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• • Form#: B-52 7/18/9t DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION DEPARTMENT: Dept of Environmental Management DATE: 3/9/2020 STAFF CONTACT: Dora Beck PHONE: 961-8513 A. REQUEST: Pursuant to Hawai'i Revised Statute Section 46-7, a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Multi- Year Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Hawai'i, Water Resources Research Center (UH- WRRC)to provide training via the Statewide Wastewater Operator Training Center(SWOTC) to Wastewater Treatment Works Operators within the County of Hawai'i, Wastewater Division. B. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION (USE ADDITIONAL SHEETS AS NEEDED): 'Certification of wastewater treatment works operators assures employment of personnel competent to provide :proper operation and maintenance, and therefore efficient management of wastewater treatment works. The / importance and need for competent wastewater treatment plant operators is essential in order to realize public ;health and water quality objectives as well as to maximize the benefits of the investment of public funds. :Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes, section 340E-3, upon Board of Certification (BOC) approval, the State of `Hawai'i, Department of Health (DOH) is authorized to issue certificates entitling qualified individuals to operate wastewater treatment plants. The success of the Hawaii Law for Mandatory Certification of Operating Personnel in wastewater treatment plants depends heavily on the implementation of a Statewide Wastewater Operator `Training Center("SWOTC"). The SWOTC has been in operation since 1987 providing wastewater training classes. Upon completion of such classes, operating personnel are awarded Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by the BOC qualifying operators to sit for exams for obtaining and/or renewing an operator certification. The DOH has sponsored and administered the functions of the SWOTC to serve the four(4) counties of the State of Hawaii (Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai) since 1988 and provided 40% of the funding for the SWOTC with the other 60% being funded by the counties. In 2015, the DOH discontinued it's involvement in the SWOTC. Sponsorship and administrative functions were transferred entirely to the UH-WRRC. The UH-WRRC anticipates obtaining an annual funding of$16,052 for the 5-year service period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025 (a total cost of$80,260) to continue administering the SWOTC and providing twelve wastewater operator training courses per year. I I/ f / 3 SIGNED: t fly DATE: ` Department Head