the County Council to do everything in its power to
expedite and support TIGER funded projects such as the Lihu`e Town Core Mobility and
Revitalization Project. Sincerely on behalf of the Kaua`f Path Board of Directors, Tommy
Noyes, Executive Director.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you.
Mr. Noyes: Thank you.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Sato: Next speaker is Juno-Ann Apalla, followed by Pat
Griffin.
JUNO-ANN APALLA: Good morning and aloha Councilmembers,
Council Chair Rapozo, Vice Chair Kagawa is not here, but Councilmembers Chock, Hooser,
Yukimura, Kuali`i, and Committee Chair Kaneshiro. I am Juno-Ann Apalla, a graduate of
Pacific University of Oregon and an alumni of Kaua`i High School, Chiefess Kamakahelei
Middle School, and Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary School. After four(4)years of undergraduate
study, I traveled across the nation to New York and then to Europe under a scholarship for
Media Arts in Spanish Literature, only to find my heart is in Kauai, and I want to be
welcomed home because I am the most happy and healthy here. In fact, with your
encouragement, I am inclined to participate in the conversations about my future and the
healthy growth of our island without fear of expression and innovation. I thank you for
enabling me to do so by sincerely listening to my testimony asking you to approve the budget
allocation from the TIGER grant towards the revitalization of the heart of Kauai, Lihu`e.
This place needs to be a safe and dynamic place to live, work, and visit, and like most of my
peers, a place welcoming us home. I testify before you to give echo to an underrepresented
group here in this Council Chamber, and I speak because I want to serve the very community
who raised me alongside my loving parents, Dr. Antonin Apalla, Jr. and Mrs. Nancy Apalla.
I am twenty-seven (27) years old and in my lifetime, I learned to be much more frugal with
my finances, and the financial crisis in 2007 and 2008 was just in time for me to graduate
high school and enter college. Now, we do not see the crisis on our streets like our
grandparents, but I felt it. Ever since graduating college, I have not lived outside of poverty,
and I believe this is just a symptom of our environment. The proposal in front of you is
earmarked for revitalizing the Lihu`e Town Core, which gives me hope for a more affordable
housing situation as an independent working adult, it enables me to cut down on personal
vehicular expenses via shared use paths and bike lanes on highways, and on this note, end
my testimony with deep respect for all of you. Thank you very much.
Mr. Sato: The next speaker is Pat Griffin representing the
Lihu`e Business Association (LBA), followed by Larry Feinstein.
PAT GRIFFIN: Good morning Committee Chair Kaneshiro,
Council Chair Rapozo, and Councilmembers. I am Pat Griffin, the President of Lihu`e
Business Association. We, the LBA, strongly support funding the County's portion of the
TIGER grant in this year's capital improvement budget proposal. Lihu`e is forecasted to grow
more and faster in the next twenty(20) years than any other district on Kaua`i. That growth
will bring jobs and increase the need for infrastructure and additional goods, services, and
especially housing. As an aside, providing more housing for people to live close to where they
work and not be forced to commute through the stressed Knhio and Kaumuali`i corridors is
one (1) way to lessen the traffic that is on State built has. TIGER can help. Lihu`e is a much
trafficked area. It remains an essential transportation conduit and the gateway to Kaua`i
from both air and sea. Furthermore, most Kaua`i residents have reasons to frequent the town
center since Lihu`e is the seat of county government and the home to State government
agencies as well as to significant federal agencies such as the Social Security Administration.
Improvements to the town's passageways made possible by TIGER can benefit everyone. The
new Rice Camp senior apartments have already enabled more kupuna to live in central
Lihu`e. They will be considerably assisted along with the many residents of Lihu`e Court
Townhomes among others, by walkability enhancements specifically planed for
implementation with TIGER funds, enhancements that provide safe pathways for our keiki,
too. We often hear people complain grudgingly about needing to go to town on business these
days, but central Lihu`e was once the happening place on Kaua`i; the Friday pau hana
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 3
destination for families, and a major shopping hub. Downtown Lihu`e has suffered a steep
decline in commerce in the past generation. Beyond the transportation aspects of TIGER,
the grant is focused on generating economic recovery, the G-E-R part of the TIGER, will
further the steps begun in the County Council adopted Civic Center Master Plan and the
Town Core Urban Design Plan to revitalize the area and help it regain its place of pride in
the Kauai community. The LBA is aware that some of our neighbors have questioned why
Lihu`e should receive the funds rather than spreading the wealth to other parts of Kauai,
which also struggle with problems such as traffic woes. We are sympathetic. Many of our
members live outside of the Lihu'e district, but we also understand that some of the
constraints of this targeted funding were being deadline ready to roll proposals. Therefore,
we encourage to vote unreservedly to fund this project, not to fall into the trap of judging it
as it an exclusive boon only to one (1) district or as it everywhere or nowhere proposition.
Judge it instead as a remarkable opportunity and a jumping off point for many other chances
to assist our neighborhoods throughout Kauai nei. Thank you.
Mr. Sato: The next speaker is Larry Feinstein representing
Kaua`i Beer Company, followed by Dr. Addison Bulosan.
LARRY FEINSTEIN: Good morning Council. I am Larry Feinstein, and
I am with the Kauai Beer Company. I have submitted written testimony and thought that
I would read it, and just make a really brief comment after. It is a pretty short note. The
Kaua`i Beer Company is in a very interesting position when it comes to discussions about
regenerating community involvement with the island's historic downtown. When we
nervously opened our doors in September 2013, we had no idea what our future would be.
Much to our ongoing amazement and humility, we have brought the downtown to life. In a
few short years, Truck Stop Thursday has become an institution, a social magnet for
residents and visitors alike. The Kaua`i Beer Company has brought people back to Rice
Street. At its core, we have brought the community back to the heart of Kaua`i and our
success is proof of the need. We never planned on being in the center of the downtown
discussions, but we are. We frequently find ourselves being mentioned as the example of the
possibilities envisioned for future growth. We take this as a responsibility, and champion
the cause. We strongly support you approving the funds necessary to activate the TIGER
grant. We all need to understand that we are talking about future of Kaua`i and it requires
some different standards than business as usual. Like everything in life, change is the only
constant we can count on. We see tomorrow every day at The Kauai Beer Company. What
we are addressing here is the world we want to leave for those who come after. Lifestyles are
changing and we need to change with them. Millennials are moving back to the urban
environments and new infrastructure is vital to them. Senior housing is bringing their
parents and grandparents back to town, and they deserve to be safe and comfortable. Most
of all, on behalf of those too young to have a voice in these proceedings, we urge you to support
the TIGER grant because they are entitled to have every possible opportunity to thrive on
their island. The only other thing I wanted to mention is that we were a part of discussions
relating to the rebranding of Rice Street, for which funds were allocated and spent. It would
seem like a natural growth or linkage if we are going to be rebranding Rice Street, then we
have to reface Rice Street, otherwise, that was money that was poorly spent and I know that
was not the intention of the Council. I thank you for your time, and look forward to seeing
you at the brewery.
Mr. Sato: The next speaker is Dr. Bulosan, followed by
Lelon Nishek.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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DR. ADDISON BULOSAN: Hello. I am Dr. Addison Bulosan representing
myself and my office, The Specific Chiropractic Center which is right down the street on Umi
Street. I E-mailed my testimony yesterday, and thank you to the members who replied to
me. Thank you for your information. I am addressing the Budget & Finance Committee
Chair Kaneshiro, Council Chair Rapozo, the whole Kaua`i County Council. I am going to read
part of it and then add on a few pieces just to be a little bit more coherent with some of the
testimonies today, because a lot of it is really in support. I want to make it sure clear I am
also in support and testifying on that behalf, that I would love for the County Council to
approve the budget allocations to support and allow us to utilize the TIGER grant so we can
actually make some changes to the Lihu`e area. I am going to reference some of the reasons
based on just personal experience. Being born and raised in Lihu`e, right down the street
from my office, I literally walk from my office to my house every day, Monday through Friday,
and sometimes Saturday and Sunday if I have to do some paperwork. I am sure you folks
know the feeling. Every morning at 7:00 a.m. I am walking on that street utilizing all of the
public transit you folks have already established on Hardy Street, and then I get on to Umi
Street and walk all the way through Umi Street down past Aloha Furniture and to my office.
It is a nice five (5) minute walk, and it is a nice five (5) minute walk because in the past few
years since I returned home, you have done the changes that I was hoping to happen at some
point in my life when I was a little kid being born and raised since 1986, right down the
street. One of the toughest for my parents was allowing us to go outside and play because it
was not as safe as we wanted it to be. Now, it is a much safer place. So being away for
ten (10) years and moving back home the past two (2) years, I have really been seeing a lot
of family and friends actually utilizing the parks, walking on the streets, doing runs in the
morning, and in the afternoons walking to The Beer Company and back. I am not sure if I
can speak on behalf of the businesses in Lihu`e, but for my business, that is foot traffic that
I never thought I would have expected. In fact, when I moved back home, the reason why I
wanted to live in Lihu`e and practice in Lihu`e was because we know everyone travels to
Lihu`e, but do not necessarily stay in Lihu`e for fun and the things we expect. Looking at the
TIGER grant and seeing the things that it could do for us is really exciting. That is what I
wrote in my testimony, that I am really excited for that, because there is a big cohort of people
just like me who fit in this category between twenty-five (25) years old and thirty-five (35)
years old who would really want a safe place to live, not have to urban sprawl and build
houses far away and drive back to town, but to live in tiny homes or spaces less in one
thousand (1,000) square feet and spend less money and be in a place that is safe and allows
us to be there. Thank you so much for your time.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you.
Mr. Sato: The next speaker is Lelon Nishek, followed by
Palmer Hafdahl.
LELON NISHEK: Good morning Councilmembers. I am Lelon
Nishek. I own and operate Kauai Nursery and Landscaping. I have been on Kaua`i since
1963 and I have seen a lot of changes take place from thirty thousand (30,000) people to
sixty-five thousand (65,000) now. I think some of the most drastic changes that have taken
place is the infrastructure has not kept up with the population growth and with the needs of
the business community. I am really glad that the County went ahead and applied for this
TIGER grant, and I would like to see the Council fund it. I think it is money that would be
well used within the community and really benefit the community in many ways. Thank
you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Sato: Our last registered speaker is Palmer Hafdahl.
PALMER HAFDAHL: Aloha respected Chair and Councilmembers. I am
Palmer Hafdahl. I am here as the owner of Palms Hawai`i Architecture LLC. I have been on
Kaua`i since 1992 prior to Hurricane `Iniki. My business is presently located in the Lihu`e
Plantation building. Since 2000 when the building first turned commercial after sugar moved
out, my office was one of the first to move into the building. Those of us who were here before
remember fondly the sugar, and I remember watching the last parade of cane haul trucks
going down Rice Street. Shortly thereafter somewhat through the nascent Lihu`e Business
Association, myself, Pat Griffin, and several other community members supported an
opportunity that the American Institute of Architects of Honolulu brought over to look at
Lihu`e Town Core in terms of giving it a future and what it would take to make development
positive in Lihu`e. We devoted several brainstorming sessions on that and came up with
ideas for the town core back in 2001 that developed into the town core plans from the same
members who then supported the town core plan and Civic Core Center, and just served as a
resource to the community in developing those plans. I remember at the time, going back to
O`ahu to receive an award for that study in 2001, and one of the respected architecture
colleagues said, "It is just sent going to work in spite of all of your efforts." The way that
development moves forward is town cores just go vacant, dry up, development is around it
when there is enough economic pressure around it, then those town cores fill in again. To
me, this seems like an opportunity, and I think that is why the federal government is
investing in it. It is to avoid that decay and that squandering of resources to put money into
developing an infrastructure that will attract businesses and create the kind of vitality that
we need to make the town core a place where community can grow. I had the good fortune of
working with some of the businesses as an architect along Rice Street and of course, in order
to invest in the businesses, they have got to see the future in improving their facilities. I
think this is a wonderful opportunity for the County to capitalize on a relatively small
investment for the resources it will take to create the infrastructure that will spur the kind
of growth that we want for the community. Thank you very much.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. That is it. Anyone else in the
audience wishing to testify on this? Anyone else wishing to testify for a second time? If not,
we will get back to our meeting. Thank you to the people who testified. Lyle, while the rules
are still suspended, we are going start on the Engineering Division.
LYLE TABATA, Acting County Engineer: Good morning Members, Lyle
Tabata, Acting County Engineer. Excuse me while I bring out all of my backup
documentation. To continue from yesterday, the mission of the Engineering Division in DPW
is to protect the public health, safety, and property, as well as the environment through
proper planning, design, development, operation, and maintenance of the County's
infrastructure, and through the administration of the sediment and erosion control, storm
water runoff system, driveway approach, land use, and complete streets codes, resolutions,
and ordinances.
Successes and achievements obtained in last year include: we maintained an average
review time for subdivision plans, grading plans, and other construction plans of thirty to
forty-five (30-45) days; grading permits reviewed, processes and issued, seventeen (17);
currently open and active, we have forty (40)permits under review;inspected and closed out,
twenty-one (21)permits; an increasing number of grading permits being reviewed, approved,
and inspected are for large projects including subdivisions and major developments; road
permits, reviewed process and issued thirty-six (36) permits; currently open and active, we
have thirty-five (35) permits; inspected and closed out, we have nineteen (19) permits;
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 6
driveway permits, reviewed, processed, issued, and inspected and closed out, we have
seventy (70) permits. The Engineering Division also worked with the Mayor's Office, the
Planning Department, the Department of Finance, and the community to apply for the
TIGER grant from the United States (U.S.) Department of Transportation to revitalize and
enhance mobility within the Lihu`e Town Core area. Kaua`i County was awarded
$13,800,000 through the program, where only five percent(5%)of the applicants are awarded
a grant. The Engineering Division participated in the development of the project component,
and produced the conceptual design and other graphics used in the application. The
Engineering Division completed the following projects: collector roads resurfacing in the
Kapa`a area to resurface a portion of Olohena, all of Ma`ilihuna Road, and a portion of
Hau`a`ala Road. The entire Hau`a`ala Road is not federal aid, but the portion that is federal
aid was resurfaced. We completed the Wawae Road Guardrail Project and the Lae Road
Guardrail Project. The Engineering Division also started construction on the following
projects: Koloa Road Guardrail and Safety Project; Wailana Pedestrian Bridge Replacement
Project, which is anticipated to be completed sometime in June of this year; Hoala Street to
Rice Street path project, which is anticipated to be completed in May; and completed the in-
house design for the 2015 Island Wide Roadway Resurfacing Project and assisted the Roads
Division during the bidding and construction phase. The Engineering Division also finalized
design by consultants went through the bidding process and issued notice to proceed for the
following federal aid projects: repairs to the Kapahi Bridge and Puhi Road Rehabilitation
Phase I; currently managing consulting design for the following projects, `Opaeka`a Bridge
replacement, Pu`u`opae Bridge replacement, Kanaele Road repair and stabilization, and the
Hanapepe Road resurfacing and retrofit project. Further, the Engineering Division recently
selected consultants are in negotiations for design contracts for the following federal aid
roadway projects: Puhi Road rehabilitation Phase II, the Kawaihau Complete Streets safety
improvements for Kawaihau Road, Ma`ilihuna, and Hau`a`ala, as well as sidewalks and
crossing improvements; the Po`ipn Road Multimodal project, which includes two (2) proposed
roundabouts, sidewalks, turn lanes, and bicycle lanes; Safe Routes to School for King
Kaumuali`i Elementary School and KOloa Elementary School. Other projects that recently
selected consultants and are in negotiations for design contracts include Salt Pond
Wastewater Treatment project and Aliomanu Road stabilization. The Engineering Division
is also currently working on procuring consultant services for the following projects: the Twin
Reservoirs decommissioning and the `Anini Bridge#2 replacement. Other successes that the
Engineering Division accomplished include that they provided significant design expertise to
the Building Division about design details and changes during construction of the Hardy
Street Complete Streets project, which has recently been completed; currently conducting
in-house design for the following projects: Waa Road drainage, Safe Routes to School
crosswalk improvements, particularly the rectangular rapid flashing beacon signs for
Kekaha Elementary School, Kalaheo Elementary School, and Kapa'a Middle School;
structural improvements for the automotive shop, which you heard earlier; and the
Hanapepe Bridge repairs. Further, in working with the Planning Department, the
Engineering Division revised the roadway design standards in part to better implement
complete streets; assisted various departments and divisions with the following survey
requests: Lepeuli Shoreline Certification,Kekaha Safe Routes to School survey, Hoala Street
to Rice Street path survey; and Kawaihau Elevated Boardwalk survey.
