HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-25 Water Board Meeting MinutesMINUTES
DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY
COUNTY OF HAWAII
WATER BOARD MEETING
May 25, 2021
Via Zoom/Host Location: Department of Water Saply, 345 Kekuanao`a Street, Suite 20, Hilo, HI
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. William Boswell, Jr., Chairperson
Mr. Eric Scicchitano, Vice -Chairperson
Mr. Michael Bell
Mr. David De Luz, Jr.
Mr. Steven Hirakami
Ms. Judy Howard
Ms. Julie Hugo
Mr. Benjamin Ney
Mr. Kenneth Sugai
Mr. Keith K. Okamoto, Manager -Chief Engineer, Department of Water
Supply (ex -officio member)
OTHERS PRESENT: Ms. Diana Mellon -Lacey, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Mr. Kaena Horowitz, Deputy Corporation Counsel (11:53 a.m.)
Department of Water Supply Staff
Mr. Kawika Uyehara, Deputy
Ms. Candace Gray, Waterworks Controller
Mr. Kurt Inaba, Engineering Division Head
Ms. Judith Hayduesko, Chief of Operations
Mr. William O'Neil, Water Service District Supervisor II
Mr. Eric Takamoto, Operations Division
Mr. Warren Ching, Energy Management Analyst
1) CALL TO ORDER — Chairperson Boswell called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.
2) STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC - none
3) APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: Ms. Howard moved for approval of the Minutes of the April 27, 2021, Water Board Meeting;
seconded by Mr. Sugai.
Mr. Ney mentioned that the Minutes showed the April meeting taking place by WebEx, but it actually was
a Zoom meeting. [Minutes will be corrected to reflect Zoom.] He also asked if the video of the meetings
are archived. The Manager -Chief Engineer replied they are not. The meeting is represented via the
Minutes. Ms. Mellon -Lacey stated that it is not legally required, as long as there are Minutes of the
meeting.
ACTION: Motion was carried by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz, Mr. Hirakami,
Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and Chairperson Boswell).
Page 1 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
4) APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA - none
5) POWER COST CHARGE:
Departmental power costs from all power sources increased since the last Power Cost Charge rate was
determined. The Department proposes to increase the Power Cost Charge from $1.71 to $1.85 per
thousand gallons as a result of this increase. Power cost charges over the past two years were as follows:
Effective
PCC
December 1, 2020
$1.71
August 1, 2020
$2.01
February 1, 2020
$1.90
October 1, 2019
$2.00
June 1, 2019
$1.96
February 1, 2019
$1.89
A Public Hearing will have been held prior to this Board meeting to accept public testimony on this
change.
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Board approve the increase of the Power Cost Charge
from $1.71 to $1.85, effective June 1, 2021.
ACTION: Mr. De Luz moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Mr. Ney and carried
unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz, Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo,
Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and Chairperson Boswell).
6) SOUTH HILO:
A. JOB NO. 2020-1146, HILO OPERATIONS BASEYARD EMERGENCY
GENERATOR REPLACEMENT - REQUEST FOR TIME EXTENSION:
The contractor, Isemoto Contracting Company, Ltd., is requesting a contract time extension of
251 calendar days. The contractor was delayed due to time required to secure plan approvals and
building permits. These delays were beyond the control of the contractor.
Staff reviewed the request for contract time extension and found the requested time can be considered
justified. Note: There are additional costs associated with this time extension, but they are within the
existing project contingency.
I" time extension — 251 calendar days
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Board approve a contract time extension of
251 calendar days to Isemoto Contracting Company, Ltd., for JOB NO. 2020-1146, HILO
OPERATIONS BASEYARD EMERGENCY GENERATOR REPLACEMENT. if approved, the
contract completion date will be revised from August 12, 2021, to April 20, 2022,
MOTION: Ms. Howard moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Mr. Ney.
Chairperson Boswell asked if the contractor was informed in the bid documents for this project that
the Department would provide them a building permit.
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied not in this particular contract. Staff is the one trying to
coordinate the building permit process with the County. Plans were submitted prior to bid; but
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apparently, there were still some revisions that needed to be made. It had to go through three
submittals in the process.
Chairperson Boswell asked if the plan approval process should have been the first trigger before
submitting for the building permits.
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied that was correct and is part of the process staff is going through.
Mr. Ney shared his experience in pulling permits through his plumbing company. It does sequentially
go through the planning review and then pulling the actual permit to commence work; but the
contractor can request an expedite of the permitting. There is a lot on the contractors that they can
follow up on in pushing the permit through quicker. Sometimes you have to be the squeaky wheel
that gets the oil. It is the way the County works, and it is not always very efficient. He asked for
more background on the labor and material escalation cost associated with this delay. The contractor
is saying they are within the contingency, which is fine; but there should still be some justification for
digging into that contingency.
Chairperson Boswell stated it was his understanding that the Davis -Bacon Wage Scale is the scale
used for the project; but in the wage scale, the increase in costs are already prescheduled. The
Davis -Bacon Wage Scale schedule shows a couple of years out and outlines each union and when
they are getting their price increase and what it is going to be. The numbers are pretty well known,
and they are justified by the schedule.
