HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/02/2018 Department of Parks & Recreation Department of Parks & Recreation
Honorable Mason K. Chock
Honorable Ross Kagawa
Honorable Derek S.K. Kawakami
Honorable Mel Rapozo
Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura (present at 9:30 a.m.)
Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro
Excused: Honorable Arthur Brun
The Committee reconvened on April 2, 2018 at 9:05 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 2018-2019 Departmental Budget
Reviews. Please note that we do have a quorum. Councilmember Brun is excused for today.
On the schedule for April 2, 2018, we will be hearing from the Department of Parks &
Recreation. As we do each day, we will take public testimony. Anyone in the audience
wishing to testify? Seeing none, Lenny, you are up. For today's review, we do have the
schedule. We are going to go through Administration and Fiscal, Planning and Development,
Recreation, Parks Maintenance, Beautification, Stadiums, Facilities, Maintenance,
Convention Hall, Wailua Golf Course, and then our Improvement and Maintenance Fund.
With that, Lenny, you can do a brief overview and take Administration and Fiscal first.
LEONARD A. RAPOZO, JR., Director of Parks & Recreation: Thank you, Budget&
Finance Chair Kaneshiro. For the record, Lenny Rapozo, Director of Parks & Recreation.
Our department continues to grow and take on many more responsibilities, as we are asked
to do. If you look at our overall budget presentation, you will see that in our operations that
there is a large increase and that is basically attributed towards taking on more maintenance
projects that this County has asked us to do. With the removal of the green box and having
facility maintenance and the maintenance manager come over, we are now looking to do
overall maintenance for every County facility, so that is where the see the large increase in
our budget, is in those operational areas. An example would be the changing of the roof over
at Mo'ikeha and Kapule, as well as we have been here before...what is included in here is the
replacement of roofs at the Kapa'a Armory and Princeville Fire Station and Police Station.
Overall, our budget remains flat in terms of operations. With the budget team's budgeting,
actual budgets...our budget for the most part is flat. With that, I welcome questions. Chair,
I am not sure how you wanted to do this. I, like you...we did not procure computers...I am a
paper kind of guy and feel more comfortable that way, but we can go line by line by divisions.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Yes, we will start with Administration. Do we
have any questions for the Administration? If you just want to just go through some of the
Repair & Maintenance (R&M) building projects, you folks have budgeted Kapa'a
Neighborhood Center, Police Station Roof Maintenance, Kaua`i Police Department (KPD)
Cellblock, KPD Transfer Switch, KPD Shower Repair, and Kapa'a Armory. Those are some
of the bigger items.
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Mr. Rapozo: Again, as we had discussed earlier, there are
ongoing projects or ongoing maintenance by facility that our facility improvement manager
takes on. So these are projects that he sees that needs to be done in order for our facilities to
be repaired. Mind you, he takes these maintenance projects as those that are needed, kind
of like immediately, although there are other potential projects there that we would say,
"What about this? What about that?" These are projects that will help to improve the facility.
For instance, emergency power ATS R&M services, those are some of the projects where when
there is a power outage at KPD or the electricity gets turned off, the generator kicks in and
when it comes back to regular services, sometimes there are glitches in terms of what comes
on and we may go dark on 911. That project there is to help stop that sort of thing from
happening. Kapa'a Neighborhood Center is just various repairs to the building, the structure
itself. Where it is located, the windows, some of the flashings around the building. So this
is just on the building itself that these are maintenance that needs to be done. The police
station roof is at the main police station here in Lihu`e. There is some maintenance on the
roof that needs to be completed. Islandwide Garage Doors—these are just the garage doors
at different locations, primarily fire stations. These are just ongoing repairs that he
continuously does, especially out in Kaiakea, where, because of its location, is a lot repairs
that needs to be done. Miscellaneous Building Locks, Fixtures, Electrical—that is all over
the County. For you folks, sometimes keys or failures...automatic locks, various plumbing
and electrical repairs...that is an estimate of what he spends throughout the year on these
type of repairs and fixes. Cellblock Access Control is at the cellblock. They are having
problems with the various electronic locks where they open a lock and more than a lock will
open. He needs to fix that. KPD Transfer Switch is a transfer switch within the electrical
system that, again, after power is resumed, everything comes on at once and trips. By having
this transfer switch, this would allow to synchronize everything coming back on, so they do
not lose...or trips the total system so that they are able to operate without somebody having
to come down and manually reset this thing. For the Kapa'a Armory Improvements, we are
fixing the roof, and aside from the roof, the windows need to be redone. It is an aged building.
We all know that when we took that over. So this will help to make it water-tight.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Did we not have to use the armory at one time?
Mr. Rapozo: For police, they felt it was...because it was leaking
where they were in...if you enter the armory, on the immediate right is where they were
located. In that area there, they felt that the leak was bad enough that we moved them out
or they elected to move out. They are being temporary housed...at one time, they had to work
out of Lihu`e, but we worked with them and now they are at our baseyard, so it gives the
public some access to them in the area.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So these repairs are going to address that issue?
Mr. Rapozo: The roof will address the immediate issue of the
leakage, but these additional repairs will address the windows and some of the outside parts
of the building.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any other questions from the Members? I
have a question on the R&M Equipment—Air Conditioning Contracts. It went up a little bit.
Did we complete that contract?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. There is a new bid coming up and we expect
the estimates to be a little higher.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So it is not completed yet, it is just an estimate?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any questions from the Members? Council Chair
Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Back to the Kapa'a police station, so the roof
repair, which is $250,000, will take care of the leak, right?
Mr. Rapozo: No, the police station, that is the main station.
Council Chair Rapozo: So the $1,000,000 for Kapa'a Armory includes the
roof?
Mr. Rapozo: We came here earlier in the winter with the...
Council Chair Rapozo: The emergency...
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: So what is this $1,000,000?
Mr. Rapozo: This $1,000,000, like I mentioned, we are going to
take care of the roof with the moneys that we got earlier. This one here is going to help to
improve the windows and jalousies, the structure itself, the way there is some...it is
crumbling...that would help to make it more water-tight.
Council Chair Rapozo: What is the estimate? $1,000,000?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, for the entire facility, inside.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We have that entire facility to ourselves or is
someone else using it?
Mr. Rapozo: The County has the...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: It is all us now?
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Mr. Rapozo: It is all ours.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any other questions from the Members on
the Administration budget? If not, we will move on to Fiscal. I had a question on the
advertising budget. We have lunch wagons and three (3) public meetings. What is that for?
Mr. Rapozo: As part of the Peddlers and Concessions
Ordinance, we have done the surf schools and the boaters down in Hanalei. Part of the
Concessions and Peddlers Ordinance is that we need to address other concessions within
parks and part of it is having public hearings. So we are going to encompass lunch wagons...
people with concessions have come to Parks and put in applications. We have not moved
forward with expanding aside from those two (2) industries or concessions we have just
mentioned. We need to do more. What we have taken as our policy was anything that had
happened before the Peddlers and Concessions Ordinance, we allowed as-is. You all know
that...we do have some food vendors at some of our parks. There have been other
vendors...we have not incorporated them into the Peddlers and Concessions Ordinance yet,
so we need to do that and come up with a formal way to award them. Now, you have kind of
been grandfathered in and you get it and that is it. That is an example where, are we just
going to take bids? The highest bids get to choose which location first. Then there are other
people that want to do snuba and a lunch wagon location at Kealia Beach. For all of that
stuff, we need to do the process that is in the Peddlers and Concessions Ordinance, as well
as the Administrative Rules that we completed for that particular ordinance. So for
advertising, part of the rules is that we have to put it out to the newspaper to get people to
come to the public hearings to testify.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Do we currently charge for a food truck on County
property?
Mr. Rapozo: Per the ordinance, it is $100 per month.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any other questions from the Members?
The computer and peripheral supplies, $6,000 for tablets; are we buying the tablets in three
over time or did we not purchase them last time?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, we are doing it over time.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: We are working with the Information
Technology (IT) as to what would be the best.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions for Fiscal? If not, we will
move on to Planning and Development. This budget stayed pretty flat. Any questions for
Planning and Development? If not, we will move on to Recreation. Any questions for
Recreation? On the summer hires, did we adjust numbers based on the need?
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Mr. Rapozo: Yes, it is based on need, as well as the new
minimum wage that is coming up.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The increase in minimum wage?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any other questions? We are on
Recreation. For the summer fun meals, how is that program going?
Mr. Rapozo: The kids seem to like it and we are lucky that a
lot of times, most of our sites qualify for reimbursement, so that helps. It has changed.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We get a reimbursement?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. Unfortunately though, we have to put the
money upfront when we do the procurement, and then later on we get reimbursed.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions?
Council Chair Rapozo: Where are we again?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are on Recreation. Any other questions for
Recreation? If not, we will move on to Parks Maintenance. It is on page 231 on the bottom.
Can you talk about the addition of a Park Caretaker for one (1) additional Park Caretaker
for each district?
Mr. Rapozo: These are the five (5) positions, right? So the
normal or for a standard park, their restrooms get cleaned twice a day, especially at the beach
parks. These are park caretakers and there is a lot of attention to our bathrooms, as you
guys know, whether it is social media and phone calls, which I get on the weekends. The first
thing they do is they go to the campgrounds and they clean restrooms and trash and then
they go out to the other parks. They get cleaned in the morning, first thing, between 6:00
a.m., 6:30 a.m., or 7:00 a.m., depending upon distances, and once more in the afternoon before
they leave for the day. What goes on in between that happens. So as a pilot project, our
Administration, along with what was the Mayor's wanting to do was to give more attention
to restrooms, which we did. At Po`ipu and Lydgate, which we deemed to be high volume
where most of our families and visitors go on the weekend, we tried this pilot project where
we have one (1) Park Caretaker show up, works from Thursday to Monday, from 10:00 a.m.
to 6:30 p.m. and his focus is bathrooms. Secondary focus is trash. We still have the Park
Caretakers coming in the morning doing what they need to do and doing their regular duties,
but on the weekends where it is high volume, from Thursday through Monday, this
gentleman's focus is on bathrooms. It seems to have worked out since we initiated that
program. So now we wanted to try and expand the program to address five (5) areas. The
first position...let us move from north to west, that Park Caretaker will be responsible for
Ha`ena Beach Park, Pine Trees, Hanalei Pavilion, and Black Pot. So from Thursday through
Monday, we will have a Park Caretaker whose focus will be bathrooms. This will give it
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multiple cleanings at these locations, so that is four (4) restrooms. So all he does is circulates
from those parks, gets done, goes back, and does it again, as well as we will have the regular
Park Caretaker still doing his duty as well. The next area will be `Anini Beach Park, which
has three (3) restrooms and Anahola Beach Park. At any given time during the high volume
season, Anini has three hundred (300) plus campers in that area, so we felt that we will try
and do it this way. The next one will be from Kealia Kai, Kealia Beach, Kapa'a Beach Park,
and Lihi. Again, high volume area for restrooms. Then we will address Hanama`ulu Beach
Park, Kalapaki Beach Park, and Niumalu. Although those three (3), the distance takes into
a factor, so we felt that would have multiple cleanings. Finally, Hanapepe, by the tennis
court and beach, Salt Pond, and Lucy Wright. That should be your five (5) positions. We
think that having multiple cleanings will help with the service to the public.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: For the Koloa district, you feel like it has been
taken care of good?
Mr. Rapozo: Po`ipu,we have one there already right now. That
is taken care of. This is focusing mainly on the beach parks themselves.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions? Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: If you are a regular person and you have this
backup that is supporting him, how do you address accountability? You might have the other
person saying that this person did not do it, and you have the regular person say that that
person did not do it. So how do we address accountability so that both people are doing their
job, because I think sometimes we hear that has been the case? We are covering up for
basically covering up for somebody who is not doing it by rewarding that person with an extra
position to cover him up.
Mr. Rapozo: We have had those same questions and we have
done our own review of the work. A lot of times, it is not what you know, it is what you can
prove and nobody is willing to come up and put it to writing. I have always said to my
supervisor to go out and check because we need to. Aside from them checking, I check and
the Mayor checks, so we address it as soon as we can, to the best that we can.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions from the Members?
Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: Is this primarily a vandalism problem, the dirty
restrooms?
Mr. Rapozo: It is a combination, vandalism and usage.
Councilmember Kawakami: So when you say it is a combination, is it primary
vandalism or is it just mostly usage?
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Mr. Rapozo: It is mostly usage.
Councilmember Kawakami: Okay. Do we have problem areas where there is
vandalism?
