HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0007.000 2002-2004 TO: Councilman James Arakaki 18 Nov. 02
FROM: Dan Cole, phone 966-9229 ~ ; -
..,1
j-
_ i!~ 1`~
%
SUBJECT: Flood Control in your District
~C~..: ,
Aloha Councilman Arakaki,
I am writing to you in response to a article in the Tribune Herald, Sunday 17 Nov. 02,
"Qn council to-do list: halt floods, finish plan", and the Chris Loos 7 Nov., article about the
County being sued over flood damage.
Through this letter I am "Officially", bringing to your attention a flooding disaster
waiting to happen in your district I am pointing out to you that as a result of a Flood Debris
Removal Project P-3535, the Palia Stream bed between Kilauea and Kinoole St. was filled in and
the stream path altered. This has been confirmed by information obtained from the Hilo office of
the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
There is evidence that the County of Hawaii and the Federal Government were defrauded
into payment for work that was never done, and in fact the work performed may have created a
greater potential for loss of life and property when the next great flooding storm happens.
In so far as this work was completed less than two yeazs ago the County may be able to
bring legal action against the Contractor to correct this hazazd and to restore the stream to its
natural path, before the next flood.
I am attaching a 20 Feb. 02, letter from the County of Hawaii, Department of Public
Works, that identifies the azea of concern. It appeazs from photographs that the bulk of the 688
cubic yards, over eighty (80) dump truck loads, of debris material that was removed from the
identified property was dumped back into the stream bed. The Contractor nor the County can
verify that the debris material was removed from the site and where it was disposed of.
Please contact me for additional information. Let us hope this hazard can be corrected
before the County becomes a Defendant in yet another law suit as a result of flood damage.
Aloh
at, ~ ~~-Cx.,
an A. Cole
Copy to: Hawaii Tribune Herald, w/o attachments
Comm. No,
File No.
Ref. To:
Ref. Date NOV 1 82002
Harry Kam Dennis K. W'. Lee
MQY'0/ ~Jn~e~ro~~
YS
~IIli2t~~f 0~ ~?S~2iit
DEPARTMENT OF PiJBLIC WORKS
25 Aupuni 51rcet, Room 202 ~ Hilo, Hnwa1196720.4252
(808) 961-8J21 ~ Fex (BOA) 96]-86JO Nlou H'f-
R~lnoY£~ W EEK ENDINf
KAWAII..ANI 1575 C~ 3 - t9-OI
February 20, 2002 ~'.INOOt-~l(Cll-- 68~ C`~~~Y 3"`>-0~
Mr. Dan Cole ~'[t{tS AtrtOUN'~ PtI~V ort `loZA1S
P.O. Box 630 PS6L6FbBoR~S PfzOPER'YY
Keaau, HI 96749
Subject: Flood Debris Placement
In the early part of 2001, the County contracted Island 66, LLC for the Removal of Flood Debris
from Hilo Streams, Project Number P-3535. "While clearing debris from Palai Stream between
Kilauea Avenue and Kinoole Street, the contractor told me that Alan Yoza had requested the
material and showed the contractor where to place the material,
Paul Nash, and engineer in our division, told the contractor that it was okay to give the material
to Mr. Yoga as long as it was placed outside of the waterway.
A day or two later, Mr. Nash leazned that Mr. Yoza had directed the contractor to place the
material on property that didn't belong to him, and that the owner didn't want the material on his
property.
Mr. Nash asked the contractor to remove the material. Shortly afterwards, the contractor
removed the material and dressed up the property where it had been placed. Mr. Nash believes
the property owner was satisfied.
As to your allegation that the contractor leaked oil into one of the stream beds we have the
following response:
1. Mr. Nash and Mc Drew Stout of the NRCS frequented the construction sites during
debris removal. Neither of them saw any evidence of oil leakage.
2. Your belief that oil leaked into a stream is based on your belief that the contractor or Ius
employee replaced a hose on a piece of equipment used on the project You didn't
actually see any leakage.
3. According to Chris Folger, the employee for the contractor who did the bulk of the work,
no leakage into any stream occurred.
Based on the above we have no reason to believe that there was any oil leakage into any stream
during the debris remova{ project.
Should you have any additional questions please call Mr. Nash at 961-8924.
T~
Ben Is ii, Acting Division Chief
Engineering Division
YAN
ri ~I MI
00 ~ ` 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 0 0 ~
O ~ ~ ~
N 0 ~ ~ r M
~ ~ f0
~ Z p
v c O ~
o n
~ U ~
'v
N
Q H
~ ~ O
W ~ O O ~ O O O ~
~D
~ ~
O ~a
a~
~ ~ r ono , n o 0 0' o ~
v' O ~
2 ~ ~
~ ~
~ ~y
L
cp ~ 'a'S o+ 1~ 00 N to N O~
C Q ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~
,J J
N
~ ~
Q L~ ~f
~ ~c
~ ao ~ ~ d 3
~
~ ~ a m ro
aUi a o a s ~ G H
Q 'o ~ b b of ~ o O
o_ z ~ ro~~ N a d ~
a .g o .C ~ ~ a N a
Y o a. d 3 vii x
x o ~ o ~ ~ b ~
o ~ °c 3% ~ oo 'rn o m
~ z x x¢~ z 3 0