2010-11-18 Veteran Advisory Committee Minutes

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Veterans Advisory Committee Page 3 November 18, 2010 responsible to fix it. Mr. Lum asked the Kona representatives if they had any information on whether or not the leaks are due to a spec or a maintenance problem. Director Fitzgerald said the problem won't be resolved until the water meter is installed. He believes the leaks are located in the lava rocks. According to the West Hawaii Parks District Superintendent Deac, the leaks in the cemetery itself have been fixed and his recommendation is that when the water meter is installed, they can really gauge what the actual consumption is. Mr. Lum said if it is a problem in the specs (the type of pipe needed to go through lava fields), it needs to be communicated to the state so they can fix problem before project is accepted, otherwise it becomes a maintenance problem and the County will be responsible to fix problem every time it happens. Director Fitzgerald said once the meter is installed, they can measure where the leak is. He doesn't think it's our problem if leak is in the lava field. Mr. Robert Welter said that Dr. Stevens mentioned they have had to manually turn the water on and off on the hill because the pressure inbound has reached as high as 70 lbs and above so its blowing out the low pressure waterlines on the hill. A pressure regulator is needed for the system. Chairperson Fox stated isn't there one already installed and Mr. Emile Wery said one should have been put in during set up. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION Director Fitzgerald said the only items he had to report were the installation of the new gate and water leak which has already been covered. He said he will wait until the water meter is installed to determine water consumption at the cemetery since usage is a big concern. Director Fitzgerald recommended adding the Rollaway Tent to New Business for the next meeting. Funeral/Burial Procedures Mr. Hanato shared concerns regarding standardizing burial procedures. In Kona, Parks staff said they have to go by the standard set by Oahu which they don't follow anyway. In Kona, from church they go to committal shelter and have another service there and then they go to the grave or the columbaria and have another service. In Hilo they go from the church directly to the burial area where there is a roll away set up, they have a service there and it's done. He said that is how it used to be in Kona, and the new way is very hard for families and extra work for county employees. Kona is trying to listen to Honolulu people stating that is how it has to be done, but he knows that is not how Hilo does it. In Hilo they go from the church directly to the grave site. Mr. Hanato suggests Kona eliminates having a service at the committal shelter unless the family requests to use it because they don't have a church or mortuary to go to.