Challenges of the Engineering Division include that in 2015, there were three (3)
members of our staff resign or retire, including two (2) engineers and the county surveyor.
We filled one (1) of the engineering vacancies in 2015, and we are in the process of filling the
other engineering position. We are in the process of reallocating the county surveyor position,
which was recently approved, to a lower reclassification in order to reduce our budget and fit
the current needs of surveying of the County. Engineering positions critical as we continue
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 7
to increase the amount of engineering work that is done in-house on minor projects, thereby
saving funds on hiring consultants. For major (typically federal aid) projects, the same staff
manage design consultants. We are managing more major federal aid projects than we have
in many years. The shortage of staffing coupled with the high workload, has made it difficult
to both manage and design projects within the desired project deadlines. As the economy
continues to recover, there are an increasing number of projects and permits being submitted
for review and constructed by developers and others. All positions within the regulatory
review section are currently filled;however,we have been borrowing staff from the regulatory
section to assist with design. The vacancies make it challenging to keep up with the rate of
submittals and construction.
Goals and objectives. Improve in-house design capabilities. During the last year, we
designed three (3) projects from start to finish, including topographic survey, geometric
design, and planned production. We also implemented Complete Streets. We are developing
designs in-house for simple primarily restriping projects and crosswalks, marking pedestrian
lanes, and at the same time, providing bicycle lanes. We are incorporating Complete Streets
principles in our major projects where appropriate, sometimes with negligible additional
costs. For example, we have changed striping plans to provide paved shoulders that allow
motorists to overtake bicyclists without delay. For the design of the Puhi Road Rehabilitation
project, the Complete Streets efforts were primarily focused on adding a sidewalk on one (1)
side of the road. The primary concept behind complete streets is to implement pedestrian
and bicycle facilities whenever a road is being worked on. Without considering Complete
Streets, Puhi Road would have been constructed with two(2)travel lanes and wide shoulders,
which would have accommodated motorists and bicyclists quite well, but because the Lihu`e
Community Plan and other documents called for sidewalks on Puhi Road, we added a
sidewalk to the eastside of Puhi Road as a part of the construction project that is about to
start. Adding the sidewalk does increase the cost somewhat, but it is far less expensive to
add the sidewalk during the rehabilitation project than to come back later after-the-fact and
construct the sidewalk. Another goal/objective is revamping our surveying capability. We
are reallocating the vacant county surveyor position to a lower job classification due to less
need for supervisory staff, and we anticipate filling the position with someone who has
experience with computer based surveying and mapping techniques so that overall, our
surveying capabilities will be enhanced for conducting in-house surveys in preparation for
in-house designs. The Engineering Division has further set a goal of reviewing permit fees
and proposed fee adjustments, if deemed appropriate. We are proposing no action this year
due to our workload. Another goal/objective is to prepare shovel ready projects should the
General Excise Tax (GET) surcharge and other sources of funding become available in Fiscal
Year 2018. We had a plan which is as follows: Year 1, to resurface the following collector
roads: Aliomanu Road,Anahola Road, Haleilio Road, Kukui Road, and Kukuihale Road;Year
2, we had planned for Aku Road, Po`ipu Road, and Weke Road; and Year 3, we had planned
Hulemalu Road, Ka'ana Street, Nonu Road, and Puaola Street. As for bridges that we had
scheduled to implement work on with the GET money was to help the federal aid match for
`Opaeka`a Bridge and replacing Anini Bridge, which you can see these bridges were built in
1891 and 1911, respectively;complete preventative maintenance for Waimea District Federal
Aid Bridges: the Mana Bridge, which was built in 1930, and Koke`e Bridge, which was built
in 1920 vintage; preventative maintenance in the Koloa District Federal Aid Bridges, which
include the Lawa`i Bridge,which was built in 1920, Oma`o Bridge, which was just constructed
in 2004 and would still need to be revisited to extent its useful life, Po`ipu Bridge, which was
built in 1998, Koloa Bridge, which was built in 1928, Kukui`ula Bridge, which was built in
1980, Wailana Bridge#2, which was built in 1936, and Wailana Bridge#4, which was built
in 1910; preventative maintenance for the Lihu`e District Federal Aid Bridges include
Ho`omana Bridge, which was built in 1920 and the Nawiliwili Bridge, which was built in
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 8
1920;preventative maintenance for Kawaihau District Federal Aid Bridges include Akulikuli
Bridge, which was built in 1989, Kainahola Bridge, which was built in 1950, Karnali Bridge,
which was built in 1975, Hau`a`ala Bridge, which was built in 2010, and Olohena Bridge,
which was built in 2005; and finally, preventative maintenance for the Hanalei District
Federal Aid Bridges include Kilauea Bridge, which was built in 2009, Pu`ukumu Bridge,
which was built in 1920, and Kiaki Bridge, which was built in 1921. So you can see that the
Engineering Division has been tasked with quite a workload, and I know this is not the place
to talk about GET, but we really would appreciate consideration.
Finally getting to our financial summary, again, even though we had an increase in
salaries previously in the Engineering Division because we reallocated positions downward
to lower our operating costs, simply because with vacancies and people retiring, that is our
opportunity to then lower our costs and bring in at entry level. The Engineering Division has
a four and a half percent (4.5%) reduction in the budget overall.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Do we have questions on the presentation?
Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you for a very good presentation, Lyle. On
your list of projects should GET or other source of funding become available, is this list that
you have given us, and it is a very compelling list for me because it shows how long we have
kicked the can down the road when we have bridges built in 1891 that need repair. Is this
list equivalent in costs to $8,600,000, which is the annual amount you projected you would
need for road and bridge repair per year?
Mr. Tabata: Per year?
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: Yes. I just basically summarized the first
three (3) years' worth of work that we had presented.
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, this is three (3) years' worth?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So that is $24,000,000 about?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, exactly.
Councilmember Yukimura: $25,000,000.
Mr. Tabata: Just in what the Engineering Division would do.
We then have what the Roads Division would do in just local road resurfacing.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: So this needs to be combined with the Roads
Division's work.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see, Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3.
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is this your portion of the work that is done in this
sequence of work that has to be done in order to...
Mr. Tabata: That we had planned, scheduled, and created to
support the use of funds.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Tabata: And this would be what the Engineering
Division's role would be in supporting these projects.
Councilmember Yukimura: Understood. Thank you. Let us see, you do show
a great transition in your staffing, and you name it as one of your challenges, that so many
people have left either for retirement or for other jobs. Do you do exit surveys, especially of
the young ones who are not retiring, but are actually leaving the job?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: You do?
Mr. Tabata: The Department of Human Resources (HR) is the
repository for these exit surveys, and the feedback we have gotten has helped us improve our
training program because we have hired young engineers who have come in and we have had
noted deficiencies from which we have learned from, and are able to give them greater
opportunity for a variety of actions that they can be working on within the division.
Councilmember Yukimura: So by dropping your salaries to entry level, do you
think you can still get what you need?
Mr. Tabata: I believe we have been able to recruit; however, it
is still a challenge. We always want to pay more; however, we can only pay what our market
will bear and allow us to recruit from.
Councilmember Yukimura: The thing is that if you hire brand new engineers,
your training costs and time to train are the other side of the coin, right?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: If you raise the salary level and get more
experienced engineers, then presumably your training costs and time would be less, but
unless your salary level reaches a certain threshold, you would not get that engineer that
does not need as much training.
Mr. Tabata: You are correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you feel you have a good strategy for getting
the...especially based on exit surveys and the information you got from it, are you pegging
your salaries with those things in mind?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Tabata: Some of the more significant reasons why our
young people have left was being pigeon holed and not given opportunities to learn or be
experienced in other areas within the division, it was more than pay.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: I believe with Michael coming on-board, we have
been addressing it, not entirely, but we are trying our best to spread the workload around
and give them more opportunities in alternative areas. I believe that is stated in one of his
comments that although we have regulatory needs, we also have had the crossover to help
with designs with the younger people.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is great. The young people are looking for
interesting work.
Mr. Tabata: I am going to say that the young generation, with
all of their experience or their expertise in using technology, are very quick learners.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. In your goals and objectives, improve
in-house design capabilities, you say that you designed three (3) projects from start to finish,
which to me is impressive. It probably would have cost a lot more to go out into private
contracting.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Were the young engineers involved in this?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right, and they left?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, but we have new people coming in.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: Like I said, we have some talented young people
out there.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: And hopefully we can retain them.
Councilmember Yukimura: The challenge is to retain them.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, I appreciate all of the different things that
you are looking at to do that.
Mr. Tabata: I wanted to add that a couple of the people who
left did not want to continue working in the government arena. With construction booming,
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 11
they wanted to look at that opportunity to work in the construction field, so not necessarily
in the design and regulatory arena.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. Lyle, you pointed out numerous
bridges, and I cannot even recall all of them, that are very old and been neglected for close to
one hundred(100)years. My question is with the current state of our finances, and you made
a plea again for the GET so we can accomplish it, but it is our job to approve the GET, and if
you do not get it, you have to live with what you have. How are you going to address and
prioritize with limited funds, what bridges you are going to go for first? Are you going to use
the more highly-used bridges as a priority or are you going to use the ones that even if it is
in Kama and less traveled, but it is in worse condition, you are going to do that first? We are
basically in this position because we neglected the need to do and tackle some of these bridges
for many years. I do not know if you were on-board five (5) years ago, but we had over
$50,000,000 and we touched nothing. We tried to fix Hanapepe Bridge given that, we had a
road block somewhat, and we already went over that. Basically, we had large surpluses
five (5) or six (6) years back, and I do not know if you were here again. But when are we
going to get started? It does not seem that money was the obstacle. We had money five (5)
or six (6) years. We went after more federal matches and accomplished no bridge fixing.
What is the strategy?
Mr. Tabata: Good question. I have been here six(6)years, and
I am going to be honest with you, we were not ready. We did not have Engineering structured
and we did not have our abilities in-house to create projects that we have today. With the
reorganization of the Engineering Division, I believe the last three (3) years Mr. Dill and I
came to Council every budget session to explain our plan of how we are restructuring and
rebuilding our design capabilities and our project management capabilities. I believe that
we are at the point where we are ready. Even though I only have two and a half(2%) years
left, I feel that the legacy we are going to leave and the structure that we have in place should
be able to carry these projects forward. We have that money, yes, but we used them on other
areas that are pressing. We used that as some of the seed money to start creating projects
that we have that are out there right now being worked on.
Councilmember Kagawa: I understand that.
Mr. Tabata: And the priorities are set based on...we have all of
these federal aid road projects. Every two (2) years we have bridge inspection report and
based on their recommendations, that is why we created the Roads Division, the bridge
maintenance repair crew. They are addressing what we can without doing major
reconstruction, but the ones that are requiring major reconstruction are the projects we are
bringing forward now.
Councilmember Kagawa: Again, with limited funding, which are ones are
we going to tackle first?
Mr. Tabata: We have priorities. The ones that I have listed
here are the priorities.
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Councilmember Kagawa: But I thought all of them are priorities, but I am
wondering...
Mr. Tabata: That is why I have Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3.
That is the process.
Councilmember Kagawa: That is the priority process?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Is bridge engineers not so difficult...
Mr. Tabata: It is a structural engineer. We have one (1)
structural engineer in-house, but the major biennial inspections that we have, we contract
out.
Councilmember Kagawa: So we are going to contract that out?
Mr. Tabata: And we have a consultant who comes in and
provides us a report every two (2) years. I believe we have forwarded those reports to you,
but I can do those again.
Councilmember Kagawa: Yesterday you said forwarded a lot of reports, but
according to staff, we did not receive it. I think it is either stuck in the Mayor's Office or what
have you.
Mr. Tabata: I believe in the next month, we have responded.
Councilmember Kagawa: I know you have.
Mr. Tabata: Many response requests.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: I have been pushing that to get those to you.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. I am not blaming you. I am saying
sometimes it gets stuck from you through the Mayor's Office, the protocol, I guess. Thank
you. Thank you, Committee Chair.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you, Lyle. I wanted to ask about the
fencing that was in last year's budget. I do not see it this year. Have you encumbered those
funds and are we moving forward on it?
Mr. Tabata: We are in the process, yes.
Councilmember Chock: Do we have the shoreline certification?
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Tabata: No, we are still working with DLNR. They came
back with a letter to us asking for more information and details for our drawing to set the
shoreline certification.
Councilmember Chock: Do you plan to accomplish that before the end of
this fiscal year?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, we will.
Councilmember Chock: Okay. Thank you. I have more, but I think
Council Chair Rapozo and Councilmember Hooser have something too.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes, mine is a different subject as well. We are
still on the presentation, right? I just wanted some clarity on the TIGER grant match. The
amount of the grant is $13,800,000, and I am assuming there is a twenty percent (20%)
match.
Mr. Tabata: No. Keith Suga has the details. In actuality, the
match...I will turn it over to him. It is less than twenty percent (20%) because it is not a
required twenty percent (20%).
KEITH SUGA, CIP Program Manager: Keith Suga, County CIP Manager. Council
Chair Rapozo, that is a good question. In the application for the TIGER grant because our
application was a rural application, there was no requirement for an actual match or twenty
percent (20%). They did say to be competitive in the evaluation process, whatever match you
can bring to the table would be to your benefit. I think it is roughly comes out to about sixteen
to seventeen percent (16-17%) match with the $2,000,000.
Council Chair Rapozo: Is that all the requirement is?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Council Chair Rapozo: There is no other requirement?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Chock
Councilmember Chock: I had a question on bike lanes. I think I sent this
over, but if you could just shed some light on the ones that have or do not have markings;
Puhi Industrial Center, Haleko Road, and Kaneka Street. Is it true that we have lanes, but
they do not have markings that we plan for them?
Mr. Tabata: What we did for Puhi Industrial Center was
designate a pedestrian pathway for the subdivision because we were told that a lot of people
frequent Mark's Place for lunch and that without designating or putting lines, vehicles would
just...and if you noticed, the area is designated"No Parking," so it would be like a speedway.