Mr. Rapozo: At every place, we have some sort of vandalism. I
can give you this past weekend up at Homesteads Park where the toilets were smashed.
Councilmember Kawakami: Ceramic toilets?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Kawakami: Have we ever considered moving over to stainless
steel?
Mr. Rapozo: We have. That is what we have at Po`ipu and
Lydgate right now.
Councilmember Kawakami: So we are going to move towards that?
Mr. Rapozo: As part of our Super Parks projects, yes.
Councilmember Kawakami: Okay. That is all.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Does the stainless steel present a lot of issues
itself? Is it not very difficult to keep the stainless steel...
Mr. Rapozo: I have not been told that, but I know some of the
users said it is cold. I have not been told that.
Councilmember Kagawa: Does it not come all brown or something if you...
Mr. Rapozo: There are cleaners to help take that off. I have not
been told that or I have not been made aware of that. For twenty (20) years...
Councilmember Kagawa: I just want to make sure that we...I think the way
to stop the vandalism is we have to catch the vandals. If they want to break the stainless
steel, then there would be a more expensive damage. They can break it with a sledgehammer
or something. I like Councilmember Kawakami's point if the stainless steel is more durable,
then use that. I am thinking that if that is more expensive and more difficult to maintain
when we are already having trouble maintaining regularly, I just did not want to add to the
burden of the caretakers.
Mr. Rapozo: When I first started in 2008, I came from public
safety, so all we had were stainless steel toilets in the prisons. We had some vandalism at
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Lydgate and at Po`ipu and that was the first place that we have tried it. We have not had
any reports of vandalism as far as the toilets are concerned in those two (2) areas. The one
complaint I did get was that the toilet is cold.
Councilmember Kagawa: Regarding the vandalism, have we tried working
with KPD to at least maybe put some exterior cameras to see...if you see a couple of people
walking in with a sledgehammer, it is likely that they were the ones. It is KPD's question,
but have you asked them to help you folks out and that you folks cannot keep fixing these
broken toilets?
Mr. Rapozo: For every vandalism, we report to KPD, so they
are aware of the vandalism at whatever locations. We have added cameras...we used to have
vandalism at Bryan J. Baptiste (BJB) complex. We have added cameras there and it has
seemed to curtail somewhat. The latest or the most recent vandalism there was somebody
spray painting the skate park, but we had them on camera, so the police was able to take
care of that problem. Mr. Sarita added cameras at the Convention Hall and we got the guy
that broke the glass at the front door and those things. So where we can, we are moving to
get cameras. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. So the stainless steel toilets are only
being used for the Super Parks?
Mr. Rapozo: Right now, those are the ones that we replaced. If
we can do more Super Parks, we are going to be trying to add those things. We can replace
the ones that...
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes, I would say that it would make sense to just
change it, whether it is a Super Park or a non-Super Park. If it supports the new toilet, then
I think we should just...as we move forward, just swap them out. That would make sense.
It is hard to break stainless steel. The cold...even my house is cold in the morning. You get
used to it. It is better than having no toilet at all. I think the cameras are the solution. I am
not sure if we looked at...we just need the cameras to show who is walking into the bathroom.
If we have that, then we catch them. Social media is a good thing when you are trying to find
a bad person, because when you post that person's picture...make him famous...make him
real famous, then I think that would curve a lot of the activity. I know people say, "They are
going to destroy the cameras," but what I find and in my experience is that it is spur of the
moment stuff. They do not plan to go out and go destroy a toilet. They are at a place, probably
high, and then they decide to go do it. They are not thinking about the camera. I think it is
worth the try. It is a very inexpensive option right now because the cost of cameras today
are not very expensive. If we can start looking at that direction...
Mr. Rapozo: Most on the cameras depend on Wi-Fi and
although Spectrum gives us a beautiful, "We are willing to put Wi-Fi everyplace," the Wi-Fi
with Spectrum does not last very long. There are cameras where you would have to check
recordings in the area themselves, so that is the decision that...
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Council Chair Rapozo: That is what I would recommend for now, not
necessarily the Wi-Fi. I think if we have Wi-Fi available, that is one thing, but just to
self-contain units right now, which means to just grab the chip after the event, plug it in, and
get the picture and post it. I think that would work. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know you mentioned
communication. It is kind of an ongoing issue as it relates to maintenance and I just was
wondering what the long-term vision is for ensuring that you get what you need for the staff
to communicate. You mentioned radios in the past and I know you have a few coming online,
so what is it that the need is in terms of trying to build that accountability process for you
folks?
Mr. Rapozo: With radios, we are taking some radios that the
rangers are not using because of the new system that KPD is doing and all of that. We take
those radios and it is still good that we now will have our own parks channel. Those radios
can be used for that separate channel that we have been told, so we are reusing those radios
and getting them down to the district supervisor's level. Those are the guys in the district
that should have quick access and that helps to improve our communication, especially
during natural warning events. A lot of times, for instance, with the last tsunami warning,
everybody was on the cellphone and cell towers got crushed and we were not able to
communicate. Long-term vision again, we go back to those radios again, at least at that level,
and then they can go out and do what we need to do.
(Councilmember Yukimura was noted as present.)
Councilmember Chock: So the actual parks maintenance crew will not
have access to radios...
Mr. Rapozo: Not radios. They mostly use their cellphones.
Councilmember Chock: That is effective for you folks?
Mr. Rapozo: The cell phones?
Councilmember Chock: Yes, the cell phones at this point forward.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. Luckily, we have enough forewarning, "Hey,
potential...this is coming, standby, red alert." If it is a hurricane, "You folks take care of your
families. After that, report to the baseyard or call in and let us know." Recently, they had
the hostage situation in Kalaheo, so there was a potential need for a place for the residents
that were evacuated nearby. I called the division head at Kalaheo Neighborhood Center and
got those guys in order, "Standby, red alert. Within in two (2) hours, I will either text you or
call you to let you know the status update. Luckily, they did not need the facility within the
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next hours, so we texted everybody. That is how we have been operating in terms of
communicating.
Councilmember Chock: Does it work effectively in terms of...it is
interesting because you can clean a restaurant, for instance, and then all it takes is one (1)
minute and then it is done for the rest of the day and...we do not know what we do not know.
Is there any answer or way we can plan for...
Mr. Rapozo: We have been handling it if I am made aware of it
and I have asked KPD or dispatch that I will be the one to get notified. From me, we
disseminate from there. There have been instances where you are right, Anahola for
example; they clean it at 6:00 a.m. and somewhere in between there was a mess in one of the
urinals. So I got the call and we call...on the weekends, the challenge is that there is a
four-hour person in the morning and an eight-hour person that comes in the afternoon or
midmorning to the afternoon. So depending on when we get the call and depending who is
on duty at the time, then we have to react and get them there.
Councilmember Chock: The people who would know most is the people
that have to use it, like our customers and the people that go to the parks; is there a way to
just call in and say, "By the way, this one is offline."
Mr. Rapozo: We do not have a parks number. Normally, we get
notified through either dispatch or Sarah Blane is the master of social media, so she will
notify me.
Councilmember Chock: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you, Mr. Chair. You mentioned about Wi-
Fi and Spectrum and the Wi-Fi not lasting long; can you explain more about that? What do
they do? Do they put it up, deploy it, and then it goes down?
Mr. Rapozo: Well, they allow you an hour of usage.
Councilmember Kawakami: Okay, so what areas are they allowing public Wi-
Fi?
Mr. Rapozo: You can call as a customer...
Councilmember Kawakami: No, but within Parks.
Mr. Rapozo: Within Parks?
Councilmember Kawakami: Yes.
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Mr. Rapozo: There is Wailua Houselots and Wailua
Homesteads. Those are the only two (2) areas that we asked for Wi-Fi and to find out that it
goes down.
Councilmember Kawakami: So for a park user, they allow one (1) hour?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Kawakami: What about us? They only allow us, as the
County, to use an hour?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes and we have to have an account with
Spectrum.
Councilmember Kawakami: What was that?
Mr. Rapozo: You need to have an account with Spectrum in
order to ask them for it.
Councilmember Kawakami: So they are utilized so there is this partnership
where we are both benefitting? It is a mutual benefit? But they only allow us one (1) hour?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Councilmember Kawakami: Maybe we should go talk to them and see if they
can allow us more. We talk about cameras, right? Most of the camera systems utilize Wi-Fi.
Something does not sit well with me, but that is okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Good morning.
Mr. Rapozo: Good morning.
Councilmember Yukimura: My apologies for being late. Going to your
cameras, you said that you have plans to install them soon.
Mr. Rapozo: We want to. We are moving in that direction.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you have a timetable as to when this is
happening?
Mr. Rapozo: I do not have a timetable to capture every park,
but...
Councilmember Yukimura: No, not every park, just...
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Mr. Rapozo: Right now, we are working to do Waimea
swimming pool. We have been having problems there. We are trying to address where we
have constant problems and Waimea swimming pool is one in that area and then we will run
it from the neighborhood center, which is close enough to get a signal from with Wi-Fi.
Councilmember Yukimura: Nowadays, I am aware that with hydroelectric
systems, you can do measurements like miles away or on the other side of the earth. I guess
they use satellite, but there is not a technology to bring the image into your Parks office here
in Lihu`e?
Mr. Rapozo: The technology is through the Wi-Fi, so BJB
shoots it across to the police station. That is close enough.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: At Lihu`e County ballpark, we will be able to shoot
it towards the Convention Hall.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, I do not know if anybody will be there.
Mr. Rapozo: At the Convention Hall, no, but the Wi-Fi is there.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Once you capture it on Wi-Fi, you have it
even to view it the next morning.
Mr. Rapozo: You can view it live at the office.
Councilmember Yukimura: Live or you have a recording.
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I am certainly not talking about having it
everywhere, but I know I sent some photos to you of this camera in the park that takes
pictures even at night.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Some problems have been short of an issue for a
while. Can you tell us when you think the first cameras will be installed? Estimated,
ballpark?
Mr. Rapozo: We have cameras there at BJB, if that is what you
mean.
Councilmember Yukimura: You have cameras that are working now?
Mr. Rapozo: BJB and the Convention Hall.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Have you been able to actually solve any
problems?
Mr. Rapozo: We have solved at the Convention Hall where we
used to have glass...I think Eddie was changing a particular glass three (3) times a year since
we installed the cameras.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is excellent.
Mr. Rapozo: They broke the front door and we caught that
person. At BJB, people used to break the restrooms. The latest one, as I mentioned earlier,
before you came in, at the skate park, somebody vandalized the skate park and John was
able to get that captured. The funny thing is that person came back the next day for whatever
reason and while he was there, John folks responded with the police.
Councilmember Yukimura: So it is very effective from what your experience
has been.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. So the plan would be to put cameras
wherever...is it easily attachable and detachable?
Mr. Rapozo: No.
Councilmember Yukimura: Can you move them?
Mr. Rapozo: No. We were looking into, like the ones that you
sent us where it is a separate unit and we would have to manually go and retrieve images.
So that is a potential.
Councilmember Yukimura: They might have models though that send it.
What about these GoPro cameras? Are those not useful?
Mr. Rapozo: The GoPro I have works off of my phone. I do not
know about having that permanently as a security measure. I do not think that might work.
People use it for live kinds of stuff.
Councilmember Yukimura: For what?
Mr. Rapozo: For live kinds of stuff. They mount it on their
head and they go surfing.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see.
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Mr. Rapozo: They put it on their head and they hit a softball
maybe.
Councilmember Yukimura: I heard it was used for a securing a barking dog
conviction. What is your plan? Is it to put it wherever the most vandalism occurs?
Mr. Rapozo: That is what we have been looking at, where it has
been having the most impact. I mentioned the Waimea swimming pool. We have been having
a lot of people throwing and breaking glass in the swimming pool where we had to close it
because we have to clean it, on the weekends especially. So we are looking to do that facility
next.
Councilmember Yukimura: They are throwing it into the pool?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, in the pool, on the deck, green bottles.
Councilmember Yukimura: Good. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Parks Maintenance? I
have a question on our lease items. I was looking at the prior year and we had items that
were on for year five (5), but they are not on anymore. Was the timing off or did we end up
paying?
Mr. Rapozo: If you look, there is one on five of five.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Last year, we had about $23,000 worth of four (4)
or five (5) vehicles, $148, $119, $212, and then even on the lease section, the bottom one, we
had four (4) or five (5), three (3) bucket trucks, forklift, two ton...
