REP PWPC 061 08/19/1997 1996-1998

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Public Works and Parks Committee Report Comm. No. 249/Resolution No. 70 Page Two Present Council Action The Public Works and Parks Committee again considered this issue during its August 19, 1997 meeting. At the meeting, Council Member Yagong shared a letter, Communication No. 249.04, from Chief Engineer Donna Fay K. Kiyosaki with Your Committee. In this letter, dated July 25, 1997, she recommends that the Council expedite passage of Resolution No. 70 in order to allow installation of the Paukaa sewer line prior to January 1998. Chief Engineer Kiyosaki explains that the State Department of Transportation plans to begin construction on a pavement resurfacing project between Paukaa and Papaikou by January 1998. If the resurfacing occurs prior to the sewer line installation, she states that the sewer project would be delayed until one year after the resurfacing is completed. Such a delay could trigger a series of events which culminate in the Federal Environmental Protection Agency seeking return of a portion of the grant money given to the County to construct this project. Council Member Yagong acknowledged the Department of Public Works' (DPW) urgent need to resolve this matter and explained that passage of Resolution No. 70 has been delayed to allow time to address concerns about the appraisal value figures proposed by the Office of the Corporation Counsel He noted that although the 19 affected Paukaa property owners believe that the appraisal values proposed by the County are too low, the costs of contesting the figures in court discourage them from exercising this option. Council Member Yagong further cited concerns about the process employed by the DPW's Wastewater Division and the Office of the Corporation Counsel to effectuate this condemnation action. As a result, he offered the following suggestions to improve the process: 1. During a sewer extension condemnation action, County hired appraisers should be required to notify affected residents that their properties will be appraised prior to initiating the appraisal process; 2. Affected property owners should be notified by the County prior to submission of a resolution to the Council which would approve initiation of a condemnation action; and 3. Appraisal reports should be given to residents who are subject to a sewer extension condemnation action prior to asking the residents to grant the County a construction right-of-entry.