HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0522.009 2002-2004GAA'Y SAFARIK
Caunc�hnen�hcr
Disazcl 1, Puna Mahn
Phonc: (808)961-8267
Fax: (808) 961-8912
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May 17, 2004
MEMORANDUM
County of Haivai 'i
Haivai'i Count) Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, 14cnvai'+96720
TO: James Y. Arakaki. Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
1
FROM: Lry Safarik, Member
rv�
/ /,'JIawai`i County Council
RE: East Hawaii Regional Sort Station Funding
COMMITTEES
Public Works & Intergovemmental RL!hut(
Chair
fIousinlg Agency
Chan
Finance
vice -Chair
The Mayor's budget proposes to spend $3.5 million for the planning, design and
construction of the sort station along with operational funding for three months to cover
salaries and wages for thirteen (13) additional County employee positions. My
understanding is that the members are considering elimination of both the $3.5 million in
capital improvement project (CIP) funds, as well as funding for the 13 additional
employees, until the results of the recently issued Solid Waste Reduction Request for
Information (RFI) and the subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP) are reviewed.
After much consideration, I would like to provide my thoughts on the funding of
the East Hawaii Regional Sort Station. Given the relatively small waste stream in East
Hawaii (about 200 tons/day), a conventional waste reduction technology (ie. mass
burning) is only marginally viable economically unless integrated facility planning is
coordinated. In other words, to make a waste reduction technology attractive to the
private sector the following may be needed: 1) integration of the sort station with the
waste reduction technology facility so that the high fuel -value products of the sort station
(paper and plastics) can be provided so as to "downsize" the scale of the waste reduction
technology facility, and 2) proximity of the landfill to the sort station/waste reduction
technology facility so as to provide additions (about 50 tons/day) to the waste stream
going to the facility. The private sector may also be able to create additional revenue
streams by selling power to the utility and heat to a large customer (ie Home Depot).
I believe that it is possible to go forward with the CIP funding for the Sort Station
now, as long as this facility can be integrated with the waste reduction technology
identified by the RFI and the RFP, and the present site, near the landfill is secured, so as
to provide a resource (landfill mining) for the waste reduction technology. Q
Comm. No.
Ref. To. low
Ref. DatedAY 1 9 9004
1Lnvai'r ( omdll is rrn Faun/ Oppornmrty P1 0, 0C1and Emplover
With regard to the operational funding for County employees, I believe these
positions should be classified as temporary positions so as to allow the privatization of
both the sort station and waste reduction technology facility by avoiding the issue of
those County employees falling under the Kono v. County of Hawaii ruling.