Mr. Rapozo: I will defer that question to the Department of
Finance because they are the ones that handle that leasing part.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: For Parks Maintenance, I know that this is what
we have.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I will probably send a question over in writing.
We will just put what the budget was last year, and then this year, and they can compare. I
do not know if some of them is just timing. Maybe we put the initial timing one year off so a
bunch of them got paid off in year five of five and we do not have five of five. Councilmember
Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Lenny, I heard that at the Waimea Canyon park
that there was a chain-link storage that got broken into and they took some equipment. So
where would we buy the replacement equipment out of?
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Mr. Rapozo: We find the money in the current budget to just
replace it.
Councilmember Kagawa: What account would that come under? Other
Small Equipment?
Mr. Rapozo: Depending on the cost.
Councilmember Kagawa: The cost drives whatever it comes out of?
Mr. Rapozo: Right now, in the budget ordinance, anything less
than $25,000 we can go ahead and try to purchase. So whatever that needed to be replaced,
we find the money and we do it either in...R&M Equipment. We use one of those accounts.
Councilmember Kagawa: Oh okay.
Mr. Rapozo: If we do not have money there, we will transfer,
but we use that account to try to replace the equipment.
Councilmember Kagawa: What do they take from the storage?
Mr. Rapozo: I thought they took small engine kind of stuff, like
weed whackers and blowers. The cost of those is within the threshold, so we can replace them
with R&M Equipment kinds of stuff.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: For Veterans Cemetery, I know we have all been
seeing on social media questions about the maintenance of the Veterans Cemetery. Do we
have any plan to address...people were saying that it was getting overgrown with grass at
times and people were going out there and maintaining it themselves. I have not been out
there to see, but is there a plan to address those concerns from the public?
Mr. Rapozo: Early on in the fiscal year, we were down a person
there. That person had transferred out and we hired someone. I would say...on Veterans
Day, the last Veterans Day, they did fall behind and they needed to catch up. We have hired
someone that is there and came in just before Veterans Day and now that he is there, he is
doing an excellent job, Nathan Paleka. I will mention his name because he is an awesome
worker down there. The last social media that I saw, I think it was unfair because we did
have three (3) weeks of rain and the grass did grow and they got to it as soon as they could.
I go down there a lot. My dad and my grandparents are there. I have been going there since
1980 on a constant basis. That last one there where that section was taken was overgrown,
but what they failed to mention was the other two sections that they started cleaning from
Thursday to Friday. They do not work on the weekends. By the following Tuesday, the
whole cemetery was backed up again. We have challenges with the rain and the weather,
but we do take it serious. I am not one to go on social media to go back and forth. If you want
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to see me, I will meet you there to talk about it or come to my office and give me a call and
we will move on it.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: But we did have staffing issues at one time?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you, Mr. Chair. The other comment that
we received is the condition of our United States flag. Have we educated our staff on the
protocol on when to take it down? I am only going off of hearsay that it was flying constantly,
so it was tattered.
Mr. Rapozo: I was embarrassed when I got that call and I
immediately called somebody to at least go change that flag. I understand from the picture
that those calls that were sent to me, it looked like the flag went through the Civil War at
that point. If it is tattered, we have flags. There is no reason why we cannot get an
appropriate or decent flag up there. The district supervisor was notified or made aware of
that.
Councilmember Kawakami: But more so, we are lowering the flag at the end
of the day?
Mr. Rapozo: No, we leave it up.
Councilmember Kawakami: Do we have an uplight on the flag?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, we should have one by protocol.
Councilmember Kawakami: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Would it be a problem to take it down every day?
Mr. Rapozo: Staff gets done work at 2:30 p.m. I guess we could.
Council Chair Rapozo: I think the tattered flag...I am not
sure...somebody E-mailed me a picture and I am not sure if it is the same picture that was
before or it is the flag now, just about two (2) weeks ago...I was going to drive up myself to
look, but I am not sure if that picture was of the tattered flag several months ago or it is going
on now. Obviously, if that flag flies 24/7, it is not going to last.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
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Council Chair Rapozo: There is a whole regulation on the flag and I
learned the hard way here at this building when a veteran came by and it was pretty
embarrassing for me that I did not realize about the lighting requirement that if the lighting
is not there then you cannot fly the flag at night.
Mr. Rapozo: Right.
Council Chair Rapozo: I would suggest that whoever is in charge out
there be familiar with the rules because this is a matter of respect. If it is not a high-quality
flag then it is not going to last if it is flying 24/7. I think we should pay extra attention to
that flag, especially it being a veterans cemetery. Thank you.
Mr. Rapozo: I was just there on Thursday evening and I did not
notice it. I look at the grounds mostly.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: We are on park maintenance right now, right?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: I see that the section before was facilities
maintenance, that means all...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We did not get to Facilities Maintenance yet.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. This is what the 209 Fund takes of too,
right? Parks Maintenance?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Where is the 209 Fund?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We are going to get to the 209 Fund at the very
end.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. The 209 Fund is just used for Parks by
ordinance, right? So the moneys are not used for other facilities?
Mr. Rapozo: No.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. So this Parks Maintenance is just for the
ongoing operations and the 209 Fund would be for your repairs that you have to do.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: As well as CIP?
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Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: The 209 Fund cannot be used for salaries.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Our budgeted water cost went up about $90,000.
Is that because we added parks? Is there a reason for that increase?
Mr. Rapozo: We are irrigating more and more fields as
requested and wanting to make things much more greener, especially our ballfields. We are
having more and more tournaments and play. We looked at what we did the previous year
and we felt that we needed to make that adjustment.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Any further questions or Parks?
Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I know at one point, you talked about these water
games and stuff where people have these waterslides and those kinds of things. I know we
use them a lot and they are wonderful for the kids, but do we know what kind of draw on the
water supply it is?
Mr. Rapozo: The manufacturer does provide a breakdown and
we limit them to certain parks. Not every park is allowed to do that. Depending upon what
the equipment is determines how many gallons per hour that they use. There are different
types of water slides that are out there and I cannot give you the breakdown of what each
one does, but yes they do. But it is not a whole lot.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. So you folks have calculated how much it
is.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes and that was done early on during the Kusaka
Administration where they looked at those things and allowed them in parks.
Councilmember Yukimura: So what percentage is it of total water use at a
p ark?
Mr. Rapozo: I do not have that.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do you know whether it has been growing, that
type of use?
Mr. Rapozo: I do not have that information. We could get that
information.
April 2, 2018
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Councilmember Yukimura: Are you presenting park fees schedule this year?
Mr. Rapozo: No.
Councilmember Yukimura: When is it due? How often do you do it? When
was the last time that you did it?
Mr. Rapozo: I did not do one.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for Parks Maintenance? If
not, we will move on to Beautification. Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: Sorry, Mr. Chair, back to maintenance real quick,
if possible; somebody had recently vandalized one of the netting of the batting cages. Did we
have any money in the budget to repair? Is it already fixed? How are we going to fix it?
Mr. Rapozo: We got the costs from the organization. Our staff
is getting two (2) more quotes and then we are moving forward to purchase that for them.
Councilmember Kawakami: So that will get fixed?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Kawakami: What do they use this thing for? Is it just
somebody making trouble and vandalizing?
Mr. Rapozo: I wish I knew, because if I knew the person, I
would arrest them. I do not know if they went to catch goats or akule or just use to hold down
their rubbish when they go down to the dump.
Councilmember Kawakami: Yes, that was sad. Thank you for moving on fixing
that.
Mr. Rapozo: That is a partnership that we have done as part of
the Ho`olokahi Program that we gave the community a grant to put up the batting cages for
the kids for that district. It should be incumbent upon the community to reach out and try
to replace it since it affects all of these kids out there, especially on the west side.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: It has been very unfortunate. I think we have
seen a lot of vandalism as far as we get a brand new playset at Po`ipu Beach and it gets
vandalized within a couple of weeks. It is just senseless stuff.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. Committee Chair, what we are looking to do
now is make the public aware of how much vandalism that truly occurs, because unless
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people start looking and start helping us to catch these folks, it is senseless and it is all of
our money that we have to use it to fix.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I agree. We will move on to Beautification. Any
questions on Beautification? Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: It is not really a Beautification question, but in
your narrative, you show that picture of Lydgate where it always gets flooded out and we
have gotten complaints about accessing the beach. I was just wondering what our long-
term...
Mr. Rapozo: Down towards Kamalani Bridge? Yes, we keep
going there and grading and backfilling as best as we can and just repairing it.
Councilmember Chock: Yes, there is no real fix...
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, because the wear and tear or the people going
out there...
Councilmember Chock: Have you thought about just closing it off?
Mr. Rapozo: Mayor Kusaka tried that, but there is a big
firestorm out there. I do not think we want to do that.
Councilmember Chock: We can access it from the other side.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, I guess the fishermen...
Councilmember Chock: I know people have complained and actually
gotten their cars damaged, too.
Mr. Rapozo: So we do backfill and pump the water out and dry
it out as best as we can. Sorry about that.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions for Beautification?
Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: So we have one more operator west and one more
operator east, so these are the guys that rotate from park to park to do a bulk of the mowing?
Mr. Rapozo: These are the people that go to facilities to mow.
Beautification only cleans facilities, so not necessarily parks, but they have been called upon
to assist at times. So the gentlemen that comes out and mows your front lawn here is out of
the East Beautification.
Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you.
April 2, 2018
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Lenny, I remember when they did these Hardy
Street improvements and they did all of these planters or what have you, I remember the
Administration saying that it was not going to be much of a burden to maintain, but now that
it is becoming full-grown, has that held true? How much of a task is it for us to maintain
these planters? My hope was that it would not be too much.
Mr. Rapozo: Right now, we budgeted about$24,000 of overtime
to do it. The reason we did it that way was trying to be creative without adding positions
into it. So we looked at the cost-analysis of, say, "Can we do this maybe once a month? Could
we do it with five (5) guys coming once a month for one (1) day and just kind of maintain it,
cut it back, and see how it goes." Well, we found out that it is best and easiest to do it with
the East and West Beautiful, so max ten(10) guys. So it is $24,000, which we are still saving
money because one budgeted staff member is $41,408 plus benefits. So we are still saving
money. What we have taken is we have tried to think out of the box rather than just asking
for positions. Beautification works Monday through Friday and they never get a chance to
make overtime, so we have gotten them to come out at least once a month, I think the second
Saturday of the month where we target, and if it is a holiday or whatever, we will adjust.
But they will come out and they will start at the morning and try to knock it out within eight
(8) hours. That is how we have approached Hardy Street.
Councilmember Kagawa: So basically, it added about $24,000 a year...
Mr. Rapozo: $42,000.
Councilmember Kagawa: $42,000 a year more of overtime costs. So going
forward, I do not know if they are thinking about planters and what have you as they do the
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant. Are we going to
try and make sure that we encourage them to try and keep plants at low-maintenance type
of things?
Mr. Rapozo: We have asked them to and I have also suggested
to the TIGER team that since they are beautifying the frontages of the businesses, ask the
businesses to step up and maintain what they have in their front. We have done that in
parks, out with the bike path. So Papaloa is a great example and by Hilton Garden Inn is
another example. The bike path becomes an amenity to that property. So even when we
built the bike path, we have done the reaching out to those properties, "If you folks are going
to maintain, you tell us what type of landscaping you want out here," and that is all part of
working with this federal government. I know I am getting off track, but the concept of it.
So that has not increased our maintenance cost. In C&D, we are working with the property
owners on that part and this is the connection in front that gets us to Safeway to Papaloa.
Those hotels, because it is an amenity for those guys to use, so we have asked them to step
up and maintain their section. I have asked the TIGER grant team to do the same thing with
Rice Street. Since it is promoting business, ask the businesses fronting them to step up and
for the property owners of these businesses to take it on.
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Councilmember Kagawa: I am just hoping for more coordination as far as
what is the expectation of the guys who implement these projects is planters, like the
(inaudible), that they work with you folks as far as what is your plan to maintain it. I received
complaints from the public saying, "Wow, these County folks butcher the sugarcane and cut
it down to the bottom and it is so ugly." But then on your hand, you are trying to maintain
it in a cost-efficient manner by doing it once a month. What these guys are complaining
about, they probably expect us to go out there once a week and just trim and keep it nice,
looking like sugarcane or what have you, but that is not feasible for us. I think on the
frontend, to be fair to Parks, Doug folks have to do a better job of saying, "These are the
burdens that we are going to put on you folks, so how can we work together and plant
something that is going to fit our budget?"
Mr. Rapozo: Right.
