2008-03-20 Veteran Advisory Committee Minutes

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Veterans Advisory Committee Page 2 March 20, 2008 REPORT ON CEMETERIES — STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD Hawaii Island - East Hawaii Representative Mr. Herring Kalua Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative Mr. Herb Lum (Department of Defense - Engineering Report - Dated March 7, 2008 - Distributed at 3/20/08 Meeting - Copy Attached) Mr. Herring Kalua - Report Veterans Cemeteries I & II - Columbariums Mr. Kalua reported that columbariums would be erected at Kauai, Molokai and East Hawaii Cemeteries I and II. Maui and Lanai have also been added to list. Legislative Update Mr. Kalua said he was unsure if the House Bill relating to providing maintenance funds for County of Hawaii Veterans Cemeteries passed or not. Mr. Lum thinks the Legislative Bills in both the House and Senate got deferred, but they will need to wait until the session ends. Chairperson Fox asked if West Hawaii would be receiving additional columbariums. Director Engelhard responded that West Hawaii isn't listed because additional columbariums and an urn burial section are a part of the next segment of the Expansion Project which is due to begin either late this year or early next year. Mr. Herb Lum - Report Veterans Cemetery III - West Hawaii Mr. Lum reported that Phase IIB has been completed, but the final inspection is not due until the end of this month. There already was (1) burial in that field. There's a change order in process for the Lama Trees and rock barriers around the perimeter of the cemetery. There will be a bid opening in late July for the Phase IIC preliminary design phase, which is two months ahead of the original schedule of September 8th. This is to meet requirement of the deadline to submit a grant application to the VA by July 15th After they receive the bid, construction is expected to take approximately (1) year. Mr. Lum said both the Senate and House Bills to support the County of Hawaii's maintenance budget of $167,000 has been deferred and it doesn't look like its going to go through. Suggests planning to have people testify next year on behalf of those bills. There is another bill anticipating transferring the administrative responsibilities of OVS from Department of Defense, under the Adjutant General to the Department of Health. It looks like that bill has also died for this session. Mr. Lum reported that the OVS provided percentages of veterans statewide for informational purposes only. On the Big Island there are about 13% of all veterans in the State; City and County of Honolulu 73 %, Kauai 5% and Maui 9 %.