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Veterans Advisory Committee <br />Page 2 <br />August 17, 2006 <br />Mr. Edward Lee representing NG Retirees and Mr. Wendell Kekumu representing <br />Vietnam Veterans of the Vietnam War were sworn in as members of the Veterans <br />Advisory Committee by Director Patricia Engelhard prior to the meeting. <br />STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC <br />No Statements from the public. <br />PREVIOUS MEETINGS MINUTES — JULY 20, 2006 <br />• The minutes of the July 20, 2006 meeting were approved as submitted. <br />REPORT ON CEMETERIES — STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD <br />Hawaii Island Representative Mr. Herring Kalua <br />Veterans Cemetery III - West Hawaii <br />Mr. Herring Kalua read the attached notes of the State Advisory Board Meeting on <br />Veterans Services held Friday, August 4, 2006 relating to West Hawaii Veterans <br />Cemetery. <br />Mr. Kalua has requested copies of the State Veterans Advisory Board Meeting minutes <br />be sent to P &R Director Pat Engelhard regularly. <br />Veterans Cemeteries I and II - Columbariums <br />Mr. Kalua gave P &R Director Engelhard a photo of the columbarium at the Hawaii State <br />Veterans Cemetery which shows how they cover the niches. <br />Veterans Cemetery III - West Hawaii - Graveliners <br />Mr. Highley said he hopes this is not the end of the discussion concerning graveliners. <br />He's been doing research on the history of the graveliners for Veterans Cemetery III -West <br />Hawaii. He stated that on June 22, 2005 a letter was sent from Major General Robert G. <br />F. Lee (Adjutant General of the Department of Defense) requesting $25,000 of state <br />funds be released for design. Letter also states that the installation of lawn crypts will <br />improve workers safety by eliminating the hazards associated with the shifting volcanic <br />soils currently experienced during grave excavation. The lawn crypts will also ease <br />cemetery operations, enhance the overall appearance of the section of the cemetery <br />containing the crypts and will increase the capacity of the cemetery by allowing double <br />interments per grave plots. <br />Mr. Highley asked Mr. Kalua if when you say the project is cancelled, is the Office of <br />Veterans Services setting a precedent that says we shouldn't talk about graveliners <br />anymore on the Big Island, because these issues relating to safety of workers is still an <br />issue. It' still an issue for crypts to be put in at Veterans Cemetery II. Crypts have been <br />put in at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe. <br />Director Engelhard responded that lawn crypts would not be brought up for West Hawaii. <br />Her understanding in talking with Neal Mitsuyoshi was that the soil remediation process <br />would address safety issues for employees. Process would be to dig up all of the right <br />