Councilmember Kagawa: So I hope going forward as we do these things that
we get a little bit better coordination, because I do not think the intention of planting that
sugarcane was that good. They had it down to the bottom, but you have budget constraints
as well. That is how it works. I am just hoping for a little better coordination.
Mr. Rapozo: I made that suggestion for TIGER grant on Rice.
I am not sure where it is at. I did say, "Hey, you should look with property owners and ask
them to help maintain, like we have done at Papaloa and other places like that."
Councilmember Kagawa: I do not think you will find any neighbors along
that stretch willing to take care of that.
Mr. Rapozo: Just looking, our yards are all different, right?
Councilmember Kagawa: Yes.
Mr. Rapozo: So you are right. I agree with you. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I concur with the Vice Chair that we need to think
about those kinds of things as we plan and do these projects. Is it your experience in trying
to maintain Hardy Street improvements landscaping that the type of landscaping and foliage
should be given more thought in terms of ease of maintenance?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are there examples elsewhere, either on the
island or here, on what kind of landscaping works better?
Mr. Rapozo: I am not familiar about what works better here,
but I will give you an example. The long grassy thing that grows in the middle of those
planters, my understanding is that it is supposed to hang down. It traps the leaves from
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going further down. Somebody has to pick up those leaves, but then we get complaints that
it looks bushy and ugly. So the boys go and cut it. The intent and the balance is too different.
We do the best we can and make it look neat and once a month, they will try and pick up
what they can. Sometimes some of these things will need to be trimmed back and what they
are doing now is going by hand and pulling out the evasive stuff. Like you said, Vice Chair,
it is once a month. There are some plants out there that need to be replaced. They have
died for whatever reason. The irrigation is working and we have given them some food and
they need to be replaced. So we are only going to do that on a once a month workload because
I do not want to exceed what we have allotted in the budget. First, it was $12,000, now it is
$24,000 because we found it is best to be done with the amount of manpower.
Councilmember Yukimura: I think the Department of Water has been...there
is this whole approach to do xeriscaping or something like that, plants that use little water
and also maybe do not need trimming as often, like succulents and things like that.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: I am just wondering if they have experimented
anywhere as in the State and have gotten good success. Do you know what the water budget
is, what kind of water costs we have?
Mr. Rapozo: For Hardy Street?
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes.
Mr. Rapozo: That is paid out of Public Works' budget.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is in Public Works' budget?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I would like to make a request that we find
out what the cost is of the water irrigation for Hardy Street. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions? Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: My final thought is that I really think that...I do
not know your opinion on this, but the $42,000 that we spend should come out of the Roads
or Building budget, the people who design it.
Mr. Rapozo: That is a great idea.
Councilmember Kagawa: I do not see those planters as Parks. I know we
handle maintenance, but we do not handle maintenance like the lawn-mowing of roadsides.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
April 2, 2018
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Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions for Beautification? If not, we
will move on to Stadiums. Any questions for Stadiums? Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Lenny, how do we handle...when I look at the
overtime budget, it is like $20,000, but we do a fabulous job, like with Hanapepe Stadium for
the big events and the Waimea High School Softball Tournament, and Senior State
Tournament. It is just amazing how we help those events and put together all of these
beautiful fields and all the people from the neighbor islands are all impressed. I am
wondering how do we do it, because it must incur overtime.
Mr. Rapozo: It does.
Councilmember Kagawa: It just comes out of that $20,000?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. If they need additional help...so if Park
Caretakers from Park Maintenance need to help, we pay them out of that budget as well.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. It is a team effort then.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, team effort. You are right, Councilmember
Kagawa—people come from...say like the Rough Riders Tournament in July and teams from
California cannot believe the fields that our kids play on.
Councilmember Kagawa: Yes and some of them are temporary fields.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: That is how bad the fields are probably in the
mainland and O`ahu.
Mr. Rapozo: We went to Japan last July and we pull up to the
park...I have pictures...this park looks green or whatever, but when you get to the field,when
you actually get on the field, you see of these slopes in the ground. In Iwaki, our sister city,
I have seen fence on chicken coops better there than what they have on the field. It was a
good eye opener for our kids, as well as our parents. The worst park on this island is one
hundred times better than what the kids in Iwaki City...that is what we wanted to see...that
is how they play their baseball and that is how we should go and play at their level. I cannot
say enough about our guys and our fields that they take care for our kids. Our kids are truly,
truly lucky and our parents are very spoiled, me included, because my kids play on the fields
and our basketball courts.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Anyone else on Stadiums? If not, we will move on.
Facilities Maintenance. We have to go back to page 225 on the bottom.
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Councilmember Kawakami: Mr. Chair, real quick, going back to Stadiums, I
have a question. How much do we receive from the State of Hawai`i for the use of our
stadiums?
Mr. Rapozo: Zero.
Councilmember Kawakami: Zero, yes. Thank you. I just wanted to bring that
up because it is a pretty sad point that we receive zero revenue from the stadiums that when
we try to do a County program in their facility, they try to charge us. I just wanted to put
that on the record.
Mr. Rapozo: So the agreement is if Parks wanted to use
the...you have to think our uncles have done this long before and I have to believe that those
that sat in positions as yours, as ours, wanted to take care of our kids, Kaua`i kids, and not
rely on the State. So they made this agreement. Parks does have somewhat a priority in
asking for facilities, so we partnership with a lot of community groups. They approach the
Mayor, he gives them the blessing, and we ask for the use of the facilities to help them be
able to do their...the big one coming up in June is the Mery Lopes Basketball Tournament.
Teams from all over the nation come and play here on Kaua`i. They use four (4) facilities:
Kaua`i High School, Kapa'a High School, Island School, and Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
That is how big this tournament is. It is for grades six through 12. We generate a letter,
they write a letter to the Mayor, "Mayor, we are doing this, can you help us? We started
doing this with them about seven (7) years ago, maybe, eight (8) years ago, and we partner
with them so that they can get the use of the these facilities. It is a good thing, because you
are bringing the next level to this island for our kids, all over the State and some from
California. That is one way that we can try and help to get our costs, but again, you are right,
we do not get anything from the State, but the State because of that, when we try to do
projects, like retrofitting of lights, the State gave us over $2,000,000 to retrofit lights, BJB
Stadium, $2,500,000, and $1,000,000 for Captain Cook Memorial Park. So our legislators
recognize that.
Councilmember Kawakami: Yes, the legislature is the one that is coming
through and delivering on their end of the deal through appropriations, but the bottom line
is that we have tried to utilize a state facility for a County program, like K-PAL, and we were
told, "You have to pay this amount of money," which basically killed the program and
bringing these type of programs to a neighborhood near you. Our delegation finds creative
ways to bring in revenue through CIP appropriations and we appreciate that, but at the
overall bigger picture, as far as partnering up, it seems like we have gotten the short end of
the stick, as least from the department-level. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, I do have another stadium question if that is
alright. For your electricity, it looks like it increased about fifty percent(50%) over 2016 and
2017. Do you know what caused that?
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Mr. Rapozo: We have more and more demands, especially now
that people can play baseball at night at Vidinha. Much of the baseball is being played at
night, which is a wonderful experience. We now have different football venues this year.
Rep. 50 is doing two (2) all-star games. So usage is increased.
Councilmember Yukimura: So it is mainly night lights that is the cost
increase?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, at our stadiums.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Most of them are not private enterprises,
but things like our high schools and so forth?
Mr. Rapozo: Not so much high schools, because those are
repetitive every year, the scheduling seasonal. These are events that have come up that help
benefit our kids. Rep. 50 is kind of like an all-star football game. The senior bowl is another
one that helps to give our kids exposure.
Councilmember Yukimura: But are they money-making enterprises?
Mr. Rapozo: Not supposedly profit-making, but their entities
are...the senior bowl is a nonprofit and they use it to help promote the kids to get to colleges.
My understanding is that Rep. 50 does the same thing. We are encouraging night games for
KIF baseball...well, I do.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is a school function.
Mr. Rapozo: They went from a day to having more night games
now.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. So if we were to look at our...I guess as far
as the night games for the high school, if we look at our records before the ban on night games
started, we should have the same amount of kilowatt usage from that.
Mr. Rapozo: Before night games were banned...we did the
change the lights, they are more efficient now.
Councilmember Yukimura: They are more efficient, so it should be less.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you, Mr. Chair. That piqued another point
of interest. Last season between Parks & Recreation and the County Attorney, you were able
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to broker a deal with United States Fish and Wildlife to allow us to have more night games
than normal, but yet, we had to maintain an escrow account. How much was that escrow
account and do we have to maintain that escrow account going forward? Is that an ongoing
negotiation where we have to go back to them?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, that was just for that particular season. That
kind of just dropped in our lap immediately.
Councilmember Kawakami: So you are planning on going back and
renegotiating a similar deal.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Kawakami: So do we have money set aside for that escrow
account and then how much is that going to be?
Mr. Rapozo: Well, we do not know. The last time was $15,000.
If that is going to be about the average, then we find the money.
Councilmember Kawakami: What were the results of that pilot project that we
embarked on? Did they have any significant takings?
Mr. Rapozo: As far as my knowledge goes, there was no
significant takings.
Councilmember Kawakami: None, right. So they allowed us three (3)
additional night games.
Mr. Rapozo: Three (3) additional night games.
Councilmember Kawakami: With no significant takings.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Kawakami: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other question on that? If not, Facilities
Maintenance. Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: My question was only about the vacant positions
again, the same questions, 1541, which is an Electrician Helper, 1856, and 1827.
Mr. Rapozo: 1841...
Council Chair Rapozo: 1541.
Mr. Rapozo: 1541...and what?
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The two (2) electrical positions.
Mr. Rapozo: It is not for a lack of trying. The industry right
now, electricians, they make more money outside; they make over $100,000 a year outside.
We have been working with...
Council Chair Rapozo: Electrician Helper?
Mr. Rapozo: We converted that into an Electrician. 1541, yes?
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes, 1541.
Mr. Rapozo: So last year when we came, we tried this program
where one of the people had gone through the schooling but needed the hours to become a
journeyman. So we worked with that individual and downgraded to an Electrician Helper
with the understanding that he would eventually get enough hours and then go and become
an electrician and would come back for an upgrade. That person left the County because
they have greener pastures outside where they are making over $100,000 as an electrician.
So we are coming back now and trying to do this electrician again. We are working with
Human Resources knowing that industry-wise, we are far below in terms of salaries. Right
now, they are going up. We are looking to do a shortage differential to try and raise the pay
and try to attract someone. We just recycled a retired electrician from the County who was
willing to come back and work and help us, because our lead Electrician is out on medical
leave. We have been trying to get creative to try and get the help that we need. We are very
grateful that this retired County electrician came back and was willing to work with us.
Council Chair Rapozo: So what is 1541 now? What is that position now?
Mr. Rapozo: It is an Electrician BC-11.
Council Chair Rapozo: BC-11?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, which is what all of our electricians are.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Electronic Equipment Repair?
Mr. Rapozo: That is the same.
Council Chair Rapozo: Same?
Mr. Rapozo: That is the title of what the electrician should be.
I am sorry.
Council Chair Rapozo: So 1541 and 1856 is the same? One is an
Electrician and one is an Electronic Equipment Repair. That one is dollar-funded, but that
has been vacant for...
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Mr. Rapozo: 1541 is an Electrician Helper...
Council Chair Rapozo: But you said you changed that, right?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, to Electronic Equipment Repair. That is what
our electricians are called.
Council Chair Rapozo: So what is 1856? Is that the same?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: So you have two (2) of the same positions that you
cannot fill?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Council Chair Rapozo: 1827 is the Janitor II. That one has been vacant
for 1,900 days.
Mr. Rapozo: 1,900?
Council Chair Rapozo: According to this.
Mr. Rapozo: That was a re-described position, so that janitor
position is actually the new one that we came the last meeting where that one is going to help
clean EOC dispatch and transportation. So we just put a name in there, but did not pass the
background check of KPD. Once we got your approval for the position, they had to do the
position description, HR, the classification. Then once that was ready, we moved to look for
an eligible person and that person was given, but because they were in KPD, they did not
pass the background check, we just submitted another name for that one. That 1,900 goes
back also to what that position was prior to that.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. This has been vacant only for the year?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Lenny, as we struggled to fill these skilled
positions that the private sector maybe has doubled the salary; is there a possibility to
contract out, like we could deem emergency type of repairs to keep facilities going and you
hire out whoever.
