2008-03-20 Veteran Advisory Committee Minutes

Home

Veterans Advisory Committee Page 4 March 20, 2008 He asked Mr. Lum if the corrections /additions would come before the bid opening and if Design Partners and Office of Veteran Affairs would be presenting the Master Plan to the veterans of West Hawaii to keep everybody on the same page. Mr. Highley shared thatvolunteers would like to proceed with projects, but they first need to review plans to avoid conflicts such as the problem they had with the greenhouse. Mr. Lum said there isn't any meeting scheduled, the greenhouse problem was due to lack of communication. We assume that OVS knows all the details because they were at the cemetery and should've seen. The point is if we have an issue, we should define it, put it in writing and bring it up to OVS. If you think a meeting is necessary within the timeframe that is available, request a meeting and he will relay request to Mark Moses, Director of OVS. It's a matter of communication. Mr. Highley said aside from the greenhouse, Phase II is scheduled to be completed at the end of next year. If we can review the master plan instead of the proposed plan, we can continue with projects to improve the cemetery by utilizing volunteer efforts. Mr. Lum said the master plan is done, but they are talking about ironing things with the VA and if it goes back and forth, its a question of practicability. If you feel its important enough, define it and ask for a meeting, but when the machinery goes on, it doesn't come up with our own schedules. They are trying to move up the schedule a bit, but if you want to hold up the schedule to have a meeting, he will put in that request. Director Engelhard said if you see the master plan, you don't like it and request a change, it is going to hold the process up. Mr. Highley said it wasn't his point to see the master plan, the reason is not to change or make objections and hold it up, only to work around the master plan where things can be developed outside the plan. It doesn't even have to be a meeting, we would just like to see what it will look like. He gave an example of a proposal in the past that Representative Cindy Evans wanted to build a war memorial at the cemetery. They wouldn't want that to be in conflict with what the VA was planning. Director Engelhard will email the conceptual plan for Veterans Cemetery III - Phase II -B to John Grogan, President of the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery Development & Expansion Association (WHVC). UNFINISHED BUSINESS Veterans Cemetery III - West Hawaii Reforestation Proiect Mr. Gaspar reported that he went to the cemetery last Monday and the trees that were planted along the side of the road look great. He doesn't know when the next planting will be.