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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0124.033 2004-2006 ~~tr~•r ~•b ~i,'? Patricia G. Engelhard Harry Kim Director Mayor -oe'~. Pamela N. Mizuno 1)•'OI•••V~ } Deputy Director ~uuntp of ~ai~di' i r DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION ~ ~ 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 6 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 r, (808) 961-8311 • Fax (808) 961-8411 March 24, 2004 - MEMORANDUM TO: Virginia Isbell And tubers pf the ommittee on Finance r,. FROM: Pa e a d and Pa izuno SUBJECT: Operating and Capital Budgets and Program Review Day Three- Memo of 3/22/05 and Other Remarks Thank you for allowing us to be here today to answer any questions you may have about our operating and capitol budget requests. You are probably all aware that our department's budget has been very lean over the past few years. Trying to maintain facilities and services on very limited resources has especially taken its toll on the condition of our buildings and facilities. Our requested increases reflect the mandate to address ADA compliance of our facilities and programs, and to provide repairs and maintenance where they have been overlooked for too long. The new positions requested in this budget will help the department to responsibly maintain public services and stewardship of public assets. They include: 1) A Park caretaker assigned to the two parks in Waikoloa, one of which, Ho'oko Street Park, we expect to open in July or August. The other is already opened. 2) A Zoo Animal Keeper II 3) An Account Clerk in the Administration Office 4) Increases in time elements at several of our pools One of the not so good things to report is the increase in violence and illegal activities at the Kona Community Aquatics Center, to the extent that we started hiring off duty police officers as of the middle of this month. We expect to be challenged more with other illegal activities, including drugs, alcohol and illegal campers at our parks and may find it necessary in the not too distant future to have more security, especially at night, at the more popular park sites. Cornet. Na ~ ~'f. 3 3 County of Howai'i is an Equal Opportunity Provider cnd Employer. Ref. To~e~W/ Ref. pate Finance Comm -Budget Response Page 2 We offer these responses to the questions posed of Parks and Recreation in the 3/22/05 memo from Rodney Oshiro and Susan Caseria to Virginia Isbell and Members of the Committee on Finance: 1) Re Elderly Meals: The Nutrition Program has decreased the number of meals they are able to serve because the federal government has maintained the same grant amount for the past few years. Expenses such as meal ci~sts, disposable paper goods and gasoline to deliver the meals have, of course, risen over the years. We will continue to serve as many meals as we can with the available funding, but must realistically project how far that funding will go with increased expenses. 2) Re Alae Cemetery Expansion: The County is still awaiting the conveyance of the 11-acre parcel purchased from Kameharrteha Schools. The Accounts Division has the funding available but the property has not been conveyed yet. There is a dispute about the ownership of a small section of land in the gulch on the Hilo side of the cemetery. 3) Re Bikeway Fund - Waimf:a Trails and Greenways: We are in the final stages of property and easement acquisitions with the Magoon Estate, Parker Ranch and the DLNR pieces being worked on. It will probably be a couples of months until we are sure enough that the issues will be resolved and can proceed with the actual design of the trail improvements. Realistically, construction will not begin before April of 2006. In a couple of months, when we are a little more secure in the outcome of the property acquisitions, we c;an start the trail design. In the meantime, our consultants have been advised that the design phase is eminent. Recreational bike activitie:> for Hilo, N/S Kohala and Puna districts have included "Bike and Hike" programs throughout the year. N/S Kona and Hamakua district supervisors need more encouragement to include biking activities in their program offerings. Bike and Hike Programs include safety training and minor repairs and maintenance information. The hiking portion usually includes a walk to a heiau, waterfall ar some other scenic spot. In February, the Waikoloa event drew 65 participants. In March, Hawaiian Beaches had 12 with the addition of a couple from Waikoloa. Bikeway funds are spent an mileage reimbursement for advisory committee members and to purchase bike racks. So far, 20 racF;s have been purchased; 10 for Downtown Hilo and 10 for Kailua-Kona. In accordance with our instruction to provide general comments and highlights about our previous fiscal year and the first several months of our present fiscal year, we offer this information, most of which is also available in your budget rnaterials. Highlights for 2003/04 • Coordinated Services for the Elderly surpassed every goal in their quest to promote independent living by providing help for our island's elderly. • RSVP, Nutrition and Sr. Errtployment surpassed their goals by providing volunteer opportunities for the largest RSVP program in the State; 161,474 congregate or meals on wheels; and employment training for 68 enrollees. • Our 10 beach parks with IiFe guards hosted over 1.5 million swimmers while our 9 county pools had attendance of almost 708,000, with Kona Community Aquatics Center the highest at 288,403 or an average of almost 800 people per day. • Our Hawaii County Band provided 48 performances, including 12 monthly concerts at the Historic Mo'oheau Park Bandstand. Our West Hawaii Band provided 17 performances. • Our Municipal Golf Course provided in excess of 80,000 rounds or an average of 240 per day. • In "The Biggest Easter Egq Hunt", 5000 children hunted 13,500 Easter Eggs. • Skate Parks opened in Volcano and Waimea. • ADA Program upgrades and training as well as Facility improvements are continuing in compliance with the court order. County of Hawari is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Finance Comm -Budget Response Page 3 • 19 new rainforest animals were added to the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo collection, thanks in large part to the Friends of the Panaewa Zoo. • Our Zoo also hosted two overnighters for 36 youngsters during Spring Break with Intersession Students from Recreation and the Zoo staff and Friends of the Zoo. • "Basic" cleaned up, expanded and are continuing the maintenance of Honolii Beach Park in Hilo. Highlights for 2004/05 to date • So far all Elderly Programs are on course to deliver their services. • In ADA improvements, of the 23 projects for Schedule 1, due June 30, 2003, 17 are completed, 3 are in construction, and 3 are in final design. Of the 28 Schedule 2 projects, due on June 30, 2006, 26 are in design and 2 are in construction. • Our participation, along with many other County and State government agencies, helped to insure the success of the 2004 World Sprints at Hilo Bayfront in August 2004, an event which drew 7000 visitors to our island from 19 countries for about a week. • West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery got an Extreme Makeover from many volunteers including the Golf Course Superintendents Association and Veterans groups. • Fred Blas and Friends developed and are maintaining Kahakai Park in Hawaiian Beaches, Puna District. County of Hawaii is an Equol Opportunity Provider and Employer.