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Mr. Rapozo: That is what I am hoping that we will not reach,
but that is a possibility someday. Right now, we have been fortunate that Warren has been
doing an awesome job...he got somebody that retired to come back and work. We will be
having better response time if we have someone on staff. Having to hire out may cause us
some procurement issues. Of course, I would have to talk to Ernie, but luckily we have not
reached that point yet.
Councilmember Kagawa: I am sure that the other counties might be having
these same problems.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. The challenge is because it is collective
bargaining, what the $50,000 they make here is the same that they make throughout the
State. That is why we have to take this approach to do a quick fix in terms of salaries, which
is to do a shortage differential. We have been doing that in trying to work with HR.
Hopefully, we are making it more attractive to get somebody to come.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: It does look like you folks have done a lot in
Facilities Maintenance, so that is great. We have minimized the backlog of outstanding work
orders. Do you have a quantification of that?
Mr. Rapozo: I can get that for you. I do not have that presently
with me.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: But I can tell you that with the new asset
management system that we have in Parks, it is almost completed. Everybody in the County,
including your staff, should have been trained in inputting work orders and (inaudible-
MPATS?). So the response time that Facilities Maintenance I have seen has been good, has
been great.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Is this division responsible for public access
maintenance as well?
Mr. Rapozo: No. These are your plumbers, carpenters, and
electricians.
Councilmember Yukimura: Right, okay. In these pictures, I see Donkey
Beach. Is that something we are maintaining?
Mr. Rapozo: The access to Donkey Beach. That is part of the
bike path, so yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is part of the what?
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Mr. Rapozo: The bike path.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so that is how it comes under your
jurisdiction?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: So any public access that is associated with
multiuse path is in your kuleana?
Mr. Rapozo: We have taken that on.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Civil Defense Radio Sites—so that is under
us because these are...are these sites not leased out or is it part of our islandwide emergency
communication system?
Mr. Rapozo: You are thinking probably the communications,
but the land we lease out. For the building itself, it is a County asset that Facilities
Maintenance goes and does the repairs on whatever needs to be done, not so much the
technology in the building, but the facility itself, the structure is what they are maintaining.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so we actually own the land in that case.
Mr. Rapozo: I do not think we own the land, I think we
probably lease the land.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. For our public communications system?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you for a lot of the good work.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Is the intent to have all of the janitors move into
Facilities Maintenance?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct. The Mayor wanted to streamline. Prior
to this and how it happened is it just happened, but the Convention Hall and Golf Course,
those janitors were with those facilities. The Mayor asked to streamline it, so we are going
to put all of the janitors on this section/division.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I think you folks have to make a note that the
Janitor II Golf Course is still showing up in Wailua Golf Course and it is dollar-funded, the
Facilities Maintenance. Is the intent to move that money into Facilities Maintenance?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, once it gets moved over, including the
supplies that they are responsible for.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Oh, it has to be separated because of the Golf
Fund?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: These moneys that are spent on a janitor that does
work at the golf course, that is a golf course fund expense.
Mr. Rapozo: At this point, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: How is that reflected? Are you folks doing a
chargeback or something like that?
Mr. Rapozo: I am not sure what the mechanics are from
Finance, but we intend to move the position. I did send the union notice of our intentions.
So until all of that has worked out, it is still there, but it is our intent to move that over. Here
comes the Director of Finance.
KEN M. SHIMONISHI, Director of Finance: Aloha Councilmembers. Ken
Shimonishi, Director of Finance. So that position is, in fact, funded through the golf course
budget. So when you get there, you will see that. The position is also reflected in the
Facilities Maintenance because the management of that position will be there. Again, the
funding is in the golf course.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So it is going to stay like this, we will have a
Janitor II Golf Course in Facilities Maintenance at dollar-funded and the position will stay
in the Golf Course Fund.
Mr. Shimonishi: Correct, the budget is there.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. I have a question on Other Supplies, Green
Supplies. The cost of Other Supplies increased about $25,000 and there is an emphasis on
Green Supplies.
Mr. Rapozo: Those Green Supplies are some of the solutions
that the janitors are using that are more environmentally friendly.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So the cost of those products are higher?
Mr. Rapozo: A little bit more expensive, yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Supposedly they are not just environmentally
friendly, but they are healthy friendly?
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Mr. Rapozo: Could be. I am not familiar, but I know that the
Green Supplies are a little bit more expensive, I have been told.
Councilmember Yukimura: Yes, so we should know what premium we are
getting. Can we just get a follow-up as to why we are using Green Supplies?
Mr. Rapozo: Sure.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions for Facilities Maintenance?
If not, we will move to Convention Hall. It is on page 243. Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Can we go back to Facilities Maintenance one las
time? With the chain-link repairs, myself and Council Chair sent a chain-link that was rotted
by Nawiliwili Park...I can understand that that one has a lot of salt. So are those moneys to
be contracted out?
Mr. Rapozo: Actually, Facilities Maintenance fix it.
Councilmember Kagawa: We fix chain-link?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, depending on how big the job is, they fix quite
a bit of them.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: It is just a matter of ordering parts and getting
them on.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: They also did the one right in front of Kekaha
Neighborhood Center where it recently all fell down. They got enough supplies, maybe more
than 150 feet. They do an awesome job.
Councilmember Kagawa: Do we contract out sometimes?
Mr. Rapozo: Sometimes, if they feel the job is too big for them
to do it, yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay, so we have the flexibility.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
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Councilmember Yukimura: So your electricity costs have gone from
$1,000,000 to $20,000 so that must mean that you have moved that somewhere else?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. Are you talking about the Convention Hall?
Councilmember Yukimura: Facilities Management, I am sorry.
Mr. Rapozo: When the Green Box came over, they also gave us
all the utilities for the rest of the County to pay. We did not feel that was fair, so it went back
to Public Works that they take care of the facility, paying those utility costs.
Councilmember Yukimura: It would seem like it is part of Facilities though.
Where is that in the Public Works budget? We have not taken up Public Works, yet.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We took Public Works.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is right. So we need to just know where that
was put. Is water the same thing, too? Water, electricity, and sewer went back to Public
Works?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, all utilities.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Questions for Convention Hall?
Councilmember Kagawa: Lenny, what is the plan for the Convention Hall
as far as when it will be opening?
Mr. Rapozo: We gave ourselves until June 30th to complete the
repairs.
Councilmember Kagawa: So they are taking reservations as of when?
Mr. Rapozo: July 1st?
Councilmember Kagawa: Are we pretty confident that we can meet July 1st?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Kagawa: I just want to make sure that we are ready.
Thanks.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions? Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you. Lenny, I know this question was
asked earlier and I think we had some questions about the Creative Technology Center and
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I see that it is in your narrative. I read the response that was provided by Jaclyn Kaina.
What is your understanding and what is the plan going forward?
Mr. Rapozo: With that project, my understanding was that it
was supposed to be placed at the Convention Hall and somehow be integrated with our
operations and these operations. It got scaled back quite a bit. At one time, they were going
to be using the side of Convention Hall facing Hardy, but the last rendition I saw, it is only
going to be the back portion of the Convention Hall that is going to be used. They have now
ran into lack of funding. So I believe that project is pretty much on hold. But we just keep
it on the books as that has been the designated area.
Council Chair Rapozo: So we do not have any funding proposed for that
project this fiscal year?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, not from the County. The County was just
going to work with them to provide the land and integrate their program with what we have
at the Convention Hall.
Council Chair Rapozo: We were going to enjoy some benefits as well,
right?
Mr. Rapozo: Right.
Council Chair Rapozo: Some improvements to the building.
Mr. Rapozo: Right.
Council Chair Rapozo: So right now, everything is on hold?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: So when that thing comes back to life, then it
could be looked at as the location could change, too.
Mr. Rapozo: Could change, too.
Councilmember Kagawa: I have never seen anything like that, the
Convention Hall was built a certain way and we are just going to add an extension. I have
never seen anything that you do like hodgepodge and it comes out nice. It just seems like
maybe that thing was doomed from the beginning. The Convention Hall has a nice look, and
it is old, but to just make an extension there? To me, I think it deserves its own place. Thank
you.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions for the Convention Hall? If
not, we are going to move on to Wailua Golf Course.
Mr. Rapozo: I am going to relinquish the golf course to Ian,who
runs the golf course.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay.
IAN COSTA, Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation: Good morning,
Councilmembers. Ian Costa, Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation. To provide a summary
as I usually do every year, I will emphasize that Wailua Golf Course is Kaua`i's only public
golf park and only recreational users that really pay-to-play. Resident play rounds and
revenue, as is the national standard, decreased about three percent (3%) over the last year,
as has been the case over the years and kind of corresponds to an increase in the senior,
because the current players are getting older and becoming seniors and we do not have a
matching influx of the younger golfers at this time. We also got about a three percent (3%)
increase in non-resident play and I think that is largely attributable to our efforts with the
Kaua`i Visitors Bureau in our promotion of the course, as well as to some degree, our hosting
for the fifth year of the John Burns Intercollegiate Golf Tournament, which brings in...this
year we had 120 players, along with their parents and coaches. That was a successful event
and pretty much filled the course for those four (4) days that they played in Wailua. An
update on the concessions is last December, we had a restaurant concession close after two (2)
years. Prior to the termination of the ending of its contract, we rebid it and we issued the
Notice to Proceed for a new vendor July 1, 2017, and I believe he opened in about November.
He seems to be very successful. I know we have people staying there beyond the closing of
the golf course on a regular basis now, where that was not the case prior. We also rebid due
to the full-term of the golf cart concession and we issued a new contract for that vendor who
happens to be the same current vendor. We have an increase of about $2,000 a month on
that bid and that Notice to Proceed is effective March 1st, so it just began. We have a new
fleet of nice-looking golf carts. The next concession up in September is the golf shop, so I am
preparing the Invitation For Bid (IFB) for that bid to go out shortly, probably after the new
fiscal year starts in July. That is an update of the concessions. That is really all I have to
summarize.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I spend a significant amount of my time there
when I am not working, so I think I can agree with pretty much everything that you said.
The vendors are all great right now. There are brand-new carts. The golf pro shop is excellent
and he has all the amenities that you could want there. The restaurant is opened. That is
already a one hundred percent (100%) improvement. So it has been real good. You can pick
up your musubi or whatever after nine (9) holes and it is always ready. I think it is doing
great as far as that end. I was just wondering on the maintenance side...this has been
brought up by a lot of the golfers that perhaps we can finally address some of the animals
that we have living there, one being the chickens, and do some type of eradication. They dig
up a lot of holes. Most amateur golfers tend not to always go in the middle and when you go
in those chicken holes, it is very difficult if you play by the rules to get that thing out of the
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chicken holes. You have a good chance of actually breaking your club when you hit down in
a chicken hole. I think at some point, we should address eradicating some of those chickens.
I think it will improve play. The other thing is that we have those ducks. Not, the Nene
Goose, but I think I heard was that one employee brought two (2) ducks there...and it is
pretty cute actually, there is a lot of ducks and ducklings, but it is kind of...I saw a gruesome
experience where my partner was playing and as he was swinging with his driver, the duck
decided to run across and he hit that thing square. It did not die, but it was kind of gruesome
because it did have blood under its wing and it rolled over. It got up and walked away, but I
just think that there is starting to get so much that it is walking in front of golfers as they
are swinging and I think the population has grown beyond acceptable. I think the ducks
belong either on the plate or in somebody's yard who likes to raise ducks as pets. I do not
think it was a great idea for that person to have brought the two (2) ducks there and now it
is a problem. Chickens are the worst problem though. I do not know what our plan is. The
other thing is that significantly trimming some of the trees that have not been trimmed for
twenty (20) plus years. Some is just too high and too far-reaching. I do not know if we can
maybe look at attacking that a little bit.
Mr. Costa: Since we have had our tree-trimming crew, we
have been able to do some trimming, but they have been busy also trying to catch up on the
other parks. I am overdue to get them back and continue some of the trimming. Like you
mentioned, the golf course, like most of our parks, other than coconut trees, have not been
trimmed for twenty (20) to thirty (30) years plus and it is really the ironwoods that need the
attention.
Councilmember Kagawa: What about the ducks and the chickens?
Mr. Costa: For the ducks, I believe there were more than
two (2), but I think I have been contacted recently on somebody who does some eradication
of chickens for some of the State facilities, so I will look and try to see what we can do with
that. I am not sure if ducks are included in that same contract.
Councilmember Kagawa: I am sure that there is a lot of families that would
happily eradicate the ducks.
Mr. Costa: I think the other one you did not mention is feral
pigs. We have been having issues with those as well.
