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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN PWMTC 2019/04/23 2018-2020 Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit 6th Session West Hawai`i Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i April 23, 2019 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Public Works and Mass Transit ORDER: was called to order at 2:07 p.m., in the Council Chambers, Kailua-Kona, by Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Chair Ms. Karen Eoff, Member, Member Mr. Aaron S. Y. Chung, Member Ms. Maile Medeiros David, Member Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Mr. Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Member Ms. Valerie T. Poindexter, Member Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Member Absent&Excused: Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: (There were none.) CHR. LEE LOY: If there are none, I would like to close public testimony. Moving to our agenda items, Mr. Clerk, please read in Communication 155.3. COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 155.3: REQUESTS AN UPDATE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OR PLANNING DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE APPLICATION FOR A SIGN VARIANCE AT THE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES From Council Member Susan L. K. Lee Loy, dated March 20, 2019. Postponed: April 9, 2019 (Note: There is a motion by Mr. Richards, seconded by Ms. Kierkiewicz, to close file on Comm. 155.3.) PWMTC-6 April 23, 2019 CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Since we already have a motion on the floor and a second, I just want to bring the rest of my colleagues up to speed. Really, this was a placeholder to keep the departments online and on task as far as efficiency and getting this work done. You know, we saw a number of news articles about the length of time that this particular matter took, and there was some follow-up news articles as far as its discussion at KVDC, which is our Kailua Village Design Committee. Here in the audience, we have Mr. Neil Tanaka from the Department of Public Works along with Ros (Rosalind Newlon, Planner V) and Bennett (Bennett Mark, Planning Program Manager, Planning Department), who represent the Kailua Village Design Committee. Based on, you know, prior discussions and what we've seen in the newspaper, I'm trusting that this matter is moving forward expeditiously. And at some future meeting, which I hope to be in the next month, we will see a final disposition from KVDC on this matter along with the resolution confirming the decision of KVDC. That's what I would like to report, but I do want to allow my other colleagues an opportunity, if they have any questions for members of DPW (Department of Public Works) or KVDC. Hearing none, with that, I'd like to take a vote on the motion to close file on Communication 155.3. All those in favor? Vote on Comm. 155.3: The motion to close file on Comm. 155.3 was carried by the (Filed): following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Eoff, Kierkiewicz, Poindexter, Richards, Villegas, and Chair Lee Loy — 8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder —1. Excused: None. CHR. LEE LOY: Alright. Next order of business, thank you. Mr. Clerk, Resolution 120-19. Page 2 PWMTC-6 April 23, 2019 ORDER OF The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, RESOLUTIONS: Order of Resolutions. Res. 120-19: AUTHORIZES THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PURSUANT TO HAWAII REVISED STATUTES SECTION 46-7, FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE SUGAR ACCESS SOFTWARE LICENSE FOR USE BY THE COUNTY OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND MASS TRANSIT AGENCY Two software licenses would be provided to the County of Hawaii to assist with quantifying the scoring of transportation projects for accessibility of multi -modal systems. Reference: Comm. 211 Intr. by: Ms. Lee Loy CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Clerk. May I have a motion to forward Resolution 120-19 to the Council with a positive recommendation? Motion to Approve: Ms. Kierkiewicz moved to recommend adoption of Res. 120-19. Seconded by Ms. Villegas. CHR. LEE LOY: Any discussion, please? And for the record, I believe we have Mr. Yamamoto in our Hilo office. And maybe let's start there. Mr. Yamamoto, would you mind coming forward and sharing with us the goals and objectives of this particular resolution? (Note: At this time, Public Works Director David Yamamoto came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. YAMAMOTO: Basically, this software is mandated by the Federal or by the Department of Transportation in where we would need to participate in this program in order to get our projects assessed, you know, on the STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program) list. So, what they apparently use this software for is to assess and prioritize the various road projects that are competing for the available Federal funding in regards to the various points that they are looking at regarding transit, bicycle, pedestrian benefits, as well as access to various land uses. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Yamamoto. Any discussion? Mr. Richards. MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair. Yeah, Mr. Yamamoto, is this a different software program? We're talking about the assessment of the different roads we have in our County as far as ranking them, for us to look at a maintenance schedule. Is this a different program or is this in conjunction with that? Page 3 PWMTC-6 April 23, 2019 MR. YAMAMOTO: No, this is a different program. The Mandli program is more of a maintenance and asset management. This software is the DOT (State Department of Transportation) method of assessing the project for funding by Federal Highways. MR. RICHARDS: Go ahead, I'll come back. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Mr. Richards. Any other discussion? Ms. Villegas. MS. VILLEGAS: Aloha, Mr. Yamamoto. Thanks for being here today. I just have a quick question. Is this technology helpful in the potential utilization or upgrading of our systems to timing our lights a little better? With the technologies that are now available, does this relate to that in any capacity? MR. YAMAMOTO: I don't believe so. This is more where the County is proposing a project that can participate on the Federal Highway Administration's grant program. And it doesn't necessarily have, I think, aspects of looking at the signal timing. And that's a whole different view from this. MS. VILLEGAS: Can of worms? Okay, thank you. I think now I get it. It makes sense. This is more directly related to than utilizing, working more efficiently with Federal and State. Okay, thank you. I yield. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Villegas. Ms. David. MS. DAVID: Thank you Chair. Director Yamamoto, thanks for explaining that. My question, yeah, was going to be similar to that. Because this morning we had on request for funds transfer, you mentioned the Mandli Communications Survey video log. So, the difference between that and what we're doing with the State DOT is the Mandli Survey is done for only County roads? Is that it? MR. YAMAMOTO: No, the State DOT is actually embarked on the same grading of their roadways to prioritize how they do the repair and maintenance of their roadways as well as signs and signals. Not signals, but signs and the other features that they have on the roadways. So, the Mandli Program, what that does is, it's more an asset management where it takes into account all the various assets that you have installed along the roadway as well as the condition of the roadway and assets. And with that, the program prioritizes the work so you can, you know, budget your money in the best fashion to get as much accomplished and address the more needed areas of repair and maintenance of the roadways. MS. DAVID: Okay, so these are two totally different systems. And when you say assets, when you survey assets, could you explain what assets mean besides roadway? I know that's—what are assets? Page 4 PWMTC-6 April 23, 2019 MR. YAMAMOTO: That would be light street lights, traffic lights, drainage inlets, dry -wells; down to even be the reflectors on the road. MS. DAVID: And then, once this is completed, then you will get a you will be able to prioritize what's necessary to be done first, and would that be available to us at that point in time? MR. YAMAMOTO: Yes. We will be able to prioritize the roads based on the condition of the road. If it's in, you know, really poor condition, it'll probably rise to a higher priority on the list of roads to address. MS. DAVID: Okay, and we'll be getting updates or reports on both of these systems as soon as you can obtain them? MR. YAMAMOTO: Correct. We'll sort it by districts as well. At least that's what we intend to do. MS. DAVID: Thank you, that works. Thank you very much for your explanation. I yield. Mahalo, Chair. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. David. Ms. Kierkiewicz. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Thank you, Chair. Aloha Director Yamamoto, nice to see you again. I have a question about the performance-based measures. I see here that it's a requirement as part of a Federal act moving ahead for progress in the 21st Century. So, I'm just curious about the metrics that are currently used by your department right now. If they're similar to what's being proposed as part of this mandate? MR. YAMAMOTO: I'll have to check into that. I'm not real familiar with the current process that DOT as well as the Federal Highways uses to identify projects that they intend to fund. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: And do you think that this software will help to make your internal operations at Public Works more efficient? Or, do you think that is going to be more paperwork? MR. YAMAMOTO: I'm not sure at this point, but we do have to participate in it. MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Okay, I get it. And so, the Department of Transportation will hopefully be doing some sort of test run with you and the other Counties on how this is going to work before it launches and we get the licenses here at the County? MR. YAMAMOTO: Correct. They intend to do training. Page 5 PWMTC-6 April 23, 2019 MS. KIERKIEWICZ: Great. Thank you, Madam Chair. I yield. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Ms. Kierkiewicz. You know, Mr. Richards, you wanted me to circle back on you? MR. RICHARDS: Thank you, Chair, and thanks Mr. Yamamoto. And I appreciate some of the explanation coming forward. I think from the questions, you can gather all of us are trying to get our arms around to better understand it. And given this new software and with their track record, we're a little hesitant on implementing something that we're wondering if it's going to beI can appreciate Ms. Kierkiewicz's question, if this is going to be creating more paperwork? I can also appreciate your answer. Not sure, but we're going to try. And so, and I do understand that what we're trying to do is get an inventory of the assets available to us going forward. So the long and the short of it, as I'm understanding it, this will allow us to look at our roads, look at our Mass Transit; look at, like you said, the street lights. Look at our transportation in context of each other rather than being stuck in the silos that we keep seemingly parking ourselves in. And get a better assessment for our County as a whole, so then we can make better decisions. Is that your understanding of what this is going to do for us? MR. YAMAMOTO: This particular software is more for how the Federal Government will be. They'll be using this more to identify the projects that they intend to fund with the limited funds that they have to distribute amongst the various Counties as well as the State. MR. RICHARDS: Okay, and that does make sense. Because that will help them understand our asset needs, going forward. Which explains why Mass Transit and Planning are part of it. So, that I understand, and I do appreciate your saying, we're going to try. Thank you, I yield. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, any other members. With that, Mr. Yamamoto, thank you. You know, I'm just so pleased. My colleagues asked everything that was on my mind. So with that, we have a motion to forward to the Council with a positive recommendation, Resolution 120-19. All those in favor? Page 6 PWMTC-6 April 23,2019 Vote on Res. 120-19: The motion to recommend adoption of Res. 120-19 was (Approved) carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Kierkiewicz, Poindexter, Richards, Villegas, and Chair Lee Loy—7. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Members Eoff and Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder—2. Excused: None. CHR. LEE LOY: With that, motion to adjourn please? ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 2:23 p.m., Mr. Richards moved to adjourn the MENT: meeting. Seconded by Ms. David and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Chung, David, Kierkiewicz, Poindexter, Richards, Villegas, and Chair Lee Loy—7. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Members Eoff and Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder—2. Excused: None. CHR. LEE LOY: Thank you, Council. This meeting is adjourned. App ved: s.7.77114., . L-e L. , Chair (Date) Pu. '- • , • .n. k 4 ass ransit ommittee SL/dt Page 7