HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0093.000 2010-2012 2/01/11
Aloha Chairperson Ford and members of the County of Hawaii Finance Committee:
Subject: Ocean View Transfer Station
My name is Loren Heck and I've lived in Ocean View for 23 years. I've adjusted to the
inconvienience of having no local transfer station in my area by purchasing seven garbage
cans to store my garbage; Two for recycled, one for glass, and four for disposable garbage.
This way, I only have to make the 21 mile round trip to Waiohinu once a month instead of
every week. I compost my green waste in my worm farm and try to be conscious of
keeping the beautiful forest around me pristine. I doubt that most residents in Ocean View
take the time and trouble to do the, but they really shouldn't have to.
Even with the extra effort that I take, it isn't enough. Dogs come bye at night and knock
over the garbage cans, spreading rancid garbage throughout the yard, and who knows what
vermin drag away bits and pieces into various hiding holes. This is repulsive enough just
talking about, but living it is unbareable and unhealthy.
Last month, I listened with great interest when the representatives from Solid Waste asked
this Committee to approve their new CIP budget. I want to take this moment to sincerely
thank you for your approving Ms. Smart's motion to postpone further discussion and of
course any decision at that time.
The one argument which made the most sense to me, which Solid Waste representatives
brought up supporting their CIP proposal, was their need to redesign and reprioritize
transfer stations in Ka'u to promote maximum efficiency.
On further analysis, one would have to ask the question, "promote maximum efficiency ",
for whom? Certainly not the thousands of residents living in Ocean View. Assuming only
one thousand residents a year make a weekly trip to the transfer station at Waiohinu from
Ocean View, that computes to one million ninety two thousand miles driven annually,
seven thousand seven hundred man hours, and assuming 30 miles to the gallon, thirty -six
thousand four hundred gallons of fuel every year. This massive waste of time and energy is
on the backs of those residents the County Department of Solid Waste is supposed to
serve.
Add to the above gross inefficiency the danger of driving a road traveled by tourists and
abundant massive water trucks, and you're asking for an eventual catastrophe.
I ask this Committee to request that the Ocean View Transfer Station be put at the top of the
Dept. of Solid Waste Management's CIP list.
Comm, No. g 3
Ref. To: a G
Ref. date FEB 171m