Councilmember Kagawa: With the feral pigs, they are not there during the
course of the day. Of course, they are doing a lot of damage and it would be nice to catch
those, too, but I think the chicken and duck population is getting a little out of hand down
there.
Mr. Costa: Okay. I will see what we can do on that.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you. I would be willing to help fund if it is
not unreasonable.
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Mr. Costa: We have been lucky on the feral pigs because of
what damage they have done and has been off the fairway and greens for some reason. We
have had some recent reoccurring problems with those. We set cages to try and catch some
of the pigs, but I guess over the years, they kind of got used to what those cages mean and
they do not go inside anymore.
Councilmember Kagawa: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) does trapping and catching, but I believe it does cost money to have that person go
out there, but that might be an option.
Mr. Costa: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: If they do damage to the greenways and other
important parts of the golf course, that would probably cost more than paying the USDA.
First of all, congratulations for getting the concessions active and ongoing, Ian. That is has
been a big problem, so I appreciate the work done there. On the animals, which I appreciate
Vice Chair bringing up, our workers are not feeding, whether it is feral pigs, ducks, chickens,
or cats...we are not contributing to the presence of those animals, are we?
Mr. Costa: I am fairly confident that the workers are not, but
players do.
Councilmember Yukimura: How do players do that?
Mr. Costa: There are some...I would say more seemingly
seniors that enjoy feeding the ducks. They actually bring food while they golf to feed the
ducks. Another one is cats. I think there is a number of senior players that feed a number
of feral cats that we have around there, too.
Councilmember Yukimura: Can you not make that part of the rules not to?
Even here, I worry about elderly and others walking on this very uneven surface because
they are digging up these holes. You do not have a level lawn to walk on and I do not know
if it will cause problems...actually, Vice Chair is saying that it does cause some risk.
Mr. Costa: I did put up a number of signs actually on each tee
and throughout the golf course reminding players about the prohibition of alcohol and I will
do the same for feeding.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are they part of our golf course rules? They
should be.
Mr. Costa: No, I do not think the golf rules have anything
about feeding stray animals.
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Councilmember Yukimura: But there are rules about alcohol on the golf
course in your golf rules?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So conduct on the golf course is fair game for the
rules, right? It is a logical jurisdiction for the rules?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: You cannot tell people if it is not against the rules,
so you need to put it in the rules first. It would seem to me that if the players understand
why there is a problem, that should be...could you not capture the ducks and give them to
someplace where ducks are being kept to people who keep ducks? That is humane. If these
ducks are being hit...that sounded terrible what happened to that one duck.
Mr. Costa: I think some of the ducklings disappear.
Councilmember Yukimura: Some of the duck what? Duck eggs? Yes, that is
why they might be valuable to somebody who is...
Councilmember Kagawa: No, I think he is saying the "ducklings."
Councilmember Yukimura: Oh, the ducklings. I thought you said duck eggs.
Councilmember Kagawa: I think they said that the pueo comes down and
grabs the ducklings when they are small, but once they come a certain size, it is too big for
the pueo to grab them.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are these barn owls or pueo?
Councilmember Kagawa: I am not sure. They said it is pueo. I do not know,
I am not watching the course at night.
Councilmember Yukimura: I think to the extent that there is liability or risk
causing industry that we need to...or injury to people or to the facility itself...it would seem
that...
Mr. Costa: The problem is greater with the chickens, I
believe.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
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Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you for being here, Ian. I just know that
there is a lot of trappers out there right now that are doing this as a side business. You just
have to make the decision of wanting to get rid of them, and then we have to pay. It is not
going to happen free. I am not sure what they charge, but for all of those animals, I think
the ducks...take them to a farm or to a restaurant.
Mr. Costa: Probably the most effective way is to see if we can
put out a Request For Proposals (RFP) of some kind.
Councilmember Yukimura: Can you talk a little louder?
Mr. Costa: I guess the most effective would be to see if we can
put out an RFP or IFB.
Council Chair Rapozo: I was just talking to Maxine Correa's dad at the
Multiple Sclerosis Walk and he has a little farm in the back and the chickens were just
busting it up, so he hired somebody...I did not ask who, but he hired someone that comes and
traps the chickens, and then takes it to a place that they cleanse the system for a month and
feed them regular chicken food, I guess, and then they eat them. I know there are a lot of
trappers out there. I did not realize that there are those kinds of problems, but I am happy
to hear that Councilmember Kagawa has a soft spot for ducks. I am happy about that.
Mr. Costa: I think like everywhere else, it really became
prominent after `Iniki, but I have not noticed that they have been increasing necessarily, in
recent years anyway.
Council Chair Rapozo: I would pursue the professional trappers for the
pigs. There are a lot of bow and arrow hunters that might want to go out there at night and
go get rid of them.
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: That is not cruel, they will eat them.
Mr. Costa: Yes, I think we have talked to a few about that,
just some concerns about the public land surrounding that area, namely Lydgate camp
ground and the beach. We do not want stray arrows.
Council Chair Rapozo: You may have to close the area for that weekend
or whatever it is. I am just saying that you have to have the professionals to come and do it.
Otherwise, you are not going to get a handle on them.
Mr. Costa: I will try to put together an IFB and see what kind
of responses we get on that.
Council Chair Rapozo: Thank you.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura. This is the last
question before we have to take a break.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. My question is about the trees. I did not
realize that some of the non-coconut trees have not been trimmed for a long time. That is
another risk management issue, I would think.
Mr. Costa: Yes, we have some huge trees.
Councilmember Yukimura: Did a worker not die or was severely injured? It
was a coconut tree, right?
Mr. Costa: Yes, it was. During a wind event.
Councilmember Yukimura: That could happen with non-coconut trees, too.
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: It seems like you could contract out to a
professional tree trimmer since it has gone for so many years, and then after that, have our
crews maintain it.
Mr. Costa: Well, with the non-coconut trees, I think we have
been held to that Kono decision and that is why we have not been able to contract that out
Countywide, I believe, other than emergencies.
Councilmember Yukimura: It might be getting to an emergency if it is that
long and the trees are that big. Whatever it takes to figure out how to legally do it.
Mr. Costa: Maybe one way is to get an arborist to go out and
document which trees we could declare emergencies. Emergencies are hard to...
Councilmember Yukimura: Establish?
Mr. Costa: Yes, until something actually happens.
Councilmember Yukimura: We do not want to wait for that to happen. The
arborist idea sounds good. You would be getting experts.
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Thank you, that is important. I just wondering
what is the General Fund subsidy now before this coming fiscal year? Do you know? It was
something like...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: About $1,200,000.
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Councilmember Yukimura: $1,200,000 now? Okay. No fee proposals in the
near future?
Mr. Costa: I have drafted a couple that are still viable, but
they have not been introduced.
Councilmember Yukimura: If the senior play is increasing, that is not
increasing our revenues.
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is increasing our deficit.
Mr. Costa: Exactly.
Councilmember Yukimura: At some point, we have to turn things around. To
me, that is a big deficit.
Mr. Costa: I agree.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: With that, we will take a...
Mr. Rapozo: Chair, before we break, I wanted to release my
crew here that is here to...
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Yes, we only have golf and the 209 Fund.
Mr. Rapozo: Okay, so most of my guys, I am going to release. I
just wanted to give kudos of who is here now. Brian Inouye is our Facilities Manager that is
doing the CIP projects for maintenance. William Trujillo is our Planning and Development
division head. This is Kai Li Spanski's first budget. She is the new Fiscal Chief. Lynn
Kuboyama, who is a long-time employee retired recently. John Martin is our Permits and
Security Coordinator. Randy Simao is stepping in for Vince Parangao, who is not feeling
well, division temporary assignment (TA) to Division Chief for Parks Maintenance. Craig
Carney, Director of Golf Course Maintenance. Cindy Duterte, the Recreation Division Chief.
Warren Koga, second budget with us on Facilities Maintenance. This is the Parks gang that
makes it happen and I appreciate all of the work and the good stuff that they do for everybody.
Thank you for allowing me to recognize them.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Thank you. We will take a ten-minute caption
break.
There being no objections, the meeting recessed at 11:00 a.m.
The meeting reconvened at 11:12 a.m., and proceeded as follows:
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Welcome back. We are still on the Wailua Golf
Course. Do we have any more questions on Wailua Golf Course? I have a question on the
$90,000 for the Clubhouse Replace Core Shelter. What is that for?
Mr. Costa: I was going to initially...there are some repairs
that should be made to the cart barn. To some degree, I realize that the contract does play
some responsibility on the concession to maintain. There are some minor repairs that should
be made and I think it is a good investment to keep our highest paid concessionaire happy.
Because of how the cart shack is placed, there is some rotting of the exterior walls, primarily
because it is in a puka and some of the sand on the surrounding hills has fallen over the years
and is actually up against the walls, so that is causing some of the rot. It is those minor
repairs, as well as I thought it would be a good time to look at repainting and reroofing the
clubhouse. That is what I am going to try to use and do as much as I can.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Just the cart barn or the entire clubhouse?
Mr. Costa: No, the entire clubhouse as well. The cart barn is
just a small percentage of that, maybe about $10,000 or $20,000.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. In regards to the golf cart concession, they
pay us to run the concession?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Are we anticipating a higher amount of revenue
this coming year?
Mr. Costa: Yes, it has already been bid and awarded. Their
prior contract was for $12,000 a month and it is now at $14,000 a month. Unfortunately,
they were the only qualified bidder. We did have another bidder that did not submit all they
needed to, so I do not know what their bid would have been.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: What was the other concession?
Mr. Costa: The golf shop, restaurant, and the golf carts.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: What does the golf shop concession consist of? Do
they also pay us rent to be there?
Mr. Costa: All three (3) of those concessions pay us, yes.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The golf shop makes their money off of what? The
selling of golf equipment and...
Mr. Costa: Range balls.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay.
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Mr. Costa: They also rent pull carts and selling of golf
supplies.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: So your bond principle shows that it goes from
$190,000 to zero; that means that we have paid off the bond?
Mr. Costa: Yes, that is the irrigation system that was
installed.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so that is paid off, although I guess it is paid
off with General Fund moneys essentially, right?
Mr. Costa: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Again, regarding the leased line item, I think last
year there was an item for year four of five, and then there is no item for year five of five. It
might be a timing issue.
Mr. Costa: I think so because those were paid off.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Yukimura.
Mr. Rapozo: Sorry, Chair, if I could, the reason there is a
difference in the leases is because our division chief for fiscal reconciled it and what she found
was that the current years were wrong in prior years, so quite a few got dropped off in fiscal
year 19 due to final payment. That is what she told me during the break.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. That is probably what happened on the last
one also. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I just want to be clear about your administration's
intention that it is not going to be submitting any golf fee changes this year. There is not an
intention to do that?
Mr. Costa: Not that I am aware of, but I will personally ask
the Mayor to consider.
Councilmember Yukimura: Lenny, you are the Director of Parks. Is there any
intention to propose...
Mr. Rapozo: Not at this time.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so the next Administration will just inherit
the job.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: I am just reading off of page 58 of your narrative
and it says here that"one ongoing challenge is minimizing the gap between the golf course's
revenues and expenses by maximizing golf play by both residents and visitors through green
fee proposals and course promotions and marketing." Then it says, "continued golf fee rate
review and proposed amendments to maximize golf play." That is in here, but you say that
you are not going reviewing your rates.
Mr. Costa: I have and I have drafted a golf fee proposal.
Council Chair Rapozo: So is that going to come?
Mr. Rapozo: At this point, no.
Council Chair Rapozo: So it is not coming?
Mr. Rapozo: No.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: I just want to speak up for Ian. I know he has held
extensive meetings with the Kaua`i Golf Association (KGA) and just disagreement as far as
the Parks...they are pushing...you pay it...even if you have a monthly card or whatever, you
pay so much, like $2 or whatever per round, in addition to having the cheap monthly card,
right? But I think the golfers prefer to just increase the monthly cards. I think the workers
that work there that collect are saying that they would prefer because it gets kid of tedious
to collect $2 from every player every time. That is a lot of accounting transactions with only
a small amount. So I think what they are saying is to just increase the monthly card, so I
think we are trying to figure out...I think what needs to happen is that the Council needs to
be presented with the two (2)options, and then how much each option generates and whether
KGA supports it, too. KGA knows the heartbeat of the golfers on Kaua`i as far as when is
those amounts going to come to a breaking point where they will say, "Well, I will not play
here. I will go to Puakea instead." We want to make sure that they continue to play at
Wailua as much as possible. I think they just have to go and get that thing ready with the
information. We will have a new Administration in eight (8) months. At least we will have
the heartbeat...I mean we will have all of the due diligence ready for the next mayor to pull
the trigger.