Therefore, to help the pedestrians, we put those markings in. You would be surprised how
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 14
many people walk to Mark's Place, even though you go there and see overflow parking, but
it is from people around the community. A lot of people in the industrial subdivision go to
Mark's Place and there is another eatery that is on the first left turn.
Councilmember Chock: Do these lanes not need to be marked as well with
the bicycle?
Mr. Tabata: No, because it is not intended for bicycles. It is
intended for pedestrians. Bicyclists, I understand are using it, they frequent it.
Councilmember Chock: Okay. It was just a concern.
Mr. Tabata: There is a lot of people who come from across the
street in the residential area, they walk in the industrial subdivision now because we have
those areas lined.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Mr. Tabata: It is a shoulder you could say.
Councilmember Yukimura: In your budget discussion you talk about...it is
your narrative on page 20, that your operating budget has decreased in salary, wages, and
benefits due to reallocation of positions to lower entry levels and decrease in overtime due to
management of overtime. How much of a decrease is there due to overtime reduction?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Page 199.
Mr. Matsushige: We went from $23,000 to $15,000, so $8,000
decrease.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you. Then your other category is
due to reduction in dam fees, staff training and travel, supplies budget, and in new traffic
counter purchases. In your reduction regarding travel, supplies, and purchases are you doing
it just to show no increase in your budget or to show decrease, and will you be needing them
anyway?
Mr. Tabata: So working from the bottom, traffic counters, we
purchased a number of them over the last couple of years. So we feel we have a sufficient
amount.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: The supplies budget is just tightening. We got rid
of all of the "fat," so to speak. We are tracking it more closely
Councilmember Yukimura: So you still have an operable budget?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Councilmember Yukimura: And you are not deferring purchases such that you
are going to have a big impact later on or a big need later on?
JAMES MATSUSHIGE, Budget/Fiscal Specialist: Part of the supplies we are
charging now the federal grants. Before it was in-house, but now because it is eligible to be
reimbursed, we are spreading that out to save our budget.
Councilmember Yukimura: So your tracking and accounting is sharpened?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, and because we have been able to get our
federal aid program going at a higher rate than previously when we came in and had only
one (1) project going, but now we have multiple projects. We are able to charge out expenses
to those projects.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is great.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: And you are increasing your capacity to do federal
projects because of your focus on tracking.
Mr. Tabata: Right, and the ultimate goal is to have multiple
projects "shovel ready."
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Tabata: Because every year, projects dropout in the State
and we want to be ready so we can get the money. Even though they said we are constrained
by $10,000,000 a year, if we are ready, I am confident we can get the money.
Councilmember Yukimura: And you have already shown you can do that.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you are building on that. That is excellent.
One (1) more question.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have a follow-up on the overtime.
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, sure.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: It has been brought to my attention on projects
such as the Hardy Street grant where it was an eighty/twenty (80/20) match that personnel
working on the projects are charging overtime to the projects. I was wondering if that was
true or false, because if they are, I think for the sake of transparency,we should know exactly
how much of overtime is being charged to these projects. I do not know if Keith can answer
it.
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Matsushige: They are putting in overtime for projects, but we
have not kept a separate...it would take time to get it because we charge the eighty
percent (80%) to the federal grant.
Councilmember Kagawa: So there is overtime charged to the projects that
do not show up in this overtime in this budget?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, because it is federal funds and it is not off of
the General Fund. We are allowed to charge straight time, overtime, or whichever is required
to the projects at eighty percent (80%). So twenty percent (20%) is going to be General Fund
and eighty percent (80%) goes to the federal aid project. So that is what I was trying to
explain to Councilmember Yukimura, that has helped using lower our operating costs.
Councilmember Kagawa: The ability to charge to federal projects.
Mr. Tabata: Federal projects.
Councilmember Kagawa: Federal funds?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: How does the Council, as overseer of the budget,
know how much people are making?
Mr. Tabata: They make their base salary.
Councilmember Kagawa: I know, but how much are they making in
overtime, total, if it is not showing up in this line item and it is showing up in the projects?
Can we get a separate report on this?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, we can separate it. It will not show up in this
operating budget.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: I guess now I have a follow-up. If the employee is
working on the federal project, eighty percent (80%) of their time would be charged to the
federal grant?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Do they reimburse us?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, they do.
Council Chair Rapozo: Where does that money go?
Mr. Matsushige: It goes back into our account, the General Fund.
Council Chair Rapozo: In essence, if we have an employee that is getting
paid $80,000 a year, but he or she is working most of their time on federal projects, we are
not using the County's money?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Matsushige: No.
Council Chair Rapozo: That is a concern.
Mr. Matsushige: But twenty percent (20%) is County money.
Council Chair Rapozo: Where does the rest of the money go?
Mr. Matsushige: It goes back to the General Fund.
Council Chair Rapozo: In your department?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, in DPW, and at the end of the year, it goes
back into the General Fund.
Council Chair Rapozo: If you do not spend it?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Can we find out all of the salaries in the budget,
and I am assuming it works for the other departments or divisions as well, so if the Building
Division is working on a federal project, same thing?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Roads Division, same thing?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: So then the taxpayer money that goes to pay
salaries, one hundred percent (100%) of those salaries may not be going to the employee, I
guess is what I am trying to say. If fifty percent(50%) of their time throughout the year was
charged off to a project, then in essence, we only funded fifty percent (50%) of the salary.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, through the General Fund, yes.
Mr. Tabata: Or in the instance of the Roads Division, it would
be Highway Fund.
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: Yes. It varies every year. It depends on how many
projects we have that are in actual operation, construction, or design, whichever that case
might be, so it varies. So whatever savings we do achieve ultimately goes back to the County
General Fund.
Council Chair Rapozo: Right. Again, I would assume that is spent.
Mr. Tabata: I hear you loud and clear. I am trying to figure
out a way to get that savings and hire more people with the General Fund money, but it
varies and it is really hard to pinpoint exactly.
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Council Chair Rapozo: Well,we should know, right, over the last three(3)
years or four (4) years, what the trend is.
Mr. Matsushige: In the past, as Lyle said, in the Engineering
Division, who knows what is going to happen? So we were very uncomfortable with...
Council Chair Rapozo: Lyle has been here six(6)years I think he said. In
the last five (5) years, we should have some trends, right?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: What percentage of the salaries over the last
five (5) years charge off to federal projects?
Mr. Matsushige: I do not know. I would have to get back to you on
that.
Council Chair Rapozo: Is there no way of us knowing what the overtime
was? Is that something else that you can provide to us?
Mr. Matsushige: We can provide that to you, but we have to
research it.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The other part of that though is when you get a
multi-year grant from the federal government, you know in advance how much money you
are going receive for three (3) years or five (5) years. How long are some of them?
Mr. Matsushige: I guess in general. It depends on how much
involvement our staff does or if we contract out the inspection and management of it.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Even when you contract out, you are managing
the contract.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, but it is much less than in-house.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Can you estimate that?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Can you know in advance and not have to wait
until after the fact? I did not think of it as reimbursements.
Mr. Matsushige: Yes, you can estimate.
Mr. Tabata: I guess the issue is that every project engineer, or
every engineer, or project manager, or construction manager oversees multiple projects. We
do not have one (1) person just doing one (1) project. In the private world, I used to call it
"getting stretch out of my employees" and that is what we do. We did jumble multiple
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 19
projects. They are not confined to one (1) or two (2) projects. Many of them are working on
three (3), four (4), or five (5) projects. It is commendable, and that is how we have evolved.
We are trying to get these projects out as fast as we can and make improvements.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I would say do it the best way that works for you,
but just keep track of it and report it so that we know what Vice Chair Kagawa is asking
about. The clear, obvious thing about the overtime is that all of these positions are eligible
for overtime?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: From the highest paid$117,000 to the lowest paid
$42,000, all are eligible for overtime?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I am ready to do line item and staffing.
Mr. Tabata: I think I am the only one in DPW who does not get
overtime.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Do you have a follow-up?
Councilmember Yukimura: No.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I have a follow-up. In order to get reimbursed, do
we have to keep track of the time?
Mr. Tabata: Yes. We have certified payroll that gets sent in.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Do we send an invoice or something to the federal
government?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Matsushige: Every quarter we send it in.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: And then they send back a check, and that goes
directly into Unassigned Fund Balance. Do we have a line item for it and do we get
reimbursed for that somewhere?
Mr. Tabata: I would defer to the Department of Finance.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: It might be a finance question on how we handle
the check we get back.
Councilmember Kuali`i: One quick item on the bottom of page 199, there is
a State Transportation Improvement Project (STIP) of $100,000 reimbursement. I do not
know if that is one of them as far as federal funding goes. That is showing in the budget.
Mr. Matsushige: That is what we are going to charge to the grants,
so we are reducing our budget.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 20
Councilmember Kuali`i: Is it based on the grants you have already received
or are you estimating?
Mr. Matsushige: It is an estimate of what we are doing next fiscal
year.
Councilmember Kuali`i: STIP is different from TIGER?
Mr. Matsushige: Yes.
Mr. Tabata: The Federal government through the State is
running the TIGER grant through the STIP process.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay, I was just wondering where the other item
for TIGER is.
Mr. Tabata: We were able to formally get the State to put this
project on the STIP.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: This is another subject. Under your successes,
you say you maintained an average review time for subdivision grading plans and other
construction plans of thirty to forty-five (30-45) days.
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is that something that you feel you have arrived
at or do you have an intention to reduce that average review time?
Mr. Tabata: When Mr. Dill and I first came in, there was an
uproar on review times upwards of some projects were over a year, and we have gotten it
down to this level. It varies on the complexity of projects and how many comments we find
on the original designer's submittal that needs to be addressed to send back to them and then
to resubmit. So what we count is actually in our house time. So it might go in and out
three (3) times or four (4) times, depending on the designer. This is what we track as our
average time.
Councilmember Yukimura: It is a significant accomplishment, if there were
dockets or plans that took over a year, and so it is not really one of your main objectives into
the future at this point?
Mr. Tabata: I believe, what was the term used? We have
arrived. I believe we have arrived.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tabata: It makes us feel very confident moving into the
future.
Councilmember Yukimura: Congratulations. I just wondered if it was an
unspoken objective to decrease the time, but you have given me a perspective.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Tabata: We will always seek to improve and raise the bar.
Councilmember Yukimura: But other priorities at this point, because you
have gotten in there. Alright, thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I see how in your narrative you are talked about
the under challenges, the staffing. You mentioned a County Surveyor position. When I
looked in the budget on page 199 on the actual positions, I do not see County Surveyor, but I
am guessing it is the Land Surveyor III.
Mr. Tabata: That is it, yes. It was reduced to...
Councilmember Kuali`i: Land Surveyor III is being allocated to Land
Surveyor II, and is that position 1441.
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: What is the status of reallocation, because you
said you are in the process of?
Mr. Tabata: Completed.
Councilmember Kuali`i: It is completed? Are we recruiting?
Mr. Tabata: We are trying to gain approval by HR. We send in
the position description, we go back and forth with them to make sure that we have dotted
our I's and crossed our T's, and then when they give us approval, shortly after we will
hopefully get to post the position.
Councilmember Kuali`i: To post the position?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: As far as filling this vacancy, you expect to do that
within the next three (3) months?
Mr. Tabata: Yes, definitely.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Then the other position, because that was one of
the positions where somebody retired?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: There was another position, engineer retired, you
filled, and there is another position that an engineer retired that is vacant, 884, which was
vacant since December 16th?
Mr. Tabata: He left, so we are in the process of...
Councilmember Kuali`i: Of recruiting for that?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Tabata: We interviewed and we have to make a decision.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So you are further along?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And there will definitely been a new hire before
three (3) months?
Mr. Tabata: We hope.
Councilmember Kuali`i: If it does not work out, then you have to go back
to recruiting?
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The last one, and this one kind of throws me off
because you keep talking about shortage of staff and the high workload, but this position has
been vacant since August 2013, which is two (2) going on three (3) years. Had you mentioned
something? I was looking back at the notes. Is 1427, Engineering Drafting Tech I, a hard to
fill position which people are not qualified or is that your attempt at trying to save money for
the County and offering that position up? It is dollar-funded, right?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: It was dollar-funded last year and it is proposed
to be dollar-funded this year?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: What about the Engineering Drafting Tech I
position?
Mr. Tabata: We are dollar-funding it again.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And you have no need for it?
Mr. Tabata: At this time.
Councilmember Kuali`i: At this time...
Mr. Tabata: As I stated, our young engineers are very capable
with computer-aided design (CAD) engineering design.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay, but do you perhaps foresee a need in the
future beyond this year?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 23
Councilmember Yukimura: Your emergency hires under your special fund,
what is it called?
Mr. Tabata: The Building Revolving Fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you need dollar-funded positions for that or do
you just create it?
Mr. Tabata: We have temporary positions. We have several
"T" positions in the Engineering Division that we can use. Right now, one (1) is on a loan to
the Solid Waste Division.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Council Chair Rapozo: I have a question.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Maybe this is better for HR, but I want to get it
from DPW as far as their experience, because I heard it with the Code Review Officer and I
am hearing it today when you say that you have to go back and forth with HR.
Mr. Tabata: Well, we send our draft to them and they make
comments back to us, then we address comments, and we send it back to them.
Council Chair Rapozo: Would it not make sense for you to just let them
know what you are looking for and then they would take it from there?
Mr. Tabata: I guess they do not know the specific duties and
responsibilities, so it needs to come from us. We create that and send it to them, and they do
the form and review to make sure that we are putting it in the right context.
Council Chair Rapozo: It seems like it takes a while.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, but we have the technical knowledge, so that
is why we originate that information.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions from the Members on the
Engineering Division? If not we are going move on to CIP. Thank you. We will take a
ten (10) minute caption break right now, let them transition, and we will be back to DPW
CIP .
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 10:13 a.m.
The Committee reconvened at 10:26 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Welcome back. We are on DPW CIP, and we are
going to have Keith go through the CIP list. We are basically going to go through each
department. Once we get through with a department, we are not turning back. We will go
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP —Continued) (aa)
Page 24
down the order of the list, he will stop when he is at the end of that particular department,
we will ask our questions, and if there are no questions, we will move on. You have the floor,
Keith.
Mr. Suga: Good morning Councilmembers. Keith Suga,
County CIP Manager. Before we get to the worksheet, I would like to provide a brief
overview. When I started in the County in Fiscal Year(FY) 2013, the CIP budget was around
$64,000,000. As you have seen in the Mayor's budget presentation, we have slowly trended
downwards and have been able to expand and encumber funds over the past few years. The
current CIP budget ordinance that you have before you is $17,000,000, so from $64,000,000
when I first started, the County has really worked hard to get down to the $17,000,000. You
can you look at that in a couple of ways whereby we have injected millions of dollars into the
construction industry and other areas, and what I think is more important is that we have
been able to complete projectss and have those projects be available for the residents and
visitors of Kaua`i. Over the past few years, as Lyle mentioned in the Engineering Division
presentation, we have done a better job of utilizing federal funds that are programmed
through the statewide STIP, which is typically the twenty/eighty (20/80) or in some cases,
ten/ninety (10/90) federal funds to county match, so leveraging those federal funds has been
key. I think over the past few years, we have seen movement towards being able to get those
projects out and being able to leverage those federal funds. In FY 2015, we utilized roughly
about $3,000,000 worth of federal funds through the STIP. This current year, we are looking
at about $5,100,000 of federal funds being utilized leveraging to get those funds. Also last
year, we were able to get some funds through the State Legislature request that we
submitted, and that was about $5,000,000 worth of projects that are going to be moving and
some of them are already moving towards construction and other phases. The CIP requests
this year was for about $7,000,000 to the State Legislature. Again, because of the CIP
funding, as you can see through the trend going down and distributing $17,000,000, I think
it is key to look at different opportunities to get funding for CIP capital projects.
