HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0442.011 1998-2000 C. .
C
74-5196 Kanai Place ~
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
March 5, 2000 -
Mr. Dominic Yagong
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Councilman Yagong,
We, as resident-owners in the Queen Liliuokalani ~Ilage subdivision, are writing
with regard to the current charges being levied by the Wastewater Division. The
assessment is for sewer charges, even though the County does not process the
wastewater from the subdivision. For the 28 years the present disposal system
(cesspools) has been in existence the County has not charged fees. Now
someone in the Wastewater Division has realized that the County is responsible
for repair of the system, which was conveyed to the County at the completion of
the subdivision. That person has decided to charge the homeowners the same
fee that homeowners all over the island are charged for processing of their
sewerage. However, in Queen Liliuokalani Village the sewerage is not
processed. Therefore, how can this fee be charged for a nonexistent service?
The Wastewater Division has initiated a service to prove that the County is
indeed earning its fees. For our $25.00 per month, we have the privilege of
watching a nice truck with two workers drive to every manhole in the subdivision.
They lift the manhole cover, look to see if the pipes are still there, and leave. We
will happily do that job for $20.00 per month and have 6 days per week off and
still make at least $3000.00 per month. That seems like a good deal to us.
In all seriousness, we can understand that the County needs to have monies
available to repair anything that may happen to the system. The amount currently
being charged, however, is not commensurate with the cost of repair, should it be
needed. Why should homeowners who do not get sewerage processed be
charged as if they do? Probably a charge of $5.00 per month could, within a
year, amass enough money to cover the first repairs that would be needed. Of
course, that would mean that those two men really wouldn't need to lift the
manhole covers anymore, since we can assume the pipes will not move.
Ideally, there should be no assessment for cesspools in the subdivision, since
nature provides the service normally done by the County. The probability of
problems developing in the system is not great. Should the fees continue, it
should be incumbent upon the County to actually put in sewers prior to
Comm. No. • 01
I~'ilc No. sl.(,~
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i+~t'. naca MARS q 2000
assessment of such fees. Any changes in the fee system for this subdivision
should be retroactive to the initiation of the fee structure and the monies returned
to the homeowners.
Mahalo for your nd attention to this matter.
~Si.~~
A. Lee and Elizabeth W. Meyerson
cc: Mr. Curtis Tyler
eeny a Lee nn~yeraorr
745996 Kenai Plaoe
Kailas-Kona, H196T40