Council Chair Rapozo: I am not advocating one way or the other. I am
just asking because it is in here and I am hearing from Ian that he submitted proposals, but
the Administration is not going to submitting them. That is fine with me.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Politically, the Mayor is on his way out. Why take
the hit for raising it right before he leaves?
Council Chair Rapozo: It is like the General Excise Tax (GET). Any tax
or fee increase is not popular and you cannot go by consensus, because obviously, it is going
to be no. At some point, we have to make a decision on how we are going to address this gap.
I like that idea, Councilmember Kagawa, where they suggest increasing the card, because it
would be easier for employees and the cardholders.
Councilmember Kagawa: Definitely. There are so much monthly
cardholders. I do not know what is the number right now, in the hundreds or whatever it is,
that every time they play, you are going to collect $2 in addition. That is so much more
transactions a day and then there is accounting that you have to do for it. Whereas, if you
just increase the monthly card, it would be the same amount of transactions, just that they
will be collecting more money, whether it would be $10 a month more or $20 a month more
on the monthly card. I think that is what the workers are saying would be much easier,
because they are already struggling to do their jobs with the current staffing that they have.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: We can probably ask for a breakdown of the fees
when we go over our revenues on Thursday.
Mr. Costa: I will agree with Councilmember Kagawa. In my
review, the only way to make a significant dent is to increase the daily charges.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I appreciate the analysis you have been doing. If
there is something that people agree with, the golfers, as well as the staff, at least do that.
In the long-run, the golfers are going to lose out if we are not able to properly maintain or
sustain the golf course. $1,200,000 over ten (10) years is $10,000,000. That is a lot of money,
whereas $2 a round or an increase in the monthly rate, everybody pitching in will help to
bring some balance to that budget. Otherwise,we wait too long and it is going to be extremely
costly to everybody, including the users.
Mr. Costa: I guess in defense of the golfers, because that
comment did come up, about we should assess recreation, all sports across the board
probably, because that is what they first said, "Why pick on the golfers? We are paying
already."
Councilmember Yukimura: One, ability you pay; and two, there are many,
many people who use the parks than the golfers.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: This will be a philosophical discussion on the end.
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, it is a policy discussion.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Whether it is fair between Parks and golf, I think
it is just a hard decision everybody has to make on whether they want to increase the fees or
not. Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Ian, how many monthly cardholders do we have,
ballpark?
Mr. Costa: I would say roughly about 5,000.
Council Chair Rapozo: 5,000 monthly, so that is not bad actually. I
assume you are saying that per round is where if you want to put a dent.
Mr. Costa: Yes, because those 5,000 generate at least about
15,000 rounds.
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: There are a lot of golfers because it is the
cheapest...it is the best deal in town.
Mr. Costa: In the State.
Councilmember Yukimura: In the State? It is the best deal in the State.
Mr. Costa: Yes. The other counties have limited monthly
cards where I believe O`ahu you have ten (10) rounds and you cannot use them on weekends
and holidays.
Councilmember Yukimura: It is the lowest rates for the best slots, right?
Which is why you cannot get market people to use the...a lot of market people if they cannot
get the times they need, they will not come.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions for golf? If not, we will
move on to the Improvement and Maintenance Fund. It is on page 324. If you go to the Parks
tab, it is on page 324. Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: So is this a new account?
Mr. Rapozo: No.
Councilmember Kagawa: Are you talking about the 209 Spouting Horn
construction?
Mr. Rapozo: Well, the moneys from the Spouting Horn
concessions gets put into the Parks and Recreation Improvement Maintenance Revolving
Fund.
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Councilmember Kagawa: Okay. Where it says "Spouting Horn
Construction," that just means it is improvement to all parks.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. The creation of this fund...the moneys
collected from the Spouting Horn can be used for maintenance for any park facility. What
we had embarked on was...we have had this discussion when we came into...it was passed
here about the sunset, so we wanted to improve the kiosk there and that is where the moneys
were going to come from for that construction. That is why it is there.
Councilmember Kagawa: Okay.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: How much do we have in the 209 Fund now?
Mr. Rapozo: The last funds available that was presented by
Finance...what has not been encumbered or what is available, but projects have been
assigned, but have not been spent is roughly $1,040,000.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Is the Kaumakani Park improvements considered
encumbered in that amount or no?
Mr. Rapozo: No, it is not, only because they have not come and
signed the grant. Once they come and sign the grant, then we can process and give them the
check within two (2) weeks.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: So if they do not get it in by June, then...
Mr. Rapozo: We might have to reappropriate the money.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: So this $274,000 will be used for Spouting Horn
construction?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Are you planning to go out to bid?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: What is the timetable?
Mr. Rapozo: The end of this calendar year.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Out to bid or completion of job?
Mr. Rapozo: Out to bid.
Councilmember Yukimura: I think we need to have a total accounting of the
209 Fund. Do we not have some kind of accounting? Is it in the budget?
Council Chair Rapozo: It is not in the budget, but we can ask Finance for
breakdown of that account.
Councilmember Yukimura: Can we make this a practice every year to get an
accounting?
Council Chair Rapozo: Is that not submitted with the financials that we
get every month or every quarter? It is in there, right?
Councilmember Yukimura: But an annual budget?
Mr. Shimonishi: Ken Shimonishi, Director of Finance. I think as
you may recall, initially, when the 209 Fund or the Parks Maintenance Improvement Fund
was established, it was really appropriated upon receipt and at the discretion of the
Administration, and then back in May of 2013, I believe, is when the ordinance was changed
to include the 209 Fund as part of the operating budget ordinance. I think that was in 2013.
So the worksheet that we provided or have here, we have actually split the fund pre-May of
2013, versus post-May. What you are seeing in the budget operating ordinance is stuff that
is available or budgeting post-May. When you say that you want an accounting of the fund,
I am not sure what more we can give you, as the Chair had mentioned, every month, those
reports would include the total expenditures and revenues coming through the fund. It is
included as part of the annual Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Again, we
have included the portion of revenues and our proposed appropriations going forward for each
year since the passage of that ordinance. When you want an accounting, I guess I need more
information.
Council Chair Rapozo: So right now, you are saying that the fund balance
that was in here before when the ordinance was passed is not part of the budget?
Mr. Shimonishi: Is not part of the operating budget, correct.
Council Chair Rapozo: Do we get a report of that? Are you saying that is
discretionary to the department and really the Council...
Mr. Shimonishi: You can get the information on that, I am just
saying that we are not including that as part of the operating budget ordinance, our request
going forward.
Council Chair Rapozo: So right now, $855,000 is pre-ordinance?
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Mr. Shimonishi: Correct.
Council Chair Rapozo: $185,000 is really what is part of our operating
budget?
Mr. Shimonishi: So what I would say is that if you look two (2) lines
above that, fiscal year 2017, the fund balance available post-May 2013 was $735,000. Of
that, we used $550,000 in last year's operating budget ordinance to put forward the fiscal
year 2018 budget, which was passed by Council. So the remaining fund balance available is
$185,000 right now to use, if we so choose, in this budget going forward. So the fund balance
of $185,000 and the anticipated revenues of some $275,000 for this next year is what could
be used to appropriate in the operating budget ordinance.
Council Chair Rapozo: So not the $855,000?
Mr. Shimonishi: Not the $855,000.
Council Chair Rapozo: So the $855,000 just sits in that account?
Mr. Shimonishi: It gets expended as the projects come up through
Parks and through the Administration's approval?
Council Chair Rapozo: I would have to go and revisit the ordinance, but
is that how the ordinance was written, that it would split? I do not think that was what the
intent was. I thought the intent was for the entire 209 Fund.
Mr. Shimonishi: That is the way we have interpreted it.
Council Chair Rapozo: Who? The Attorney?
Mr. Rapozo: The County Attorneys.
Council Chair Rapozo: We are going to have to check on that. I remember
doing the ordinance and the ordinance as I remember was to cover the entire fund, not just
post-ordinance. We will follow-up on that. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I think we would like to see what the planned
expenditures are for the year. Then at the end of the year, we want to see how much of those
moneys were expended. Do we have a list of what the proposed expenditures are for this
year?
Mr. Rapozo: We have a project list, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: What was the project list for last year and how
much of that money did you spend?
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Mr. Rapozo: Since September 12, some of the moneys have
been spent. As Ken had mentioned, it was determined that prior to May 14, 2013, those
moneys have been assigned. For instance, Kaua`i War Memorial Convention Hall, the tower
replacement is coming out of this fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: This fund meaning the prior fund?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct, prior to May 14, 2013.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. The one that now has $855,000?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you can show us how...
Mr. Rapozo: Those $800,000 was spent. Is that what you are
asking?
Councilmember Yukimura: Or is proposed to be spent, right? That is a
balance.
Mr. Rapozo: Right.
Councilmember Yukimura: So you do have a proposal for how to spent that?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: How come we can use this money for the projects
that we wanted to cover with the excess of our reserve? Or it was not an excess, it was an
emergency? Why could we not use these moneys before we tapped the reserve?
Mr. Rapozo: These moneys were earmarked as of September
12th of last year.
Councilmember Yukimura: As of September 12th of last year?
Mr. Rapozo: 2017.
Councilmember Yukimura: What were the earmarks in 2017?
Mr. Rapozo: So the replacement of the tile floor at the
Convention Hall...
Councilmember Yukimura: You have a list, right?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
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Councilmember Yukimura: You can give us that list and it totals $855,000?
Mr. Rapozo: It will show more because some of those moneys
have been expended already.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: This list was done in September and we have
expended some, but it would show what we have been doing prior to May 9, 2013.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so if we wanted to have the history of your
expenditures from 2013 on, you have that?
Mr. Rapozo: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. What is the total amount expended since
2013?
Mr. Rapozo: Part of the $550,000 that is reflected there is
reflected to the Spouting Horn construction and the Kaumakani.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. I just want to see clearly how the money has
been used. I am talking not about the post-ordinance, I am talking about the pre-ordinance.
Mr. Rapozo: We have those.
Councilmember Yukimura: Can you provide that?
Mr. Rapozo: We can provide a list.
Councilmember Yukimura: You also have a proposal for how to use the post-
moneys and how it has been used in the past from 2013 to now. Can we see that history as
well?
Mr. Rapozo: Okay. Last year, we did not come with a list
because we were going to build that fund to do the construction at Spouting Horn.
Councilmember Yukimura: What is the total projected budget for Spouting
Horn?
Mr. Rapozo: $350,000.
Councilmember Yukimura: $350,000?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, so we came with the Spouting Horn last year
and the Council approved the Kaumakani in addition to what we had asked for the Spouting
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Horn, so that is the $550,000 that you see is encumbered for fiscal year 2017. So the balance
is $185,206.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so the Spouting Horn was $350,000 and
Kaumakani was how much?
Mr. Rapozo: $200,000.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Is this coming off of the...
Councilmember Yukimura: Of the post-fund apparently.
Mr. Rapozo: Yes. In your decision-making, the Council
appropriated the $200,000 for Kaumakani.
Councilmember Yukimura: So is that the one you are saying that if they come
in and sign that they will get?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: For Spouting Horn, you have $350,000?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: You have put aside $274,000 in our operating
ordinance? I am looking on page 325.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: The $274,000 is in the current budget, Special
Projects.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is from the 209 Fund, right?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So that is coming out of the post-ordinance fund?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: So how come...
Mr. Rapozo: We believe that the initial...in the current budget,
we see $274,000. In the fiscal, we see $350,000, so the total is going to be $350,000.
Councilmember Yukimura: Where is the rest of the money coming from?
Mr. Rapozo: The 209.
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Councilmember Yukimura: Which part of the 209?
Mr. Rapozo: The post.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay, so you may use up that $185,000?
Mr. Rapozo: I am sorry?
Councilmember Yukimura: You are going to use up the $185,000 that you
show is available? You only need $75,000...so you are going to use $75,000 of the $185,000?
Mr. Rapozo: No, the current year will not last...the current
year one will lapse because we were not ready to go out to bid. So we have to reappropriate
the total.
Council Chair Rapozo: I have a real quick clarifying question, because
what is missing on this sheet is the fiscal year 2018, which is the year we are in, right? So
this shows everything up to fiscal year 2017, so we are not seeing fiscal year 2018.
Councilmember Yukimura: That is right.