Another source that has been utilized greatly by the Wastewater Division is the State
Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program through DOH. I think you heard a little bit of that
yesterday when Ed Tschupp was here speaking of that particular funding. This past year,
the Solid Waste Division has made a strategic effort to reach out to DOH, and in doing so,
they were able to get funding for the gas collection system at Kekaha to have that funded
through the SRF program and also to get the Cell 2 design and construction for the next
lateral expansion, which can also be programmed through the SRF funding which is the one
percent(1%)over twenty(20)years which is a good funding source. The Solid Waste Division
has also had discussions with DOH with regards to potential future Ma`alo expenditures, and
that also qualify and can potentially be funded through SRF. The last thing I would make
note of before we get into the projects is being that we are on a downward trend, which I
think is a good thing that we are expending funds, the Administration is looking at
potentially a new bond issuance to focus on some of the major project needs coming forward,
and I believe that proposal will be coming to you later in this calendar year in terms of the
projects and trying to get the next bond issuance approved.
With that, I want to get into the projects. All of you, of course, have the actual
ordinance that was submitted. What I do every year is we put together a separate worksheet,
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 25
which kind of spells it out a little differently and allows it to flow a little bit better than the
ordinance. I am going to use this as the document that we go through, and hopefully all of
you have this. If not, I have extra copies. We will start off at the top of page 1, which the
first division will be Dwayne's Automotive Maintenance Shop. I am just going to go through
the list of projects. The first couple are Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
projects that were completed, so it is just a matter of working through some of the
reimbursements to get that completely closed out.
Fuel Management System, this is a project that Dwayne initiated several years back
by purchasing modules for vehicles. He is currently working through some vendor items to
provide software updates to the modules that were previously purchased before he purchases
new modules. So he working on getting that squared away, and once that is squared away
with the vendor, he can move forward with purchasing the new additional modules.
The next is project, which is the next three (3) lines, is the Hanalei Fuel Tank
Replacement. If you remember I think it was two (2) or three (3) months ago, a money bill
was before you to transfer funds from Waewae Road over to the Hanalei Fuel Tank because
Dwayne was ready to award, but needed the additional$40,000 to do so. Right now, Dwayne
is in the process of awarding, and this project will move forwards towards construction.
The Kapa'a Baseyard Fuel Tank project is complete, so reallocating the $987.
The next item is the fuel tank replacement at Hanapepe. This is a new project being
proposed, and the total for this project would be the sum of the three (3) line items there.
This estimate was based on Dwayne going out and doing an estimate at the site, taking a
look at the field conditions there, and also this particular tank would be fifteen
thousand (15,000) gallon tank, which would be replacing the existing four thousand (4,000)
gallon tank. Currently, Dwayne has to do a lot of refueling of the four thousand(4,000) gallon
tank to meet the needs of DPW and the various departments, so putting in a bigger tank will
eliminate the need of that refueling service. That actually takes care of the CIP for the
Automotive Division.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Do we have any questions for the Automotive
Division? Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: So your fuel tanks at Hanapepe, the last two (2)
items are one (1) project?
Mr. Suga: Correct. It is actually should be the three (3)
highlighted or shaded; the two (2) at the bottom of page 1, and one (1) on the top of page 2.
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, I see.
Mr. Suga: They are just separated due to the bond issuance
that is the funding source.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so that is a total of$300,000?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 26
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Wow, that is a lot of money. You stated one (1)
purpose, which is to reduce the refueling time and costs, and presumably you are also
protecting the environment. Is it that the tanks were aging?
DWAYNE ADACHI, Superintendent: Good morning, Council Chair and
Councilmembers. Dwayne Adachi, Automotive Division. Yes, the initial reason for this
project was to replace the aging tanks because the tanks are old and need to be replaced, but
the other issue is to increase our capacity to reduce delivery charges. Right now, we spend
about $3,000 a month just for delivery fees. So by increasing our capacity, we can reduce
that to each delivery fee is $250, one (1) delivery. So we can reduce that to maybe once a
month or depending on the size of the tank, probably once every other month, and at the
same time, upgrading our infrastructure.
Councilmember Yukimura: Sounds very good. Thank you. I have one (1)
question about fuel management, which was the first project at the top. Can you explain the
purpose of fuel management system?
Mr. Adachi: The modules?
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Adachi: Yes. Well right now, the manufacturer is in the
process of creating a software patch for the existing modules that we have. Some of the date
recording is not as accurate as it should be, so the manufacturer is working to create a
solution for that problem, and they would incorporate that solution into the newer modules
that we plan to purchase. We are holding off on the purchase of those modules until the
manufacturer can sort through their issues and upgrade their product, then we would
purchase it at that time
Councilmember Yukimura: What led to the initiation of this project? It was
on our part? Did we initiate it?
Mr. Adachi: This is part of the Fuel Master System. It is a
feature that is available through Fuel Master, in which we can know who is putting the fuel
in, we know how much fuel is going in each vehicle, fuel consumption, idle time, and a lot of
other information that we get from the module specific to that vehicle.
Councilmember Yukimura: This was the replacement of that old obsolete
Gasboy system?
Mr. Adachi: Right. This system has more features than we can
take advantage of, and provides us with more information to manage our fuel consumption.
Councilmember Yukimura: I thought we had that already in the system we
have.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Adachi: The Fuel Master system is the system we bought
to replace Gasboy. It is a feature within the system that we are currently employing.
Councilmember Yukimura: So we bought a system and there is another
module to it that we are now going to buy?
Mr. Adachi: No. We have been installing this module in the
past, but the manufacture had problems with the first units that we bought with the data
capturing. So they are creating a solution for that problem for the existing modules that we
have in each vehicle right now.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Adachi: We plan to outfit all of the vehicles in our fleet,
and to do that, we need to purchase more units, but we want to wait until the manufacturer
sorts through their issues before we purchase these additional units.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. Is the manufacturer correcting the problem
on our money?
Mr. Adachi: No.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, but we are waiting until he finds the
solution before we get it for the new...
Mr. Adachi: We want to purchase updated units, units that do
not have the same issues that we are going through right now.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Are these for new cars?
Mr. Adachi: All the vehicles in our fleet, new or old, or any
vehicle we purchase that we install a unit on it.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you, Dwayne, for taking forward this
change. I think it is a great idea to do it now. I commend you for your work. My only question
is when we knew that we were better suited to remove the existing modules and replace them
with new ones, did we analyze the baseyard operations and the future repairs or whatever or
changes that may be needed to see if the current location is the best location, or did we do
some kind of analyses to make sure of that, because we hope that they would last for some
years I would assume?
Mr. Adachi: Are you talking about the fuel tanks?
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Councilmember Kagawa: Yes.
Mr. Adachi: We did a site visit with the Roads Division and we
assessed their situation, their needs, and we came up with a solution that would be best for
all involved.
Councilmember Kagawa: Is most of it where it is currently located? We are
just basically putting it back?
Mr. Adachi: Pretty much.
Councilmember Kagawa: Pretty much.
Mr. Adachi: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: That is good. I just want to make sure that we did
that analysis because I know Hanapepe, for example, they use it for everything; roads,
carpenters, and everybody uses that site.
Mr. Adachi: It is a heavily used area.
Councilmember Kagawa: I just wanted to make sure that the fuel tank is
basically not in the way as we go forward.
Mr. Adachi: Yes, that was one of our concerns. It is basically
in the same location, but not exactly in the same location. We gave a little bit more room
towards the roadside for through traffic.
Councilmember Kagawa: Excellent. Thank you. Thank you, Committee
Chair Kaneshiro.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Automotive
Division? If not, we are going to move on. Thank you for the explanations and also looking
at those tanks and saying we should upsize it to save costs. It makes a lot of sense to do.
Thank you.
Mr. Adachi: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are going to move on to the Buildings Division.
Mr. Suga: The first project for the Buildings Division would
be second line item on the top of page 2, Driver's License Counter Renovations. These were
the security screens at the counters there, which were installed and completed in October of
last year. So that is just the leftover funds being reallocated.
March 29, 2016
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The next project is`Eiwa Street,the Lihu`e Civic Center, and Historic County Building
site improvements. The funds there is to address the Historic County Building handrail.
Doug is currently going through the procurement process for that work.
The next project is the FEMA project that is completed.
Our next two (2) items are for Hardy Street. Hardy Street is completed, so we are
reallocating the remaining funds.
The next two (2) items are for the Historic County Building and the Lihu`e Civic
Center site improvement. This was a project for the parking lot that was completed a couple
of years ago, so these funds are being reallocated as well.
The Kapa`a Baseyard Structure Renovation project has been completed, and we are
reallocating those funds.
Moana Kai Seawall is a current project that is in construction, so there are funds
encumbered. The $68,000 as well as the $59,000 is the remaining funds for any type of
contingency that may arise during the construction.
Pono Kai Seawall, two (2) items on the top of page 3. Pono Kai Seawall is basically
completed. There is a little bit of punch list items that Doug is working through, so we are
reallocating those funds.
Council Chair Rapozo: Can we ask questions as we go down the list?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are just going to go through the whole list first.
Council Chair Rapozo: And then go back?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
Mr. Suga: Security Renovation to the Mayor's Office, the
$8,000 is to redo some cabinet work near the entrance of the Mayor's Office. That is currently
working towards final design, and then it will be bid out for construction shortly.
Pi`ikoi Building Interior Renovations, those two (2) items there are funding the work
that Architects Hawai`i is currently doing to look at the next renovation work to house the
Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Planning Department in the Pi`ikoi
Building. So that design work is ongoing, hoping to get completed this calendar year, and be
ready to move towards construction thereafter.
The next item is a FEMA project, which is complete.
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Kalaheo Fire Station Improvements, the $200,000 is for facility improvements at the
Kalaheo Fire Station. Brian Inouye, within Doug's division, is working on final scoping and
procurement documentation for this work, hoping to get out the first quarter of this upcoming
fiscal.
Kauai Fire Department (KFD) Helicopter Hangar Pad. This work here, we have a
consultant on-board looking at the initial design work. The Fire Department is also finalizing
the lease at the Department of Transportation (DOT) airport for the actual site location. So
once that is squared away and executed, Doug will be able to let his consultant go full steam
ahead.
Koloa Fire Station Improvements is similar to the Kalaheo Fire Station, which is
slated to out for construction the first quarter of this upcoming fiscal.
Islandwide Bike/Pedestrian Path, the funds here are matching funds for a grant that
was applied for and actually awarded. So one of them was the Westside Path Planning Study
grant and also the Waimea to Kekaha path as well as the path from Hanapepe to Salt Pond.
The total grant amount is $250,000, and this is our match for that grant.
On the bottom, the Kaua`i Police Department (KPD) training building. These were
the Assets Forfeiture Funds that were transferred via money bill for the removal and the
construction of the new Kaua`i Police Activities League (KPAL) building near the Vidinha
Stadium there.
There a couple more on the top of page 4 for the Building Division. KPD Kapa'a
Substation User Needs Study is complete.
Waimea Police Substation, these funds here are to do some renovation work at the
Waimea substation to incorporate an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) shower. The
plans are completed and we just need to finalize the procurement documents to get this out
to bid.
Real Property Assessment (RPA) Counter Renovations, this work is moving forward
to professional services, and the idea here is RPA wanted to look at renovating the counter
location currently to create more working space for staff. The consultant would look at what
would be needed to do the renovation work and relocate some of these facilities needed to
support those renovation work, so that is what the $40,000 is for. That concludes the
Buildings Division section.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: I just had a question. We had a huge discussion
the other day about the potential or possible restructuring of the Buildings Division to DPR,
and why are all of these road projects; the street improvement projects, seawall project, and
bike path projects, why are they under the Buildings Division, and what happens to the
structures? Who is going to manage it once it is fixed or is it DPR or is it the Buildings
Division?
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Mr. Tabata: The reason why Doug was running all of these
projects, as you noticed when Mr. Dill and I came in, the Engineering Division was not
available to do these projects. Doug stepped up and volunteered to take on these projects, so
he had been spearheading them these many years. We thank Doug for his services to run
these projects, so that is a large part of what he does every day. In the discussions that we
had, what is Doug going to do after the move? He will continue to manage many of these
projects with the Engineering Division and help supplement some of their work.
Council Chair Rapozo: But he is the Buildings Chief, right?
Mr. Tabata: Right. So there are other projects coming down
the pipe that are building related, that Doug will be working on.
Council Chair Rapozo: This is not about Doug. I do not know how...there
are quite a bit of projects. I am just looking at the managing agency and why would the
Buildings Division be managing road improvements, take Doug out of it.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, in the future he will not be.
Council Chair Rapozo: Then I wonder, is that the reason why we have to
move people out maybe?Is it because we cannot focus on the engineering or the building side
of it? To me, it makes no sense. It is like having the inspector of the Police Department
oversee the Fire Department because he stepped up and he wanted to. I am having a difficult
time with that.
DOUGLAS HAIGH, Chief of Buildings: Just to comment on that, too.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Doug, state your name, please.
Mr. Haigh: Doug Haigh, County of Kaua`i, DPW, Building
Division. As a Department Head, I am a licensed civil engineer, and so I have professional
expertise to assist the full range of divisions. Through any professional career, I have had
experience with wastewater, roads, site development, and of course building. My primary
career has been in buildings. That is my passion. As Lyle mentioned, during the years when
there was limited capacity both in the Roads Division and in the Engineering Division, some
of these projects I acquired when somebody retired and there was no longer anyone available
to step in and continue the project. Moana Kai Seawall, for example. So yes, I am looking
forward to the Engineering Division being able to do this. I am there. I am helping our
younger engineers in the Engineering Division as I can, to help train them. It is ironic that
I probably have more federal highway experience than anybody else, but it is a transition
because when I started, clearly the Engineering Division had that expertise. I got trained
from them a little bit as they were losing their manpower available to do it, but now, I am
the one who is there to help mentor. The Building Division is helping out where we can, and
like Lyle mentioned earlier today, we manage multiple projects. Right now, the Construction
Manager in the Building Division is helping out the Engineering Division. I am managing
one (1)of their road projects because of the recent loss of personnel who were managing those
projects. So we are kind of like the pinch-hitters who come in and help. Fortunately, our
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP — Continued) (aa)
Page 32
Construction Manager has strong experience on the civil side also as well as building. So we
are able do that and professionally, we are capable. It is a little different than a policeman
working for a fireman because we do have the professional experience to do the work. I am
looking forward to helping the Engineering Division and the younger engineers develop the
skills to manage these projects. I have seen it with the recent hires. Unfortunately we lost
a couple of them. These are ready, willing, able, and smart people coming in. They are ready
to do it. They are kind of excited about doing these projects. I think we are in a good
transition. I think Lyle and Larry have done a tremendous job in developing the Engineering
Division. Of course we had a little bump with people leaving, but I feel that the progress is
being made.
Council Chair Rapozo: So once the projects are complete, who is going to
take care of it? Is it the Buildings Division?
