2008-02-14 Veteran Advisory Committee Minutes

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Veterans Advisory Committee Page 2 February 14, 2008 REPORT ON CEMETERIES — STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD Hawaii Island - East Hawaii Representative Mr. Herring Kalua Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative Mr. Herb Lum - Absent Legislative Update Mr. Herring Kalua said he did not attend the February State Veterans Advisory Board Meeting, but he knows there are bills in the house and senate for maintenance for the Island of Hawaii. Veterans Cemeteries I, II and III - Columbariums Mr. Kalua reported that columbariums would be done at all cemeteries statewide. He'll know more when he attends the State Veterans Advisory Board meeting in March and asked members if they had any concerns to address to the Board. Mr. Lum is doing a good job and is up to date on everything. He is also a part of the State Veterans Advisory Board's Legislative Committee. Mr. Highley wanted to put on record that the columbarium at Veterans III has been in use for approximately 18 months and 38 spaces have been filled out of the possible 96. When discussing the installation of columbariums at the other cemeteries recommends including another 1 or 2 units for West Hawaii. Grave Vaults Mr. Minoru Hanato asked if the County was given any specifications for assembling the vaults. During a recent burial the first vault was assembled; the vault has holes on the top and bottom that looks like should be bolted together, but they used snapties that could break and cause plastic liners to cave in. Director Engelhard said we were initially told that staff from the Oahu Veterans Cemetery would come to give instructions when the contract with DAGS was done, which obviously is not complete yet, but is almost done. Vaults were sent over from OVS and additional vaults came from an order that Mark Moses submitted when he gajied the money from Representative Cindy Evans. He bought vaults for all of the islands using the funds that were suppose to come to Hawaii County for maintenance, however, we got vaults and will continue to receive them for awhile, hopefully forever, but don't know for sure. Miles Okamura of Oahu Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe said the vaults are suppose to be ziptied shut. The P &R Kona staff was ready to bolt them shut, but it's a much more time consuming process than ziptying. Its suppose to happen by using a lowering device to lower the casket into the grave; the bottom flat piece goes on top of that lowering device while the ceremony is on. After everybody leaves or when they are ready for the burial, they're suppose to put the dome top on and ziptie it shut. Six or eight holes line up on the top and bottom and then they are suppose to lower casket into the ground. The zipties is the recommended method and the method used in Honolulu.