2019-08-28 Meeting Minutes (EMC)

Home

Vote: All commissioners voted aye to approve the minutes with the changes noted above. 3. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS Jerome Warren: The court case against Dora Beck regarding the Nāālehu sewer is ʻ still ongoing. At the court hearing on August 8, Director Kucharski continued to erase the history of the Nāālehu sewer project, and Dora Beck was absent. The director claimed no ʻ knowledge of events leading up to his federal administrative order on consent. The department also has another court case for the solid waste site in Ocean View. Regarding the General Plan, the Planning Department came to Nāālehu on August 25 and set up a ʻ display at the community center at the ballpark. Director Yee was not wearing a name tag, but all his staff were. Nobody wanted to discuss why Planning allowed a disgruntled homeowner to block off the access road leading to the ballpark. Mr. Yee was dismissive. The property owner, John Ketchmark, shut down the road because he was angry at Dora Beck for lying to him about his property remaining on the sewer system. He was cut off and had to dig a cesspool, so he retaliated by fencing off the access road that leads to the park. In summary, the mismanagement of the Nāālehu sewer project has caused a decline ʻ in access to the park. Regarding the August 27 newspaper article on non-payment of sewer bills in Nāālehu, some elementary school students are worried their families have to go to ʻ court. Nancy Cook-Lauer picked up the story and wrote an informative article. When you stop a household’s water, you are punishing innocent people who live in the house and neighbors who are affected by the poor sanitation and fire hazard. None of his statements have ever bothered any commissioner, and the Water Department also remains dismissive. The average citizen can’t be expected to follow your advice if you ignore their basic needs. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Follow up on the July 24, 2019, motion to suggest a better description for the Soil Aquifer Treatment ponds proposed for the Kealakehe R-1 upgrade, and discuss a proposed letter from the commission to the director on this. Chair Bennett said a motion was passed at the previous meeting to recommend the department consider different terminology for the SAT ponds. He drafted a letter to the director about this, and it was provided to the commissioners for review. The letter points out why the SAT terminology is not sound and why he recommends calling the system a Nutrient Removal System. It is important because it is the first such system in the state, and it goes the extra mile to remove nutrients from the wastewater before it gets discharged to the ground and hence to the ocean. Motion and second: Commissioner Fritz moved to accept everything that was said in the letter, and Vice Chair Olson seconded the motion.