Mr. Haigh: The appropriate agency would be the managing
agency. If we are doing Hardy Street, the road portion of Hardy Street, the Roads Divisions
takes care of it. If we are doing a seawall, the Roads Division has historically taken it, but
Moana Kai Seawall is adjacent to a road, so clearly that would be the Roads Division. Pono
Kai Seawall is adjacent to a park, so maybe it would be DPR Really, these types of projects
are not intended to have a (inaudible) except unfortunately Pono Kai, we are in a situation
where we are going to have to do continually beach nourishment maintenance. We do have
a ten (10) year agreement in place with Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
and are now able to do that. I believe our agreement now is that DPR will be doing that
beach nourishment and maintenance work that is going to be required.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Just a follow-up on the `Eiwa Street and Hardy
Street improvements. Did we hire an engineering firm located in the Lihu`e Industrial area
to design the project?
Mr. Haigh: This was a design-build construction project. We
initially hired a firm to do our environmental planning clearances work. Since it is a federal
highway project, we have to go through the National Environmental Protection Act
clearances. Then they helped us develop the design-build procurement document. From
there, we advertised, and we selected a local contractor who is a lead design-build contractor,
Earthworks Pacific, Inc., and they hired SSFM International Inc., who does have a local office
here on Kaua`i at the Lihu`e Industrial Park. The design-build team was responsible for
finalizing the design. Fortunately during this process with our new Chief of Engineering, we
were able to get a lot of fresh input to help us better improve the complete street components.
We actually had a specialized and requested and got a specialized consultant to do the final
design of the roundabout. It is a little more technical than you expected, and even the
placement of the trees are all engineered considering line of sights and the appropriate
standards for that.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Councilmember Kagawa: My question is if the private engineer company is
doing the work for Earthworks Pacific, Inc. and the design, what is the County Engineer's
role that costs a lot of time and labor? Do we have to check their work? Do we have to make
sure that they are doing the work as provided in the bid? Is that the kind of things that we
are doing?
Mr. Haigh: One of the reasons why we shifted the
design-build was to reduce the amount of work we had to do. It takes a lot of work to manage
a design consultant. Yes, they are experts. They know what to do, but at the same time, we
as the County agency, it is our responsibility to review their work, and make sure it is
appropriate. It takes time and expertise to do that, and of course, design-build a little less
because they have the communication between the contractor and designer. We do not get
involved. In a normal construction project, we get involved in managing the relationship in
a way,between the designer and the contractor. If the contract says"Hey, this is not designed
right, you have to change it," then we have to go to the designer and we have to pay him to
redesign, hopefully not, but potentially yes. Then the contractor is going to give us a change
order that says that we got it wrong. Now we are going to have to pay them more. But with
design-build, that is all within their organization, so we kind of step back from that issue a
little bit.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Thank you for the clarity.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. I think it is a really fine example of
cross-assistance between divisions that you have developed. My question is, are you planning
to continue that? I mean, if and when Doug retires, is it really going to be part of the job
description of the Building Division to do that major engineering oversight? What is the end
in mind? I can see it working on a kind of temporary basis, but I share the Chair's questions
about if this a long-term arrangement we are looking at? That is one (1) question. My second
question is, in the Administration's thinking about this transfer of maintenance and repair
of all County facilities to DPR, what about an alternative of having an...I am not able to
really conceptualize it and we should go talk to other counties or scan nationally what local
governments do, but what about an Assets Management Division that both holds all of the
assets and takes care of repair and maintenance functions so everything about the asset is
there, because when you have one (1) division doing construction, or department doing
construction, and there is all of these warranties and everything and the you have another
one doing repairs, I am concerned about the continuity of oversight and it makes sense that
you would have it all in one (1) place when the Chair was asking, then what happens after
the facility is built. So those are my two (2) questions.
Mr. Tabata: Thank you, Councilmember Yukimura. To
answer the first question, what happens after Doug retires, it depends on who the incumbent
will be to replace Doug and his or her capabilities. As Doug's duties wind down, it would be
reassigned and by that time, we will have built the capacity in-house in the Engineering
Division to be able to handle all of the projects that are as we call it "horizontal," and then
the Building Division would take care of everything "vertical," or above the ground and up,
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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the traditional building projects, which Doug also has run. During our tenure, Doug has
overseen the Lihu`e Civic Center work and the Kapa'a Baseyard building renovation. So we
took these buildings that the State owed to us and we reconditioned and repurposed them for
use for DPR, the Roads Division, the Building Division, and I believe it was a huge project.
The State was just going to let them go to disrepair, but we reconditioned them and they are
being used very usefully right now. So that is the long answer, but it depends on who gets
selected for the position, and I envision that the person would just focus on building related
projects.
Councilmember Yukimura: So your long-term vision is that the Buildings
Division would be buildings and the Engineering Division would be engineering?
Mr. Tabata: For now, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Because one of the things is succession planning
and if you were to groom or encourage those who are younger...Lyle as you said earlier, that
the younger set is looking for challenges, new opportunities, and looking for exposure to a
variety of jobs and learning, you have to know what you are training them for. So you have
to have a clear idea of the position and indeed you have a position description. To me, it
cannot just be "well, depending on who we get," although I understand there is a certain
amount of that that happens. What about the second question?
Mr. Tabata: I believe we are going to have the discussion on
Friday. I have been invited to the discussion and I will be here.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Well, then...
Mr. Tabata: I do not want to speak for the Director of Parks
and Recreation, but I will be here to assist in answering.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, I hope he is not the one that is making this
decision. This is not a decision of the Director of Parks and Recreation. This is a major
county wide issue of who is going to handle county buildings and facilities.
Mr. Tabata: I will be here...
Councilmember Yukimura: It is not just a department head who says, "I want
these things."
Mr. Tabata: No. I will be here to support and participate.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. A heads-up that you folks maybe can look
at other arrangements in what best practices are for the oversight of buildings in terms of
construction and repair and maintenance, how do other counties or other local governments
handle it, and do they have some good ideas to share with us?
Mr. Tabata: Thank you.
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the CIP Buildings? If
not, thank you. We are going to move on.
Councilmember Yukimura: One (1) more question, Chair. On KPD training
building, is that forfeiture moneys?
Mr. Suga: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. The Koloa Fire Station improvements,
what is the nature of those? You said it is the same as Kalaheo, I guess?
Mr. Suga: The main scope of work there is looking at
reroofing the stations. There are some other minor improvements associated also, but the
majority of the funding is for roof repairs.
Councilmember Yukimura: So it has been twenty-five (25) years since they
were built?
Mr. Haigh: We built KO loa right after Hurricane `Iniki.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Haigh: Yes, so I guess it has been a long time.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Haigh: That fire station was one of my first building
projects with county.
Councilmember Yukimura: I remember. This is a very normal, logical, major
repair of a major feature, and it is timely, so that is what you are doing?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Alright. Thank you. Very good, in fact.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We will move on to the Engineering Division.
Mr. Suga: The Engineering Division picks up on page 4, near
the top. Engineering is our division that has the most CIP projects going, so I will do my best
to go through all of them to get to your questions. The first project is Aliomanu Road. For
this particular project, the Engineering Division is working on finalizing designs as well as
working through some permitting issues. At this time in the upcoming fiscal year, the
strategy was we would not be ready to go to construction, we would not have the permitting
in place at that time. So we are moving some of the funding from Aliomanu Road to fund
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
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some of the other projects. In Aliomanu Road, the funding for construction would be
anticipated in FY 2018, and that would be a project in consideration for the next bond
issuance.
The next project is Anini Bridge. This was identified via the bridge inspection reports
that have been completed as being in poor condition. Currently, the Engineering Division is
in the process of bringing on-board a geotech consultant to do some evaluation on the existing
subsurface conditions which would then provide information on what type of design would be
appropriate to address this bridge.
The next project is the Automotive Shop Improvements. This is for Dwayne's
mezzanine for storage. The Engineering Division is currently finalizing drawings for these
improvements, and also the procurement documents. We hope to get this out during the first
quarter of FY 2017.
The next project is Bicycle Safety & Education. The intent of this is to be able to go
out and provide educational documentation for bike safety and create promotional materials.
The Biennial Bridge Inspections is a STIP project, and this is actually something
Council, that during the May resubmittal, I will be including a revised amount to provide
$25,000 worth of funding for this bridge inspection so we can provide the appropriate match
for this work.
The next project is the Po`ipu Road Multimodal Improvements, which is for the Po`ipu
corridor. This is a STIP project. DPW is currently negotiating with the consultant, and this
would kick off the planning and design work for the Po`ipu Road improvements. These funds
were previously transferred through contract for differences (CFD) funds.
The next project is the Complete Streets Safety Improvements. This project here will
be supporting the ADA bus stop access grant that was received through the SPR. The County
match is about $40,000, so $40,000 of this remaining funds will go to the County match, and
the remaining funds go to support the restriping projects that the Engineering Division is
currently working on for Waikomo Road, Po`ipu Road, Haleko Road, and Umi Street.
The next project is the Hanapepe Bridge Reconstruction, which has been mentioned
previously in discussions. This would be the repair work to the Hanapepe Bridge itself, and
does not include the pedestrian walkway. It is just focusing on bridge repairs.
Next page, top of page 5 is the Hanapepe Road Resurfacing project. This is also a
STIP project. We have a consultant on-board working through initial design, and the
conceptual design should be completed shortly. Also, I believe they have community events
planned to share that conceptual design.
The next few projects are for Kamalu Stream Erosion and Kamalu Road Culvert.
Those are completed projects, so we are reallocating those funds.
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The next project is the Kanaele Road Slope Stabilization. Currently, we have a
consultant on-board and they are working towards preliminary engineering design work.
The next two (2) are for Kapahi Bridge, which are also STIP projects with a twenty
percent (20%) county fund match. This here is a project that was able to go out to bid for
construction, the notice to proceed (NTP) has been issued in February, so work would be
commencing shortly on this particular bridge.
The next project is the Kapaia Swinging Bridge. I think there was some discussion
that you may have noted in the Mayor's Operating Budget. DPW has been working hard
with the Kapaia Swinging Bridge Foundation as well as Grove Farm Company, Inc. In recent
meetings, it was agreed upon that the course of action would be to maintain this bridge as a
historic monument, and the County would provide the funds by way of a grant. To do that,
we were moving the funds that were bond funded into the Mayor's Operating budget to be
General Funded so we can go through the grant process to make the funds available to the
Kapaia Swinging Bridge Foundation to do the improvements to the swinging bridge.
The next project is the Kawaihau Road, Hau`a`ala Road, Ma`ilihuna Road Complete
Streets & Safety Improvements Project. This is a project that is also a STIP project with a
federal match. We have negotiations that are ongoing with the consultant, we hope to award
shortly, and that will start the process for this planning and design work for this project.
This is the peanut, if you will, at the major intersection at the schools.
The next project is the Koloa Road Safety Improvements. This is a STIP project that
went to construction last year, which is near the end of completion. It should be wrapping
up in the next few months.
The last couple of items on the bottom of page 5 is moneys that were through the
Development Fund that were brought into the CIP for intersection improvements.
Top of page 6, Lae Road Safety Improvements. This project installed guardrails along
Lae Road in Kalaheo. So the project is complete, and we are reallocating the funding.
The next project is the Lihu`e Mauka Road Feasibility Study. It has been complete,
and we are also reallocating that funding.
The next project is the Niumalu Bridge Replacement. This here is a project what we
would like to do or what DPW is working towards is seeking professional services, similar to
what is happening at'Mini Bridge, to bring on-board a geotech to do some soil investigation,
subsurface, and help lead to what the potential design will be for that.
The next project is the Northern Leg Koloa Bypass Road, which is on the STIP in
future years. So we are just keeping that active.
The next project is the `Opaeka`a Bridge. This is a STIP project as well, and we are
at the point where we have sixty percent (60%) plans, specifications, and estimates. So this
project is programmed for construction on the STIP for FY 2018.
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP — Continued) (aa)
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The next project is the Puhi Road Construction. This was a long-awaited project. We
finally have a contractor award and it is slated to start next month. They should be starting
to break ground on Puhi Road.
The next project is Puhi Road Phase II. Again, this is a STIP project as well. The
Engineering Division is negotiating with a consultant to start the planning and design work
for Phase II of Puhi Road, which would be from Kaneka Road all the way down to Haleukana
Road, so next phase of Puhi Road.
The next project is Pu`u Road Improvements. We are awaiting the submittal of the
conceptual designs from the consultant, and so that project should be wrapping up shortly.
The next project is the Pu`ubpae Bridge. This is a project that is slated for
construction on the STIP this year. So we are requesting the $660,000 as our county match
for the construction for this project. We are at ninety percent(90%) plans, specifications, and
estimates; and hope to be completing that next month to be able to go out to construction in
the early part of FY 2017.
Top of page 7, Various Collector Roads. This was federal aid project that I spoke of
earlier for Hau`a`ala Road, Mailihuna Road, and Olohena Road. This project is basically
complete. I believe there are some punch list items the contractor is still working through,
but this will be able to be closed out very shortly.
The next project is the Rice Street Crossing Improvements. This is a project that is
related to the TIGER work. DPW is currently looking at doing something additional traffic
counts at intersections and potentially doing some interim pilot improvements prior to the
TIGER work commencing.
The next project is the Speed Hump/Traffic Calming Program. This fund is available
for traffic calming.
The next item is the TIGER grant match. You can see the $2,000,000 that we spoke
about previously. Currently as Lyle mentioned, we were able to get the STIP modification
approve through HDOT and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), so it is on the STIP
now and available for federal funding. We are in the process of finalizing the project
agreement with HDOT and FHWA, which would allow us to start moving forward. We are
hoping to get the $2,000,000 approved as part of this capital budget.
The next project is the Twin Reservoirs. The goal of this project is to update the FEMA
maps, in which we are working on consultant procurement. DPW is currently in negotiations
with the consultant, and the scope would include the later of map revision, permitting design,
and construction support.
The next project is the Wa'a Road Drainage Study. This is an in-house project. There
has been some in-house work being done for drainage, and working and partnering with the
Grove Farm Museum to try to get this work completed.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 39
The next project is Waewae Road Safety Improvements. This was a guardrail project
along Waewae Road that was completed. This was the money bill that transferred moneys
over to Dwayne's fuel tanks for Hanalei.
The next project is the Salt Pond Wastewater Improvements. There is a contract that
has been awarded to Oceanit to explore and look at the different options for the wastewater
system at Salt Pond. The goal of this would be able to have the consultant provide options
as to how to handle the wastewater at the park, and then be able to move into a design.
On the bottom of page 7, is the next phase of the Sheltered Bus Stops Design &
Construction, which recently went out to bid. I believe they are in the process of executing
the contract with the contractor. So this would be happening in terms of going to
construction, beginning of fiscal year. That is the Engineering Division.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Thank you. There are a lot of projects.
When we talk about a line item, just mention what page number we are on. Councilmember
Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Page 4, Aliomanu Road, which is the largest one
listed that is almost $3,000,000. My question is, is it to construct a new seawall? So we are
talking about the Anahola...is it the road that leads down to Anahola and swings around?
Where is Aliomanu Road? I think a map would be great for that one or can we provide that
later?