Mr. Ney thanked Chairperson Boswell for the clarification.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated that if the Board wished, the Department could request a detailed
breakdown from the contractor and present it to the Board for full disclosure.
Mr. Hirakami noted the word "emergency" in the title and asked what made this an emergency in the
first place because they are trying to increase the planning and building permit time. He wondered if
this delay happened because of the old administration or what was happening with the new
administration because it is a common complaint with just regular people, not connected with County
contracts. For Isemoto Contracting not having their approvals in a timely manner, that is a problem.
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied that it may be a matter of semantics. It was not an emergency
procurement. It is actually an emergency generator project basically to provide power in the event
that the power utility goes down. He did not want to speculate on whether it is related to the change
in administration. The Department has to take some of the blame because there were comments on
the plans that should have been addressed prior to submitting for this building permit. The
Department will continue to follow up on a weekly basis.
Mr. Ney added that if you do not dot your I's and cross your T's when you submit your application,
for example, there is a circuit missed on the electrical or for plumbing you forgot to put a fixture on
the permit fee cost, what that does is it makes you pull a supplemental permit to the original permit;
and that can be a huge delay so it is important to make sure everything is checked off on the submittal
process.
Chairperson Boswell mentioned his experience where they currently have 35 building permits in with
the County in all different phases and the delays have not gone out with the last administration where
they were having long delays with absolutely no activity. They have seen changes in some areas
recently, but not on the building permit side. They cannot tell a customer how long it is going to be
Page 3 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
until they can start building the house until they see the last of the review comments coming through.
It is a difficult time.
The Manager -Chief Engineer thanked everyone for their comments on this matter.
ACTION: Motion was carried unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz,
Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and
Chairperson Boswell).
7) MISCELLANEOUS:
A. DEDICATION OF WATER SYSTEMS:
The Department received the following document for action by the Water Board. The water system has
been constructed in accordance with the Department's standards and is in acceptable condition for
dedication:
1. Bill of Sale
Transferor: Jay Jay Joo and Wonsook Alicia Chong
Subdivision No. 2018-001857
Tax Map Key: (3) 6-4-017:031
Facilities Charge: $72,690.00, Date Paid: 9/25/2020
Final Inspection Date: 8/14/2020
Water System Cost: $173,440.00
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Water Board accept this document subject to the
approval of the Corporation Counsel and that either the Chairperson or the Vice -Chairperson be
authorized to sign the document.
MOTION: Mr. Sugai moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Ms. Howard.
Ms. Howard asked, with the final inspection date being back in August of 2020, what happened in the
interim and why it is coming before the Board at this point.
Mr. Inaba replied that when it comes to a subdivision and final inspection is done by DWS, it does not
mean that all of the requirements for the Planning Department have been met to get their final
subdivision approval. In this case, the waterline and the water system were inspected by DWS in
August. After building the water system, they go through getting the legal documents drafted and
submitted for dedication to the Water Board. It typically happens a couple of months later.
Mr. De Luz suggested that what might assist the Board Members is putting a timeline in the agenda to
give them an understanding of the process, such as when the DWS signed off on their section and
when the subdivision is signed off on and applicable dedication documents are forwarded. He
appreciated and understands that there are sometimes issues with rights-of-way on public and State
lands, and there can be a water system in place that can take a year or longer to get dedicated.
Mr. Inaba replied that it has happened and what the developer can do is dedicate the water system and
easements prior to getting actual final subdivision approval because water is available for it. It is up
to the developer on their process.
Page 4 of 19 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
Mr. Ney asked about the resorts where a lot of them have a master meter and then the developer puts
in some meters, which DWS takes the responsibility for only up to the master meter at the street. He
asked if there is a design criterion to follow where DWS would rather not have to be responsible for
the maintenance of the lines in case there is no master meter.
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied that it is left up to the developer. It is really their business
decision on what option they want to choose. Typically, what the DWS has seen is they would rather
turn it over to DWS to operate and maintain. In certain situations, there may be reason for them to
utilize a master meter for their particular development.
Chairperson Boswell stated that in the case with their property, they have a DWS -dedicated water
system in all of the roads; and when they build a subdivision that is going to be a CPR (Condominium
Property Regime), then typically they would put a master meter on that subdivision and they become
their own private bill -collecting entity within the Home Owner's Association (HOA). They still have
single-family homes spread out all over the property and they all have individual water meters that are
built by DWS. It is really a development plan that determines the reasoning for doing it.
Mr. Ney asked if a CPR would most likely do their own submeters from a master meter and in the
case of a house, they have a submeter per house.
Chairperson Boswell stated that in all likelihood, it would be that way; but they have one case where
they ran DWS meters up into a CPR. It was just a developer's preference.
Mr. Inaba clarified that on the subdivisions, developers are required to build the system to DWS
standards; but if you have a condominium project with multi -family homes, a lot of times it is master
metered because they do not have to build their system meeting DWS standards within their property.
