2006-08-17 Veteran Advisory Committee Minutes

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Veterans Advisory Committee Page 4 August 17, 2006 Chairman Highley said that the $300,000 was originally passed two years ago in the legislature for a committal shelter to be built at the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery; $25,000 for design and $275,000 for construction. The $25,000 was released in June 2005, on October 9th he received an email from Representative Cindy Evans that she received a phone message from Colonel Cruickshank that the entire $300,000 had been released by Governor Lingle. The project was turned over to DAGS where four people would be working on it and the point of contact would be (inaudible). In November as space for burials was running out, P &R Director Engelhard sent an email to Colonel Cruickshank urging his office to proceed with plans for the installation of graveliners. Nothing has been done and the fact is the Office of Veterans Services has been sleeping on this for the last year. The people of Hawaii probably think there is a committal shelter at the West Hawaii Cemetery unless someone has told them that the $300,000 has been transferred to other funds. We now hear from the State Veterans Advisory Board that $106,000 has gone to Design Partners. Who are the Design Partners? What work have they done on cemeteries and what types of landscaping do they have in mind? Scope of work? What improvements will be made at the entrance? What columbarium work will be done. Why are they spending $106,000 for work to be done by Design Partners and why are they talking about landscaping when non - profit organizations through grants had been out there for the last two years doing landscaping. Chairman Highley also questions if OVS would have the Design Partners come meet the veterans and find out exactly what they want for their cemetery and if they are willing to work with them? Or is the $106,000 just money spent with no accountability and the $194,000 left out of the $300,000 going to the general fund. Is it going to be accountable not to this committee, not to the people of West Hawaii, but to the taxpayers of the State of Hawaii who appropriated this $300,000 in the first place. Chairman Highley said he doesn't expect Mr. Kalua to have all of the answers, but feels that someone should. He said the buck always stops all the way from Congressmen in Washington D.C. to the State Legislature. They all say that the buck stops with the Director of OVS Colonel Cruickshank. Mr. Kekumu recommended that the Chairman write a letter to Office of Veterans Services addressing those questions. Chairman Highley said he's been sending many emails which he could supply copies of. Mr. Kaoiwi said no offense to anyone, but suggested that Chairman Highley not depend on email and instead write a hard copy of a letter requesting what happened to the crypts and the funding for Kona and to also ask about the crypts for Hilo. Chairman Highley said he will be sure that Colonel Cruickshank receives a copy of these minutes which include his questions. Mr. Kaoiwi said that this island is part of the State of Hawaii and the OVS needs to address the neighbor islands and not just the Veterans Cemetery on Oahu.