MICHAEL MOULE, Chief of Engineering: For the record, Michael Moule,
Chief of Engineering. If you drive on the highway northbound, you go through the town of
Anahola right where the store and the restaurants are,just past there on the right is...there
are two (2) Aliomanu Roads. That is the first Aliomanu Road, and that is the one. If you
follow that down, you go along Anahola Stream there and then you come out to the beach and
ocean there. It narrows to one (1) lane there with barricades, and that is the spot that we
are trying to fix.
Councilmember Kagawa: Are we going to require building a seawall?
Mr. Moule: The latest proposal is somewhat of a seawall. It is
a revetment more than a seawall. It is not a vertical wall. It is a large boulder revetment.
Councilmember Kagawa: It is a revetment wall for dirt, not for ocean waves?
Mr. Moule: It is a revetment wall to protect the future
constructed road from the ocean.
Councilmember Kagawa: Is this a dirt road that we are talking about?
Mr. Moule: No, it is a paved road.
Councilmember Kagawa: It is a paved road?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Moule: It is actually the formal original belt road for the
island.
Councilmember Kagawa: Former what?
Mr. Moule: Former original belt road for the island.
`Aliomanu Road was the original road around the island.
Councilmember Kagawa: It is the original belt road?
Mr. Moule: Many years ago.
Councilmember Kagawa: Well, anytime you require a seawall, which is the
last resort, you see how disastrous seawalls are on the north shore as we speak. The last
thing you want to do, I believe, is to not look at possibly moving away from the ocean so we
do not have to put a seawall.
Mr. Moule: That is a very is good point. What we are doing
right now actually includes looking at other options. In fact, we have to look at other options
because of those very concerns and the issues of putting in a seawall. It is part of the reason
why it has been delayed from previous years, because there are concerns about the seawall.
We are still looking at it as one (1) of the main options, but there are other possible options
as well, but none of them are simple.
Councilmember Kagawa: I just have another short one. Hanapepe Bridge...
Council Chair Rapozo: I have a follow-up on that one.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay, go ahead.
Council Chair Rapozo: The $2,300,000 which was unencumbered, and I
am sorry if I missed it when you went through the list, you might have gone through the list.
Is the project only going to cost $592?
Mr. Suga: Negative. DPW is working on finalizing designs
as well as permitting that is required. The permitting process will take us through FY 2017,
so the idea is that we would not be ready to go to construction in FY 2017, so utilizing the
$2,300,000 to be reallocated, and the `Aliomanu Road construction would be for the next
proposed bond issuance request for construction FY 2018.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: There are three (3) line items, the one on page 4,
the top one is the one that seems to have all of the money, the $3,000,000. Is that $3,000,000
meant just for the road and then there are future millions for the revetment?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
Page 41
Mr. Suga: The $3,000,000 is slated to support the
construction of the roadway and the seawall.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Why are those lumped together? It looks
like Pono Kai and Moana Kai, they were separate, but these seem to be lumped together.
Mr. Suga: I think originally years back, this particular line
item did have funding that covered all three(3)locations and since, they have been separated
out to be their own standalone projects.
Councilmember Kuali`i: What you has said earlier was basically based on
the timeline you are moving on? You do not need the moneys now, so you are transferring
it?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Kuali`i: But expect to come back to it later?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The talk about the different options, is it already
decided that the road will be improved and the revetment wall will be built?
Mr. Moule: No, it is not.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay.
Mr. Moule: We do not know that for sure. That has sort of
always have been the plan. We have to go through the permitting process in order to do that,
and in order to go through the permitting process, we have to explore other options, which is
part of the current effort.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I do not know how these decisions are made as far
as...obviously to serve the community, but to maximize the product, the cost, and what have
you. But obviously years ago the when the hurricane destroyed part of the road, it was never
reconnected all the way through.
Mr. Moule: One of the other options is to reconstruct the
bridge at the stream crossing. Right now, there are two (2) Aliomanu Roads that are
separated by a stream crossing, which used to have a bridge there. So one of the other options
beyond reconstructing the road where it is a one (1) lane road now is to reconstruct the bridge
at the stream crossing. Other alternatives would be to reconstruct the road more mauka of
where it is as Councilmember Kagawa suggested a moment ago. On land, it is not...
Councilmember Kuali`i: There are roads right above, right, that service the
mauka neighborhoods?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 42
Mr. Moule: They are right above, but they are two
hundred (200) feet above.
Councilmember Kuali`i: High above?
Mr. Moule: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: But you are looking at all the options?
Mr. Moule: It may be one hundred (100) feet, but very high
above.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: You may have answered my question, but I was
curious about the alternatives that you are looking at. You are saying one is reconstructing
the bridge across the stream that comes out between the two (2) roads?
Mr. Moule: If we cannot move forward with reconstructing
the road where it is with the revetment, which is what our primary option is right now, that
is one (1) possible option.
Councilmember Yukimura: Although...
Mr. Moule: The challenge is that we have thirty (30) or so
homes in there that would have no access if this road goes away. So we have to figure out
some way to give access for the residents.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right. With the issue of climate change and the
recent reports I saw about how it is actually accelerating, the seawall that you build could
arguably be at-risk within a decade of you rebuilding it. To me, that is problematic to put
$3,000,000 into something that might be in jeopardy in ten (10) years. Do you have three (3)
options that you are looking at?
Mr. Moule: Roughly speaking. There are a whole lot of
different possibilities for connecting a road more mauka, but this current effort is not to look
at those in detail, but we recognize that those are possible options if we cannot move forward
with the revetment project.
Councilmember Yukimura: I recall asking about looking at the mauka road
alternative several years ago, and the Administration at that time was not interested, but
now you are doing it?
Mr. Moule: Again, our primary effort is to move forward with
the revetment with the road roughly in its place where it is now, but we recognize that as we
get further into it, we may not be able to do that. So we recognize that there are other options
that we need to be looking at as well.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 43
Councilmember Yukimura: And that is very good. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions?
Council Chair Rapozo: How long has that funding been in place, the CIP
project? That would help in the future. I am not going to ask for it now, but to show how
long this has been on the books. This project has been there for quite a while, right?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Council Chair Rapozo: The question is why? I think it is a priority, I
would think, because that does service residents. I guess I am concerned "currently working
on professional service procurement,"how long have you been working on professional service
procurement or is it not a priority?
Mr. Suga: I would definitely not say it is not a priority.
Councilmember Kuali`i did bring up...originally, this project item was lumped in with Pono
Kai and Moana Kai Seawall. It was three (3) projects in one (1), and it was almost
simultaneous effort going on all three (3). Since I have come on-board, they have been since
separated to the point where I know there has been work being done on Aliomanu Road and
we are actually at the stage where one of the proposed options can be moved towards final
design. This permitting that Michael folks are working on is integral. I think it is with Army,
I believe, the permitting?
Mr. Moule: And then the State.
Mr. Suga: And the State, yes. I certainly would not say that
it is not a priority. I would say this is a priority.
Council Chair Rapozo: It is a priority, but how far along are we? It says
"currently working," do we have procurement going out?
Mr. Suga: We currently have a consultant on-board assisting
us with some of the options that Michael is talking about with the various agencies, so there
is a consultant.
Council Chair Rapozo: This road has been an issue way before all of you
were in the county and we have lost homes on that road because of the road. When I see the
removal of those funds I get kind of concerned like do you know what? If the money is there,
I think it is more of an incentive to get done. I think that is one of the roads that we need to
work on. That is my opinion, because it seems like every year we talk about it, every year
we talk about what we are going to do, but I do not know how far away we are. Realistically,
how far are we from getting that road fixed?
Mr. Suga: I was trying to forecast forward. The idea was in
talking with the Engineering Division, we were not be ready to go to construction in FY 2017
and again, trying to utilize the funding for other projects.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP —Continued) (aa)
Page 44
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes, but what is the holdup for not getting this
done in Fiscal Year 2017? If it is a priority, what is preventing us, and I am not just saying
from today, because this project has been on the books for a long time. Why are we not where
we should be with this project?
Mr. Moule: I will try to answer that question. I think what
happened with this project is as you have heard from us before, and you heard a little bit
from Doug as he was talking about his projects a few minutes ago, the Engineering Division
went through a timeframe in 2013, where we lost five (5) staff including senior level staff and
mid-level staff. This was before I came on-board. This project fell by the wayside during that
time, unfortunately. What happened with that, and we found this out, if I recall correctly,
the DLNR permits that were in place effectively expired in January of 2014, if I recall. Do
not quote me on dates because I am not exactly sure, but it has been a couple of years now.
We could not move forward with the project as permitted and mostly designed at that point,
because of that delay with this project. So we are picking up the pieces and trying to get this
thing back out. Unfortunately, we have to through a lot of processes again. It is not a good
situation, we recognize that, but we are moving as fast as we can to get it done at this time.
Council Chair Rapozo: So it is only a coincidence that $2,300,000 that is
taken from that project and $2,000,000 is added to the TIGER grant? Is it a coincidence or
is that...
Mr. Moule: We could not get this project to construction in
Fiscal Year 2017. It would not be possible.
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes, and you would not get the Rice Street done
either in 2017. I am just trying to prioritize these. Tell the residents of Aliomanu Road,
because they have been waiting for a long time, and every budget year, I sit at this table and
we talk about it and we approve the funding. I am just looking that it is convenient that
$2,300,000, we take it out of a project that we need to get done, and then of course, we need
the $2,000,000 for TIGER. I just hope it is a coincidence and it was not done because we
want to push TIGER before we take care of the residents of Aliomanu Road.
Mr. Moule: It was not done in that way for this project. With
what we still have to do to get this project to construction, we could not get this project to
construction in 2017.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
Mr. Moule: It is just not possible.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions on this line item?
Councilmember Kagawa.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 45
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you, Chair. I had a question. I saw the
Hanapepe Road Resurfacing project on the top of page 5. Are we doing Complete Streets
concept, and is that in the town of Hanapepe Town?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: So is the whole town going to be redone?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Kagawa: Complete Streets.
Mr. Tabata: From Kaumuali`i Highway to Kaumuali`i
Highway.
Councilmember Kagawa: All the way?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Mr. Suga: Through behind Salt Pond Country Store.
Councilmember Kagawa: Excellent, and you and Ken grew up with me down
there. But does it include the road as you turn off Kaumuali`i Highway to Hanapepe
Stadium? That road is in really bad shape. I thought that was called Hanapepe Road, too.
Is that on the list of CIP projects for road resurfacing?
Mr. Suga: I believe that road is slated and identified to be
part of the next road resurfacing.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. That road is in really bad shape and
of course with all of the fields there, people go there daily.
Mr. Tabata: This project is one of the projects that we looked
at early on, and we did a design charrette with the community. We had fantastic engagement
from the community. We did the charrette over three (3) days and a lot of the input that was
brought to us was maintaining the historic value of the town, and part of the issues with this
project is that we need to straighten out of the right-of-way in the town because I believe
when the town was originally founded, it was horse and buggy, so the buildings were built to
a certain property line. In fact, there are two (2) buildings that encroach on the County's
right-of-way. We have some work do, but we want to straighten it out so that we can make
it safer, and with the revitalize with Friday Night Art Night, this is a perfect example of an
economic recovery model that we can bring to the community, and we are going to help fix
the infrastructure so that all of the activities going on can be legal and we can redraw the
lines with them, and with their agreement, create some safety measures that can really help
enhance the exposures that those activities bring with them.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 46
Councilmember Kagawa: Great job. We have another project listed. I am
going ask Hanapepe Bridge, I just heard last week there was a meeting by the Department
of Water informing the people who are concerned about Hanapepe Bridge being fixed, that
they are going to attach a twelve (12) inch water line to the bridge, which we already have
seen in pictures that is in dire need of repair. My question is simply, knowing that we are
going to do the repair work, we are going to add the weight of a twelve (12) inch line, is the
bridge going to be sufficient being that it is not a new bridge, and that it is an old bridge we
are fixing up? Can it hold the weight and necessary attachments that the twelve (12) inch
water line is going to be made? If you can elaborate on why we need that water line attached
to the bridge.
Mr. Moule: There already is a water line on the bridge, and
this is just making a larger one.
Councilmember Kagawa: Putting a larger one?
Mr. Moule: Yes, replacing the old smaller one with a larger
water line. There would potentially be more weight with that. We have met with the
Department of Water on this, and my understanding is what they are proposing is that the
water line would go roughly where it is today, which is within the actual parapet walls
adjacent to the roadway right at the mauka side of the bridge. It is there. It is hard to see
now because it is kind of small, but the new one will be bigger. It will still allow for traffic
and pedestrian movements through on that road, the bridge today.
Councilmember Kagawa: I just want assurance that your department and
the residents, that attaching a larger water line to a bridge that is heavily deteriorating over
one hundred (100) years is sufficient to handle the necessary supports and weight of a larger
water line.
Mr. Motile: Yes. We are working with the Department of
Water. We have reviewed their plans and our bridge engineer said this should work. We
will get a second opinion before that gets done, because we will have the bridge inspection
consultants that we have every two (2) years. We will work with them as well before the
Department of Water finalizes that project.
Councilmember Kagawa: Like I said, I am not a structural engineer or a
bridge engineer. I am nothing. I am a layperson. I just want to make sure that if we need
additional repairs or supports that needs to be done in addition to this support to handle the
Department of Water's request, that we do it and we do not just say, "Well, we had a smaller
line there. I am sure the bigger one can handle it." I want to make sure that our road
improvements going through the bridge is not going to fall.
Mr. Tabata: That is a good point, Councilmember Kagawa, and
that is why we are pushing and need to complete those bridge repairs that we have scheduled.
We want to get to construction and get them done, so that we can extend or prolong the life
of what is existing, and in addition, handle this. We are also trying to work with the
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 47
Department of Water to work with us because they intend to replace the line all the way
through the town, and we want to do our two (2) projects concurrently.
Councilmember Kagawa: Right on.
Mr. Tabata: We have some issues that we need to work with
them, and we want them to work closer with us. We are getting them to the table with us.
Be assured that we are extremely aware and we are doing everything in our means to work
closely with them.
Councilmember Kagawa: You have a voice on the board now, right?
Mr. Tabata: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Just hearing this discussion, it makes me think
that it would be interesting to see multi-years because you are saying that this...and it is
worded Hanapepe Road Resurfacing, but it is more than just the road resurfacing when you
talk about incorporating Complete Streets concepts. The bridge, the road, and sidewalks, are
there concrete sidewalks planned for the interior of Hanapepe Town? When you said
Kaumuali`i Highway to Kaumuali`i Highway, did you mean along the cliffs where the
bougainvillea is all the way by the ReStore store?
Mr. Tabata: One of the concepts that was brought forward to
the community was creating a gateway. On the Lihu`e side of the road or the `Ele`ele side of
the entrance into Hanapepe Town, they have a nice sign and landscaping; however, they saw
other models that were presented to them and they want to consider those. When we do have
a consultant on-board to start and complete the final design, we are definitely going to go
back into the community and say, "This is it. We are going this final design. We want your
input," and finalize that. So yes, those improvements are all part of it.
Mr. Moule: Let me answer your question about sidewalks.
Councilmember Kuali`i: You said something about community meetings
now though, not after the final design.
Mr. Suga: For the conceptual design.
Councilmember Kuali`i: The $18,000 is for the conceptual designs?
Mr. Moule: The contract we have is ultimately...the
consultant we have on-board now, will do the final design. I cannot remember exactly where
we are on the phasing as far as what they have been given notice to proceed on which phases.