Council Chair Rapozo: So we do not know what was generated in 2018
and we do not know what was spent in 2018. That is what we need is to figure out where we
are at today. It is obviously going to be more than $185,000, because of the contribution that
was made in this fiscal year. Correct? This spreadsheet only goes to fiscal year 2017, which
is done. We are in 2018, so this does not reflect the current fiscal year's activity of the fund.
Mr. Shimonishi: That is correct. Again, we have not realized the
full year's revenues or seeing the full year's expenditures, which ultimately, at the end of the
year, would determine what would be the available balance that we could draw ongoing
forward. But if you are asking for an up-to-date list of every expenditure, every revenue dollar
received, yes, we can provide that. Again, we are just keeping in line with how the budget is
presented to Council in terms of what is the ask for the appropriations going forward in the
operating budget and what resources we have and revenues projected to meet that. What I
am hearing is a request for a comprehensive list of all the activity that ran through this 209
Fund, and yes, we can provide that.
Council Chair Rapozo: So the $855,000 as of fiscal year 2017, have we
used that account at all?
Mr. Shimonishi: Yes. That is the list of projects that Lenny has
been talking about that they have already earmarked for various other improvements within
the Parks facilities or park areas that we have been appropriating based on our prior
understanding through the Mayor and the Director.
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Council Chair Rapozo: I am not going to argue with that, because I just
heard that the ordinance could be interpreted either way. I guess for me, are we trying to
spend down that money, the $855,000, before we touch the post-money?
Mr. Shimonishi: Right. Obviously, the simple thing at the end of
the day is once that money is all spent, everything is pure Council...in front of the Council
every year as part of the operating.
Council Chair Rapozo: I just hate to leave money in that account and you
are taking money from the post, which really could free-up general fund money, I guess is
what I am trying to say. I hate to approve post-fund expenditures if we can use the pre, if
that makes any sense.
Mr. Shimonishi: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: Whether it is the Director's discretion or what, it
is really the County's money. If we are going to take care of projects,just pay down that fund.
Mr. Rapozo: So there are seven (7) projects that is going to pay
down that fund.
Council Chair Rapozo: That is going to wipe that out?
Mr. Rapozo: That is going to wipe it out.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay.
Mr. Rapozo: Or if the bids come in cheaper, we might get some
change or whatever.
Council Chair Rapozo: But your intent is to spend that down before you
start...
Mr. Rapozo: We are going to spend a good chunk of them with
the projects that is here.
Council Chair Rapozo: Got it. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I think I have been hearing this since 2013 at least
that it would be spent down and it has not, it is still pretty big. But seeing the projects, at
least we can know that it is not this amorphous thing. We know what its use is, which I
think as a Council, we should know. So you will have that information to us then?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes.
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Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I am looking at projects from last year and this
year. Last year in this fund, accounting fund, we had a $24,000 contingency and a $200,000
Kaumakani Park improvements. That money would have been coming out of which fund?
Mr. Rapozo: Post.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. So that $200,000 may or may not lapse.
Then we had the projects in the Park Maintenance Fund, that was $400,000 for Spouting
Horn Booth Construction and $150,000 for Kamalani Park completion.
Councilmember Yukimura: Was that last year?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: This is last year. $550,000. That is still in the
post or in the prior?
Mr. Rapozo: It is all post.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: As far as the Spouting Horn Booth Construction.
With $400,000 in the prior year and we have another $274,000 this year, is that the...
Mr. Rapozo: I think that is where it gets confusing. The
ordinance says that the money will not lapse and it does not lapse back into the General
Fund, it stays in the 209 Fund. But the project money itself lapses. So it has to get
reappropriated. That is the interpretation from Finance. We were ready to go, but when we
went through the permitting part, we found out that we had to come back to this Council to
get rid of the sunset in the "purpose" part of the law that was left in unintentionally, and we
have done that. So to get everything, the bids back together again, we are not going to be
ready during this fiscal year. So it has to be replaced back into the 209 ordinance in our
budget.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Did we spend some of the money on the project
already or is the project just estimated to be less than what was projected?
Mr. Rapozo: We estimated $400,000.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: It was $400,000 and now it is like $275,000. So it
is going to end up cheaper than what we estimated. That is for the Spouting Horn Booth.
Mr. Rapozo: Let me have William explain the Spouting Horn.
Mr. Trujillo: William Trujillo, Chief of Planning and
Development for Parks & Recreation. So with Spouting Horn, we have a consultant onboard
finalizing the design. He is going through permits for that. That is where we came up with
the questioning on the ordinance. So in this past budget, we had$400,000 and we are asking
for an additional $274,000. We are asking the consultant to stay to the $400,000 budget for
construction, all the way through for construction. We are asking for additional funds, just
because at this point with permitting, we are not sure what we are going to end up with in
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the final design. So that is what the fiscal year 2019 request in the 209 is for. We thought it
would be a good priority for this fund to make sure that we have all the funds we need to get
this project up and down in this next fiscal year.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. I think I am more confused now regarding
the money lapsing and we encumbering...
Council Chair Rapozo: Can I ask a real quick question?
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: So you are saying that the $400,000 that is in the
current budget is going to be encumbered this year?
Mr. Trujillo: No, it will not. So this $400,000 for Spouting Horn
Booth Construction, this $400,000 in fiscal year 2018...that will not be spent because we are
not ready to go out...
Council Chair Rapozo: So that is going to lapse...
Mr. Trujillo: That will lapse.
Council Chair Rapozo: So you are saying that you are only going to need
$275,000?
Mr. Trujillo: As my understanding from fiscal, we can only
allocate $274,000, which is how much revenue is being brought in that we can allocate right
now. The $400,000 will lapse and we will ask for it back in the next fiscal year, in fiscal year
2019, when the CAFR is settled. That is my understanding of how the lapsing of the 209
goes.
Mr. Rapozo: That is the process.
Council Chair Rapozo: No, but the 209 has a balance, right?
Mr. Trujillo: On that sheet that you were just handed out?
Council Chair Rapozo: Yes.
Mr. Trujillo: Yes.
Council Chair Rapozo: After this current fiscal year, we are going to have
a balance, but it may not be $400,000.
Mr. Trujillo: Correct. So what we brought in this year, what
we are projecting out, we are projecting on June 30, 2018 to have $274,000. We will allocate
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that towards Spouting Horn construction and then come back to Council to get back that
other $400,000 that lapsed in fiscal year 2018.
Council Chair Rapozo: I guess for me...maybe I am just... I do not
know...would it not make more sense to use the pre-money that you already have? Then you
would have not worry about...just use the pre-money and then use the post-money to cover
the project that you are planning to use the pre-money for. To me, it seems a lot simpler,
because you have $800,000 or more in there.
Mr. Trujillo: I think when you get the report back that fiscal
and Lenny will be reporting back to you about the pre-money, we have in-hand, I would bet
on April 2, 2018, probably less than $200,000 less in there.
Council Chair Rapozo: So you are going to encumber that money this
fiscal year?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes, it has been going out this...
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay, then I understand.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Yes, I think when we get that list, we will be able
to see what is encumbered with the money better.
Council Chair Rapozo: I think if the plan is to encumber the money this
fiscal year, then it is very clear why.
Mr. Trujillo: Yes, currently, right now, I believe we are sitting
under $200,000.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay, then that explains it. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. For the Kamalani Park completion, did we
complete that project?
Mr. Trujillo: That has been awarded and construction will be
this summer. That is for surfacing at Kamalani Playground.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: That is going to be encumbered in here?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes. It has been awarded.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Okay. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: So the $400,000 that you had in the fiscal year
2018 budget, that was 209 Fund moneys?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes, post.
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Councilmember Yukimura: How does that lapse? It does not really lapse,
right? The moneys remains in the fund, you are just wanting to assign it once again to the
Spouting Horn Booth?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: Where is that reassigned? Is it on page 325?
Mr. Trujillo: It is my understanding that we cannot assign it
today, April 2nd, because it is not going to be available on July 1st.
Councilmember Yukimura: But that is money that is already available. It is
money that was not spent.
Mr. Trujillo: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: It stays in the fund, it does not lapse. It is not
General Fund money that goes away. Ken, can you explain that?
Mr. Shimonishi: I will do my best. So the $400,000 is appropriated
in the fiscal year 2018 budget. The language says that the funds will not lapse. We interpret
that to mean that it does not lapse out of the fund, it stays within the fund.
Councilmember Yukimura: Correct.
Mr. Shimonishi: In order to use that $400,000, two things need to
occur, or one of two things. One is that we put up a money bill now to reduce that
appropriation, because we are saying that we are not going to use this in fiscal year 2018, so
we reduce that appropriation and put that money back into the fund balance, make that
available for when we submit this 2019 budget and say, "Now we can draw on that fund
balance." Two, is that we wait until the end of the fiscal year 2018 and the CAFR is done,
the fund balances are certified, and that becomes available for reappropriation.
Councilmember Yukimura: So this $274,000 appropriation is not going to
come from the $400,000, it is going to add to the $400,000?
Mr. Shimonishi: Correct.
Councilmember Yukimura: William, you folks are asking for $674,000 for the
Spouting Horn improvements?
Mr. Trujillo: At this point, we are asking for $274,000. As we
go back into...as we move along, I believe we will be right around the $400,000 to $450,000
for the project.
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Councilmember Yukimura: How are you going to get that? Are you going to
submit a bill that does what Ken says to reduce the amount and put it back in the fund?
Mr. Trujillo: Yes, I believe that is the plan right now.
Councilmember Yukimura: Why are you not doing that now?
Mr. Shimonishi: I guess we need to confirm, but I thought that that
money would be asked next year by December or whenever we have the CAFR done, that we
would ask to appropriate that money towards this project.
Councilmember Yukimura: How do you go out to bid without having that
money actually in place? Why would you not try to put it in place now?
Mr. Trujillo: Okay, so we could put the money in place now.
The project to go out to bid will not be ready until towards the end of this calendar year. We
believe that would coincide with the timing of them being able to certify the CAFR and have
the money available. It should work out together.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: I think maybe once they provide a spreadsheet
with the breakdown of the cost, it might be a little more clear on our end, but I know it is
hard to make out the projects and what has been encumbered and what has not been
encumbered and how they are going to spend the money when we just see the total fund
balances. I think it might be easier if we wait and we just might have to send a written
request for further clarification.
Councilmember Yukimura: I would like to make this a regular part of the
budget that the 209 Fund's full accounting is shown at the time of budget so that we some
idea of how these moneys are flowing and being used. I think we need to do that. I agree
with the Chair that the pre-fund should be really drawn down and used before this post-fund
should be. It is totally outside of any awareness of what is happening or what that money is
being used for. Do you have a project description of...the $674,000 seems like a lot of money
to me. Can you describe exactly what the improvements are that are being programmed for?
Mr. Trujillo: So in general, it is the replacement of the current
vending booths at the Spouting Horn. So I believe there are nine (9) booths. So the idea is
to remove all of them and replace each of them, as well as some comfort station
improvements, like cleaning and replacing some tile work and fixtures.
Councilmember Yukimura: Do we clean those bathrooms?
Mr. Rapozo: Yes, we do.
Mr. Trujillo: We have staff there, yes.
Councilmember Yukimura: You are doing a lot.
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Mr. Rapozo: Yes, we are.
Councilmember Yukimura: For people to have commercial space.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any further questions on this 209 Fund? I think
we have discussed everything that was in the 209 Fund. The only other account that had
money in it was the...it did not have money in it...the Parks Maintenance, but that was for
Spouting Horn and Kamalani Park in the prior year. I think we will see it once they provide
a breakdown of the projects to the fund balance. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: How often to do these booths go out to bid?
Mr. Rapozo: Five-year contracts.
Councilmember Yukimura: When was the last contract?
Mr. Rapozo: We are coming up on the fifth year now of this
current contract.
Councilmember Yukimura: When do you go out to bid?
Mr. Rapozo: We are starting the process, but taking into
account what needs to be done, we may delay the award.
Councilmember Yukimura: You may be what?
Mr. Rapozo: We started the process, but because of the project,
we may be delaying the award.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: Any other questions? This is our last item for
today. If not, thank you folks. We will look forward to getting that spreadsheet with the
projects broken down for that fund.
Mr. Trujillo: Thank you. Sorry for the confusion.
Committee Chair Kaneshiro: No problem. Thank you again. At this time, I
would like to recess the Departmental Budget Reviews. We will reconvene at 9:00 a.m.
tomorrow, Tuesday, April 3, 2018, where we will hear from Fire and Police.
There being no objections, the meeting recessed at 12:02 p.m.