2010-11-18 Veteran Advisory Committee Minutes

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Veterans Advisory Committee Page 2 November 18, 2010 STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC None. PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES — August 19, 2010 The minutes of the August 19, 2010 meeting were approved as submitted. (Correction to the October 21 st report, there was no meeting because of problems with video conferencing equipment, Mr. Antonio Gaspar attended the meeting, but an error marked him both present and absent). REPORT ON CEMETERIES — STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD Hawaii Island - East Hawaii Representative — Newly Appointed Member — Mr. Keith Ribbentrop Mr. Keith Ribbentrop replaced Dr. Norman Stahl as the new East Hawaii representative of the State Veterans Advisory Board. (Attached are notes of the November 5th State Veterans Advisory Board Meeting which includes the status of CIP and VA Cemetery Funds.) Mr. Ribbentrop reported that East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery 11 — Columbaria Design Plans were resubmitted to the County Department of Parks and Recreation for review. They are looking forward to getting it back. Frank Salvas, Director of VA in Washington DC is very anxious to get the project going. He visited all of the Big Island Cemeteries and was very pleased with the maintenance of the cemeteries and appreciated the improvements made. Mr. Ribbentrop also reported on other items not related to the cemeteries which are on the attached notes. Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative - Mr. Herb Lum Mr. Lum reported that the first draft of design plans for the columbaria were returned by P &R with request to have columbaria facing inward like spokes of a wheel instead of parallel. Mark Moses liked that idea and requested DAGS revise plans. Plans were redone and are set to go with that change. Mr. Lum also said that the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery III — Phase IIC Project is considered to be 99% complete for the past 10 months. The items that remain, are installing the water meter and the inner Iron Gate to help keep the goats out. There is a problem with the figures on the proposed design for the gate. Mr. Lum will work with Mr. John Grogan to request a photo of the revised design. The VA does not want the 6th figure to be on gate which was the Hawaiian warrior. They want only the five services to be represented on the gate. Mr. Lum also shared there is a water leakage at the cemetery and heard that part of the problem may be calcification because of the type of pipes. Don't know if that is indeed the reason. If there is a continuing problem, P &R would be responsible to repair under the maintenance provisions. If it's a problem due to the specs, than the state should be