They are doing a survey and sort of a detailed conceptual design based on the survey. Prior
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 48
to this, they did a very rough conceptual design based on the initial public meetings that we
had in late 2014, if I recall correctly. Then, they will move on to the final design.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So it is so early that you do not know how many
years and the total cost?
Mr. Moule: This is a STIP. We have an estimated total cost.
Mr. Suga: The estimated total cost for Hanapepe Road is
$3,100,000 in FY 2018.
Councilmember Kuali`i: How many years?
Mr. Moule: Fiscal Year 2018.
Mr. Suga: This is a STIP funded project, so eighty
percent (80%)...
Councilmember Kuali`i: This year and the next fiscal year, and then it will
be done?
Mr. Suga: We go to construction in FY 2018.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay.
Mr. Moule: To answer your question about sidewalks, the
community was very concerned about maintaining the feel of the street and did not want
continuous concrete sidewalks through the town. Most of what is being proposed would be
done through restriping with marked pedestrian walkways that are integrated in different
ways with the on-street parking that exists. We are also looking to maximize the amount of
on-street parking especially near the areas where the businesses that are frequently used by
both walking and driving to those businesses.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So just to connect it all in one last piece, is it not
true also that the community in the Hanapepe Heights wants to be able to connect, so how
are you connecting them? If a full concrete sidewalk is not practical, are you doing something
else? Right now, when you see people walking along the road, it is like a cutoff from the
pavement into the dirt, it is un-level, and the water gushes down. I know it is something
that has been talked about for years, but it would be a shame if the whole community sees
all of these things being improved and the basic thing that just connects that whole
neighborhood down to the town is not addressed, especially if you are doing it in a small way
with a trail instead of a sidewalk or whatever, that you make it a priority and do that first.
Mr. Tabata: Part of that project, we initially committed in
prior years to complete the sidewalk going up to Hanapepe Heights, and we are still in the
process of planning that work to get done.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 49
Councilmember Kuali`i: Is that showing up in this budget in any way?
Mr. Tabata: Not yet. We have the planning money that was
talked about to go from Hanapepe Town to Salt Pond.
Councilmember Kuali`i: It would make sense that it be part of this because
it is all the connection. In many ways if you think about it, you have `Ele`ele, you have
Hanapepe Heights, Hanapepe Town, and Hanapepe Valley, and to leave out Hanapepe
Heights would not be cool. They are all one (1) community and they all to get to town and
connect. That is what Complete Streets is.
Mr. Moule: Absolutely. We recognize that. We cannot
integrate it with this particular project because of the federal funding aspects on Hanapepe
Road; however, we are working within the various division in DPW about finding out what
the best way is to get that sidewalk down Moi Road from Hanapepe Heights to...
Councilmember Kuali`i: But do not take too long. It has to be part...
Mr. Moule: We are trying to get the timing to coordinate.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Thank you.
Mr. Moule: That is our effort.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I want to support the idea of Moi Road. I made a
request over fifteen (15) years ago, so it would be nice to see it happen. The other side too,
and did you mention the town going up to `Ele`ele Elementary School? You can call it a goat
trail, I guess, but it is a trail from the old town going up to the school. I want to share that
it came up in the General Plan discussions and community meetings that were held in
Hanapepe because that is a short distance. You could even have parking up at the school
and people could walk down if it was safe. It is a really critical link over time.
Mr. Tabata: Yes, because it is not part of the existing travel
way...as you are all pointing out, there are many projects that can dovetail off of this. This
Hanapepe Road project is, I believe, the genesis and there is going to be more projects that
can dovetail off of it much like what we felt Hardy Street was going to be the base. Now
TIGER and others would emanate from. You are bringing up some great points. The
pedestrian pathway to the school was brought up in the charrette, but right now, we are
constrained to the existing travel way that the federal funding will cover, and then as we
advance, we apply for and receive the grant funding to do the west side paths. Many projects
will dovetail off of this first project. We are making note of your comments. We already
received several for these projects and we are planning that.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 50
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, thank you. I agree with you that this is the
core piece. I do not think we are complaining that it is not a part right now, but it would be
in the future.
Mr. Tabata: Right, that pedestrian path is DLNR land.
Councilmember Yukimura: Which pedestrian path?
Mr. Moule: The one to the school.
Mr. Tabata: To the school, so we need to pull them into the
circle and engage them.
Councilmember Yukimura: There are many things to develop.
Mr. Tabata: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: Great. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Maybe Councilmember Yukimura is not
complaining, but I am because Moi Road, what is the holdup? Councilmember Yukimura is
right. She asked fourteen (14) years ago or fifteen (15) years ago. I asked for many years,
and what is the holdup of Moi Road? Does anybody know? The people up there have been
asking forever. It is one (1) sidewalk that goes...I heard all kinds of ADA and whatever the
grade, or whatever the case is, why can we not do Moi Road? That is a County Council
initiative. We had requested it year after year and it never gets done, and that is frustrating.
It is frustrating for every time we have to go to the west side and listening to the people say,
"When are we going to get our sidewalk?" They do not complain. They do not go to the
meetings. They do no come here and testify, but they deserve that, too. I guess it is
frustrating for me. We go to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), we put the
walkway between the place in Lihu`e, and we are doing all of this work when these people
only...and most of them are elderly because they want to get to the town. Somebody needs
to know how much it would cost to finish up that sidewalk, because I am thinking of cutting
from the budget and put it towards that because I do not know how else to do it. We can ask
and ask. Maybe if we take something of importance out, then maybe we can get the
Administration's attention. I do not know. How much is the sidewalk on Moi Road? Does
anybody know? In all of the years we have been asking, somebody must have looked at it.
Does anyone know?
Mr. Moule: We had a rough planning estimate for that as part
of the GET effort.
Council Chair Rapozo: We are not talking GET. How much does it cost?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 51
Mr. Moule: It is not a significant cost. It is probably about
$120,000 based on the planning...
Council Chair Rapozo: If I take $120,000 out of one of these projects, do
you think we would get it done?
Mr. Moule: Well, I would have to defer to Lyle on that
question.
Council Chair Rapozo: I would just like know what we can do to get it
done?
Mr. Moule: It is one I feel is a priority, and we would like to
get done. There are different potential ways that project could be built, and I think we want
to work on that within our division of DPW.
Council Chair Rapozo: I hear that every year, and I am getting tired.
Again, this is our opportunity to share ours...but it is every year that it is the same. We do
not ask for much. The people up there do not ask for much and do not take any of this
personally. I am just frustrated because it goes back way before you folks were here, but
nonetheless, these people see all of the things that are happening everywhere else and they
cannot get a sidewalk. It is frustrating. I do not know what to tell them already. What am
I going to tell them? I have run out of excuses. It is not about the money because they can
see all of the money that we are spending on projects. I do not know. Nadine, I know you
are listening. Get the Mayor to say, "Let us do it," because I am seriously looking at cutting
some of these projects until the Council initiatives can get done, because I do not know how
to get the message across. It is not for me, I do not live up there. None of us live up there.
You folks all hear it. I know the Mayor hears it every time he goes to the west side. I am just
suggesting, please try to get that down, $100,000, $250,000, Lord have mercy. Thank you.
Councilmember Yukimura: Follow-up.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Keith lives there, too.
Mr. Suga: I do. I know exactly what you are saying Council
Chair.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Council Chair Rapozo: Actually, I am talking over you folks so Nadine
can tell the Mayor. That is where it sits. I realize that you folks do not make this list.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: In the study of the multi-use path from Hanapepe
Town to Salt Pond, Moi Road was also talked about because it connects, so you do not have
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP —Continued) (aa)
Page 52
to do any engineering. You can just pretty much...is it really about $150,000 to put a
sidewalk in there down to the town?
Mr. Moule: Simply based on the costs of doing a five (5) foot
wide concrete sidewalk, for example, it should be about that much. In this case, I do not
believe there is a drainage issue because I believe there is a valley gutter there. So it should
be a manageable project with not a significant amount...there is some engineering that would
have to be done with respect to how the connections work at the intersections and making
sure those are ADA compliant. In the past, one of the reasons this project could not be done
was because it could not be built because the road is too steep. That is not true under current
ADA guidelines, so we can build it, and that is relatively new information for this
department. We want to move forward with the project.
Councilmember Yukimura: If you are thinking sidewalk, you would
accommodate and make sure that bicycles are also part of it too, or is the road not frequented
enough so that the road itself could serve as a good bikeway?
Mr. Moule: We have not explored that too much. We could
look through that as well. I think there are several things to think about; one, if the traffic
and the (inaudible)volumes are low enough perhaps, for bicycles and motorists to share, may
be reasonable. We would have to look at the counts to see if that is in this threshold or not.
There may be potential to restripe the lanes a bit to get a bike lone going uphill where bikes
are going slower like we have done in other locations, and then of course, bicyclists can ride
on sidewalks. It is legal to do when you are outside of business district. So people could ride
uphill on the sidewalk, for example, with pedestrians and downhill on the roadway. So there
are possibilities there.
Councilmember Yukimura: There is great potential for connecting the
communities from Hanapepe Heights down to the town to Salt Pond, so if you folks can
somehow include it in plans of the multi-use path as little bit, that would be good. I love the
idea of a sidewalk too.
Mr. Moule: And I would hope that we could do it before the
multi-use path.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Moule: I think there is potential for it. We will work on
it.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Great. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions on the Hanapepe Bridge or
roadwork? If not, we will move on to another line item.
Councilmember Yukimura: I have a question for another item.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Just a quick one because it seems like a little fish
out of water here. What is this Bicycle Safety and Education $27,000? Is there a separate
fund called the Bikeway Fund? How come it is not just part of Special Trust Funds for Parks
and Playgrounds?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: What page number?
Mr. Suga: Page 4.
Councilmember Kuali`i: In the middle of page 4. Is that something like a
community grant that we would give out for an organization to do the education?
Mr. Suga: Correct. My understanding is Bikeway Fund
accumulates funds through bike licensing. I believe the purpose of this fund is to promote
education bike safety, such that this particular line item would be like as a grant, if you will,
through Kaua`i Path or somebody like that.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Who manages that? Who is in charge of that?
Mr. Moule: The project manager is Lee Steinmetz.
Councilmember Kuali`i: So out of the Planning Department, our
Transportation Planner?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: On 'Anini Bridge, you said you are planning an
evaluation. I just wanted to understand more.
Mr. Moule: So we are moving forward...I have been out on
vacation for a week and a half, so I do not know exactly where we are. But we are on the
cusp, if we have not already, signed the contract. We are either very close or we have already
signed the contract with a geotechnical firm to do exploration of the soil conditions in that
area in order for us to figure out what kind of bridge is. Right now, it is a large concrete box
culvert that is literally settling into the sand. We have been doing that for decades from what
I can tell. We need to figure out how we would support a bridge, or culvert, or what will last
and not do that again.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see. Where exactly is that bridge?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
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Mr. Moule: It is on Anini Road. There are actually about
four (4) bridges on Anini Road that are all of similar design.
Councilmember Yukimura: Around the park?
Mr. Moule: This is the largest one. It is before the park.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Just beyond the curve?
Mr. Moule: If you go there now, you will see that we have
narrowed the bridge to a single lane for structural benefits to keep...and we put a lower
weight limit like we have talked about in the past for the bridges, to reduce the load on the
bridge so that it does not deteriorate while we do our project. You will see it if you go out
there, that it is the one place where it is a single lane. It is maybe a quarter mile or so from
when you get down to ocean level roughly, and it continues towards the park.
Councilmember Yukimura: Great. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: You can continue on, if there are more questions
for the Engineering Division. Any other line items? Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: What is the status of Koloa-Po`ipu Intersection
Improvements? Those are fairly small moneys, but do you have specific projects or do you
just have it as it as additional moneys for places where you do work?
Mr. Moule: These are funds that are paid for by developers
and the Development Fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Moule: Our plan right now is to use these funds along
with county funds, to match the Po`ipu Road Multi-Modal Improvements, which is shown on
the next page, I believe.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Suga: The Po`ipu Road project that Michael is speaking
of is a STIP project that is programed for construction in FY 2019.
Mr. Moule: It is on page 4. Sorry, it is somehow not in
alphabetical order for some reason.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is the design for the project completed?
Mr. Moule: No. If you go back to page 4, you will see that we
are negotiating with the consultant on a design contract at this time.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 55
Councilmember Yukimura: Can you say who the consultant is?
Mr. Moule: We cannot at this time.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I have a question about the Lihu`e Mauka
Road Feasibility Study, which is complete now, so can we get copies of it?
Mr. Moule: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, please provide that.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: On that same one, does this include smaller
improvements like striping and putting in a crosswalk?
Mr. Moule: You mean the Po`ipu Road Multi-Modal?
Councilmember Kuali`i: Yes, the road improvements whether it be the
multi-modal improvements $333,000, or the Koloa-Po`ipu Intersection. Is that intersection
improvements to multiple intersections or one (1) particular one?
Mr. Moule: We are likely to use those funds to match the
Po`ipu Road project. They are going to be joined with these funds on page 4 as the county
match for federal funds. That is our most likely use of those funds. We could theoretically
use them for something else, but this is a needed project. It is a very large and long project,
and so we know that we are going to need a lot of funds for that, both local funds and federal
funds. We will likely use those to match. It does include things like minor things like
crosswalks. I owe you a Council response to a request on Po`ipu Road at Puka Street.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay.
Mr. Moule: That, we are going to do sooner. That is the one
that Keith mentioned as part of...
Mr. Suga: On the Complete Streets item.
Mr. Moule: Yes.
Councilmember Kuali`i: That is what I was getting at. I was hoping that
if it is a smaller thing that is going to go ahead and it is not going to wait for the big plan.
Mr. Moule: We are planning to do that this summer, roughly
speaking.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Because I have at least one (1) constituent who
has been on me.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
Page 56
Mr. Moule: Yes. I owe you a written response on that. I will
try to get it as soon as I can.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Moule: That one,we are hoping to have done this summer
as part of these other projects.
Councilmember Kuali`i: And on behalf of our neighborhood.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Engineering
Division? If there are no further questions, we are going to move on to the Roads Division.
Thank you, Engineering Division.
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, I have one (1) on the bus stops. Do you have
a list of the bus stops that are going to be done?
Mr. Suga: As part of the Phase II Improvements for the Bus
Shelter project, I believe the bids came in. There are seventeen (17) locations that will be
incorporated into this next phase. I do not have the locations off the top of my head here, but
that certainly can be provided to you.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you know whether Elepaio Road-Kala Road or
Elepaio Road-Io Road shelters are on there?
Mr. Suga: I believe they are, but I would like to...
Councilmember Yukimura: So you are going to provide that list, please.
Mr. Suga: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Let me just add since she went there, I have to
speak up on behalf of Anahola, because both of our stops on the highway, which everyone
sees every day, is very highly used and we have kupuna that are out in the sun.
Mr. Suga: Yes, definitely.
Councilmember Kuali`i: They are saying, "Well, we see all of this
happening in Lihu`e and in other places, what about Anahola?"
Councilmember Yukimura: I believe Anahola is on there.
Mr. Suga: I believe so, too. We will provide the list of
locations.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
Page 57
Councilmember Yukimura: Wonderful.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Thank you.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Mr. Suga: For the Roads Division, a lot of FEMA projects
have been completed, and DPW is working on closing out the fiscal side of those. The one
thing that Ed does have an open contract on is for the Hanapepe and Waimea levees.
