2001-08-08 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes

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Minutes for Wednesday, August 8, 2001Page 4 of 5 who actually pays maybe an area that the Council should be asked in the future and the area is single-family residential units. If there is some type of a user fee that’s added to the real property tax for only single family units, those are the ones that use the transfer stations, there may be a possibility to increase the revenue. Regarding illegal dumping. Main concerns of illegal dumping by commercial haulers are in our isolated transfer stations. Have no real documented knowledge of continued abuse by commercial haulers who are actually dumping on private property or dumping in the cane fields or in the gulches. Have located one of them in the past. The bags are opened, mail is removed, we contact the police and we have to insure that there is a no dumping sign. The police will come down and notify the person whose address is found on the envelopes. Barbara has concerns about illegal dumping of appliances, cars, etc. in the rural areas. We have to address certain transfer stations island wide and decide whether we are going to intensify the use of those transfer stations. Whether we are going to hold them only to collection trailers or are we going to designate waste metal areas, green waste areas, and other recycling areas within the transfer station. Riley asked Larry about his guess as to the actual cost per ton at Hilo. Riley said that one of the things that maybe included in the SWD’s proposal is to have differential rates. Barbara mentioned that Commissioner Peter Martin did done a study a few years ago that roughly estimated the County costs of burying trash around $80-$82 a ton. UPDATE FROM WASTEWATER DIVISION Peter Boucher, Wastewater Division Chief, distributed a draft resolution relating to the Kealakehe Demonstration Wetlands Planning and Research Agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation and a memo dated August 6, 2001 to Dixie Kaetsu, Managing Director regarding the status of Kealakehe Effluent Reuse Program. Regarding Bill No. 57. Received more input from Administration and there’s been some fundamental questions come up about the structure of the capacity fee, notably how and where it’s assessed. Request to defer action on the Bill No. 57. We will need to amend the Consultant contract and take another look at the bill. Bill No. 57 will need to be revised and a draft will be provided to the commissioners for review and comment. Wastewater Division could administer the public hearings if it were a problem for the commission. Peter mentioned that he would give presentations several times around the island, collect input and answer questions. Recommendation of the new draft will then be forwarded to County Council. Regarding Bill No. 58, public hearings will be addressed at the same time. Regarding the Rate Increase. Still working on the user fees. Having some problems coming up with the revenues we need. Apparently, we have approximately 6,000 multi-unit residential units. Because there are so many more multi-unit residential properties, revenues don’t add up and we actually run out of money in one year out of our equipment replacement fund. Riley suggested that Peter provide the information because the budget isn’t ready to be reviewed. Regarding the Wetlands Resolutions. Working for several months with the Bureau of Reclamation on the constructed wetlands project in Kona. An agreement needs to be drafted in order for the Federal to help us. It outlines all the terms and it commits the County to do the construction. They’ll do all the preliminary engineering work, the design work, but the agreement requires the County to fund it. Corporation Counsel said in order for the Mayor to sign this agreement, they first need a resolution from Council. Corporation Counsel is reviewing the resolution before it goes to Council. Request that the commissioners review the resolution and recommend it to Council. Riley said that the commissioners should be commenting on the draft resolutions, ordinances, etc. It’s is a big departure what wastewater division has been involved in. Need better understanding of the financing. Peter said the Bureau of Reclamation is a Federal agency, based in Colorado. Traditionally, they built dams in the west for electricity and irrigation purposes. DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION TO HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL REGARDING HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL BILL NO. 57 REGARDING CAPACITY ASSESSMENTS AND CONNECTION FEES Barbara motioned to file the letter of recommendation to Hawai`i County Council regarding the Hawai`i County Council Bill No. 57. Sam Kawamura has seconded. The motion was carried unanimously. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION’S RULES AND REGULATIONS Pat O’Toole, Corporation Counsel, said that there is some room in the rules whereby you have choices. Some of the things that Councilman Tyler said was not listed are in there. What are required to be there is there. The requested information may be obtained at the Department of Environmental Management instead of the Hawai`i County Clerk’s Office. Pat will check if an address is required. VIII.(a) The Commission shall make every effort to put as much information about its activities, including, need to add rules. IV. file://C:\Test1\minutes080801.htm6/22/2011