Currently, we have contractor on-board, and the note I have here is incorrect. It says,
"Anticipate contractor restarting work in March 2015,"which it should be March of this year.
Ed can speak to more of the specifics of the work remaining, but that is the only remaining
Road Division's CIP project.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Are there any questions for the Roads Division?
No questions? I have one (1) quick question. Is there a way to do bond funds? Actually, we
had it coming out of the Engineering Division. Never mind. I answered my own question
regarding major road improvements and bridge improvements, but we saw it come through
already. Councilmember Kuali`i.
Councilmember Kuali`i: I think it was yesterday that somebody talked
about the levees and how horses and vehicles going up on them could cause problems. Is it
all gated and protected? Do we need moneys to put in more gates?
EDMOND RENAUD, Chief of Field Operations & Maintenance: I am
going to say good morning, Councilmembers. We have all of the gates and what not, but
there are some bikers that we do not know who, go from the side of the slope and up. As for
the vehicles and what not, I have not seen any, not even my people, and so have been looking
into that scenario.
Councilmember Kuali`i: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Are there any further questions for the Roads
Division. We will move on to the Solid Waste Division.
Mr. Suga: The Solid Waste Division is on page 8. Kekaha
Landfill Gas Collection and Capture System. If you remember, this was a project that is
going to be funded through SRF, so the $5,000,000 that is in the current year budget is being
put back into the closure fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: Back into the what?
Mr. Suga: The Landfill Closure Fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, I see. Okay.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 58
Mr. Suga: The next item is the Kekaha Landfill Cell II.
Currently, we have a consultant on-board working on finalizing the design for the lateral
expansion. This is also something that, as mentioned in the opening, the Solid Waste
Division is going utilize SRF funding for the final design as well as for the construction.
The next project is the Kekaha Landfill Closure. The Solid Waste Division was able
to complete the leachate modifications, remaining funds were going to be used towards
assisting some of the Global Command and Control System (GCCS) design work that is
currently ongoing.
The next item on top of page 9 is the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). The
consultant is currently working on the Environmental Assessment (EA), so that is ongoing
and the projected date for the final EA is end of May. The remaining funds can be used
towards final design for this project.
The next project is the New Landfill&Resource Recovery Park. As Lyle had indicated
in his presentation for the Solid Waste Division, this year we have completed the Wildlife
Hazard Assessment Report, we are currently working with HDOT, and working towards the
Management Mitigation Plan, which would be the next step.
The next project is the NPDES Compliance. This is work to meet NPDES
requirements at the various transfer stations. The Solid Waste Division has been working
with the consultants to complete the construction documentation for the various transfer
stations across the island. As part of the next bond issuance, this is a project being considered
for inclusion with that bond issuance to support the construction, and that is the Solid Waste
Division.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Are there any questions on any of these line
items? Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I am sorry. I missed the last item. What you were
talking about?
Mr. Suga: NPDES Compliance. This is work at various
transfer stations to get within NPDES compliance, stormwater. Designs are being worked
on and getting finalized, construction documentation will be completed also, and this here is
a project that will be proposed for the next bond issuance to cover the construction costs.
Councilmember Yukimura: I have been very concerned about the longevity
and the functionality of our transfer stations, and we are going spend a lot of money to get a
NPDES permit. Do we have any plans in the future for renovation, repair, or change in the
design of our transfer stations for better functionality, et cetera, and do we have to go out for
new permits?
TROY TANIGAWA, Environmental Service Management Engineer: Troy
Tanigawa, for the record. Whenever we do a major construction where it changes how we
operate, we have to go in for a permit modification, but we do plan to consult with the
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 59
Department of Health. It does not matter how big the project is. We will coordinate with
them to make sure that we have their comments.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Do we have plans for renovation and
updating modernization of our transfer stations?
Mr. Tanigawa: Right now, the transfer station that...yes, we do.
We are looking at ways that we can improve things at the various transfer stations. The
major project right now is this NPDES project, where we will be making improvements so we
can better manage the stormwater that occurs at the site, and also some of the industrial
water that is created during the operation. We want to be able to better manage the leachate,
which is water that comes into contact with solid waste, so that there is no chance of
discharge.
Councilmember Yukimura: What about dovetailing the recycling and making
everything a one stop shop like I have seen on Maui so that we are really thinking globally
about all solid waste activities?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes. At some of the sites, we have sufficient space
within the property lines, but for someplace such as the Hanalei Refuse Transfer Station, to
increase services at the site, we will more than likely require us to expand the boundaries of
the property. We have looked at how we can maximize the area that we have available to us
now and then where we want to go in the future. With expansion of services, we will have to
come to an agreement with the property owner on additional areas, if we need it.
Councilmember Yukimura: Have you looked at the projections of growth for
the north shore and accommodating the next ten to fifteen (10-15) years of need?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes. For the major material quantities that we
handle there, mixed waste and green waste, we are looking at addressing those parts of the
operation immediately with this upcoming construction project. As far as the mixed waste
portion is concerned, we feel that the current compactor system that we have there now needs
attention as far as refurbishing the mechanism that we have in place now. There is corrosion
and whatnot that needs to be addressed, but we have enough capacity with it, so there should
not be any major changes with that. The change we are looking... •
Councilmember Yukimura: For the next ten to fifteen (10-15) years?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes. The biggest change we are looking at is how
we manage green waste. We are looking at increasing capacity by creating a system that is
similar to how we manage the mixed waste by using the larger sized trailers and having a
tipping area similar to what we have either in Kekaha or at the Lihu`e Refuse Transfer
Station, where we discharge directly into the trailers.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you have enough space for all of that or are you
looking for another site?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP—Continued) (aa)
Page 60
Mr. Tanigawa: We have another space currently at the site to do
what we want to do for green waste.
Councilmember Yukimura: For green waste. So you are not looking...but I
thought I heard you are thinking about needing to expand, and you have to talk to the
landowner?
Mr. Tanigawa: Well, that is for future expansion of projects.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is not for the next ten to fifteen (10-15)
years?
Mr. Tanigawa: Not for green waste and not for mixed waste, but
there are other services that we provide there. For example, the Kaua`i Recycles drop bins
are housed the Hanalei Refuse Transfer Station. We have looked at expanding our used oil
program and used cooking oil program to the site. We also take in scrap tires, white goods,
scrap metal, and this upcoming project will also address those things. As far as the
immediate need and the programs that we have at the site now, we have sufficient capacity
and sufficient area to house the capacity that we need, or areas that we need to receive
materials.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you not need to talk to the landowner about
expansion?
Mr. Tanigawa: As I mentioned, if we want to expand in the future
to more programs, like there is always talk about additional HI-5 Recycling beverage
container redemption type of operations to make a one stop shop, for example. We would
have to get additional land do something like that.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so you are saying if we want to. So you do
not have plans right now or think we need to expand in that direction right now on the north
shore?
Mr. Tanigawa: Not yet.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. What about the Kapa`a Refuse Transfer
Station?
Mr. Tanigawa: Kapa'a Refuse Transfer Station...
Councilmember Yukimura: Is that one of those covered by the NPDES project?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Tanigawa: We have a pretty good sized property to work with
at the Kapa'a Refuse Transfer Station.
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 61
Councilmember Yukimura: Good.
Mr. Tanigawa: We want to look at the major improvement and
actually the first site to do major improvement to change how we accept mixed waste as well
as green waste, and manage the other programs as well. So that will require a larger CIP
type of project to accomplish that. For now, we are basically just looking at making
improvements to better manage the leachate.
Councilmember Yukimura: When do you plan to bring the larger projects?
What is the timeframe; next year, the following year, the next five (5) years?
Mr. Tanigawa: We have not decided that with the Administration
on the timeline. As far as major improvements, I want to say Kapa'a Refuse Transfer Station
is the priority for us.
Councilmember Yukimura: Kapa'a Refuse Transfer Station?
Mr. Tanigawa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Well, maybe you can give us a timetable for
it.
Mr. Tanigawa: Okay.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Solid Waste
Division?
Councilmember Yukimura: I have some.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Kekaha Landfill Phase II on the bottom of page 8,
you mention a GCCS, is that the gas? I did not get what GCCS was?
Mr. Suga: Yes, it was part of the original...
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, it is right there.
Mr. Suga: Yes. It is part of the design work that was done
for the gas collection system, and some of the funding in the closure item was used to support
that.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is that project done?
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 62
Mr. Suga: The design work is complete, and it is actually
working towards executing the construction contract.
Councilmember Yukimura: What is the estimated cost of the construction?
Mr. Suga: $4,900,000, just under $5,000,000.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Is that the one we are using...
Mr. Suga: SRF funding.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes. So, that is the one that is the third to the
last?
Mr. Suga: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. When are we...oh, project bid out, so are
we out to bid on construction?
Mr. Suga: We are actually ready to award the construction
contract to start, and Troy is going to issue the NTP shortly so that they can get started.
Councilmember Yukimura: Who is the company?
Mr. Suga: Goodfellow Brothers.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Suga: You are welcome.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: If there are no further questions for the Solid
Waste Division, then we will move on to the Wastewater Division, which is our final section.
Mr. Suga: Okay. Wastewater Division. Continuing on
page 9 in the middle, Coco Palms SPS. Ed has awarded a construction contract for Cushnie
Construction for Phase II work for the carbon system. As he mentioned in his operating
budget session, we will be looking at maybe including some funds for exploration of potential
solutions across the road on the makai side at the various manholes.
The next project is Facilities Reserve. This is a reserve for the Sewer Trust Fund.
The next project is the Kuhio Bridge Sewer Replacement. This is work that Ed and
his people did move forward with doing some investigative camera work to try to develop the
scope for the actual manhole repair and rehab. So that is currently in process.
The next project is the Lihu`e Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Phase II.
This is a new project, a new initiative, for Phase II improvements at Lihu`e Wastewater
March 29, 2016
Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 63
Treatment Plant. It is focusing on energy saving improvements and facility upgrades. The
Office of Economic Development (OED) had a consultant (inaudible) come out to do some
assessment of the wastewater treatment plant and provided recommendations in terms of
energy savings, and those recommendations would be incorporated into this design phase.
Ed does have SRF funding for construction after the design is completed.
The next project is the Wailua Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements and
Renovations. This is a current effort that is ongoing in terms of Phase II design work at
Wailua. Ed anticipates the completion in August 2016.
Page 10 on the top, the Wailua Zone of Mixing Study. This is something that funds
have been encumbered. As you can see, there is a couple of consultants on-board that Ed is
working through, so that is in progress.
The last item is the Waimea R-1 Water Distribution System. This was part of an
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant, and the County provided the appropriate
match for this. Kennedy/Jenks Consultants is the consultant that was awarded the contract,
and they anticipate completion of their work in January 2017.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I know we had a lot of discussion on these items
yesterday, too. Are there any questions for the department? Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: The Hanama`ulu Bridge Sewer Main
Replacement and Manhole Rehab, which area are we looking at?
ED TSCHUPP, Chief of Wastewater Management: For the record Ed
Tschupp, Chief Wastewater Management Division. That is right above the stream, the
highway bridge. If you go down where the intersection of Ma'ala Road is in Kapaia Valley
and then as you are heading up the hill towards Hanama`ulu, there is a highway bridge. You
are on Kuhio Highway, from the bottom of Kapaia Valley up towards Hanama`ulu.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Tschupp: There is a highway bridge there, and the sewer
line comes down along the highway. We had a pretty good size spill a few years back, which
caught our attention as well as the attention of the Department of Health. We requested
funding to try to tackle what was going on with that. Subsequently, we have put up cameras
in that area, and we now have the camera results. We are currently in negotiations with a
consultant for design work.
Councilmember Yukimura: I think residents reported some really bad smells,
too, over there.
Mr. Tschupp: Yes. That is an area where because the line
coming down the hill is kind of steep, there is a fair amount of turbulence and that stirs up
odors, and from time to time we have odor complaints. There was a Council inquiry in the
latter part of last year about some citizen complaints that also went to the Department of
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Health. We worked with the Department of Health and found that one of the manhole lids
needed to be reconstructed in the highway, and we were successful. So it was venting, and
we were successful in going with our in-house resources to reconstruct the manhole rim so
that it got sealed up.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you have investigated it and you are now
embarking on designing a rehab project?
Mr. Tschupp: That is correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Are we getting any leakage into the
stream?
Mr. Tschupp: That certainly is what we are not supposed to be
having happen. There have been some smaller spills where you get root blockage in a
manhole overflow, then we go out and investigate, and hope that we do not find ourselves
with leakage into the river. As a general routine, no, but the spill that we had a couple of
years ago that triggered this funding, definitely ended up flowing into the river and then we
had to do a bunch of sign posting and some decontamination.
Councilmember Yukimura: There has been a lot of concern about the water
quality in Hanama`ulu Beach. So of course,the question is what the sources are? This project
hopefully will at least make sure that it is not this line that is causing problems?
Mr. Tschupp: That is the intent.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, and it is not just a quick fix, but it is
something that will be pretty a substantial protection?
Mr. Tschupp: The design effort...and actually let me stop for a
moment and interject that DOT Highways is currently working on a design replacement of
the bridge structure. So one of things we do not want to do is go put a brand new piece of
pipe on a bridge that is going to be torn down within the next five (5) years. We do not know
exactly at this point, how they are going to do that bridge project. There are a couple of
options that we heard them share with us, and they may put in a new bridge next to it on
either the makai side or the mauka side, or they may put in a temporary bridge and rebuild
the new bridge right where the existing bridge is. So we are not sure exactly what that looks
like, but whatever happens also needs to accommodate what will be a new sewer line on the
new bridge.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right.
Mr. Tschupp: I am sure DOT Highways is well aware of that.
We are kind of in this area where the problems that we know about, that we can repair sort
of come up to the bridge, and we have a bunch of manholes because of the steepness of the
slope and the turbulence. A lot of our manholes there are in pretty terrible condition, so I am
thinking that we will end up using a resin repair and replacement of the manholes with a
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Department of Public Works (Operating & CIP— Continued) (aa)
Page 65
resin kind of based coating system. That will be a lot of work that will be done. We may do
a little bit of structural repair on some of the lines, which is why we are currently going into
a design process.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you are doing a repair that will take into
account the future new bridge that the DOT is planning?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes, we are going to work with DOT as this moves
forward.
Councilmember Yukimura: And when DOT finishes its bridge, hopefully your
system is going to be pretty intact?
Mr. Tschupp: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Alright, thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for the Wastewater
Division? It is the last item on our list, and I think we are going to finish just in time before
we have to take a lunch and caption break. If there are no more questions...
Councilmember Yukimura: What is the plan for when we come back?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are not coming back today. We are done for
today. We got through our items. Tomorrow, we are going come back and we are going to
take the rest of the CIP items...
Council Chair Rapozo: Tomorrow we have a Committee Meeting.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thursday,we are going come back and look at CIP
for the rest of the departments. Then Friday, we have DPR, which I am sure will be a very
long day. We have a lot of questions, so if you want to send bigger questions ahead of time,
please send them now so that we can hopefully get them answered here and they are not
surprised. That is the plan. There is a Committee Meeting tomorrow, so that is it for today.
Thank you for coming out and all of your work. I would like to recess the Departmental
Budget Reviews. We will reconvene 9:00 a.m. on Thursday.
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 12:24 p.m.