Chairperson Boswell stated that they always use the DWS standard in their development as a
minimum requirement. The other thing he is always asked is what the difference is between the
yellow fire hydrants and the brown ones. The yellow ones belong to DWS and the brown ones are
private hydrants on a master meter, and they belong to the HOA. DWS does not service those fire
hydrants.
Mr. De Luz called for the vote.
ACTION: Motion was carried unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz,
Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and
Chairperson Boswell).
B. DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY PROPOSED TABLE OF ORGANIZATION:
The Department recognizes the need to revise and update its current table of organization to align with
current needs and future goals. As such, the Department proposes the following revision:
1) ADD WATER OPERATIONS SUPERINTENDENT — OPERATIONS DIVISION:
The Department proposes to amend its Table of Organization (TO), Position Organization Chart,
to add a Water Operations Superintendent position in the Operations Division. The proposed
Water Operations Superintendent would report directly to the Chief of Operations, and the
Superintendent would supervise the daily activities of the Field, Plant, and Building Maintenance
sections in Districts I (Hilo), 11 (Waimea), III (Kona), and IV (Ka`u).
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This proposed position will help the Department achieve its Strategic Vision and daily Mission of
providing an adequate and continuous supply of safe drinking water. This position will provide a
career progression opportunity within the Operations Division.
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Water Board approve the proposed revision to
the Table of Organization.
MOTION: Mr. Sugai moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Ms. Howard.
The Manager -Chief Engineer provided some background. How it works with government positions is
you typically have a class specification and position description. Class specification is like it sounds.
It is a specification for a class of work to try to be as consistent as possible, statewide and not just
countywide because the unions that operate within the State of Hawaii cover all of the counties as
well as the State of Hawaii. The position descriptions get a little more specific in detail as they relate
to different organizations, departments, etc. A superintendent position is nothing new. It exists
within other departments within the County as well as within state agencies. The thoughts behind this
are several. Recruitment is continuing to be a challenge. From his understanding, it is not only in
government, but also in the private sector. Typically, what the Department of Water Supply does is it
creates positions to provide opportunities and flexibility for the Department to be able to recruit
within either a series or within different divisions. Sometimes the resources out there are just not
available. Over the past couple of years, the Department has had a challenge filling its Chief of
Operations position, and there are reasons for that. That class requires a bachelor's degree from an
accredited university or college; and up until recently, DWS required a professional engineering
license on top of that. This class has been very difficult to find in the State, and even more in the
County of Hawaii, and the Department wanted to provide some opportunity to have oversight of its
Operations Division via a superintendent position. The Department utilized the class specification
from other departments within the county and came up with a position description that is currently
going through the County Department of Human Resources for their review and vetting. The other
part to this is it provides an opportunity for some of the Department's field or plant personnel, who
have gone up through the system, an opportunity for a promotion because none of them currently meet
the qualifications to become the actual Chief of Operations, but they could become the superintendent.
The Board may be wondering why the Department is trying to find a Chief of Operations, and he took
this opportunity to announce that the current Chief of Operations, Ms. Judith Hayducsko, is resigning
after today. She will be taking on a leadership role at the Kauai Department of Water. She will still
be in the industry but just not with this Department. He took this time to thank her for the years of
great service with this Department but she has chosen to explore and take advantage of this other
opportunity. He asked if she might like to make a few comments.
Ms. Hayducsko stated that it will be hard to leave her friends and work family here and wished
everyone well. She is just a phone call away, and the water departments are closely related so she
may be seeing Board and staff at water conferences if they are ever allowed again in the future. This
was a very hard decision for her because she has enjoyed working with everyone in this Department
and loved serving the customers on this island.
The Board Members thanked Ms. Hayducsko for her years of service and wished her well.
Mr. De Luz mentioned that this brings up another issue that was touched upon. It seems,
operationally, that the Department is adapting with this by pushing out that responsibility closer to the
work on the ground, which is great. With that being said, this is a tremendous opportunity and
perhaps it needs to be looked at and worked out with the County HR, but he recalled back in the mid
to late 90's, there was a differential in pay for some of these types of positions. He recalled the
Page 6 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
Planning Department and the Department of Public Works having problems retaining their
Professional Engineers (P.E.'s) and Planners because they were going to the private sector. Perhaps
consultation with County HR can see if that creates an opportunity in regard to policy or precedence
to help the Department address some of the shortcomings with key positions. Unfortunately, within
the industry in general, P.E.'s or people of that caliber are in extremely short supply. Hopefully, this
will help create a buffer because one of the challenges he sees with the Chief of Operations is the bulk
of what the public intertwines with is within the district in regard to concerns or issues. For
administrative and engineering services, although upper management has the capacity to step in if
needed, the work chart may need to be reviewed to see where there are supplementals (supervisory) in
regard to matters where the Chief of Operations is split in its day-to-day administrative duties and
engineering. With the differential, there is a bit of a situation that may take reinventing the wheel.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated that the Department has been in continual contact with the
County Department of Human Resources throughout this process. For the Board's information, this is
one particular action that is being brought forward at this time because Ms. Hayducsko is leaving after
today. They have been evaluating the overall table of organization to see if there are ways to either
improve efficiency or provide flexibility for recruitment in today's market. The Department needs to
stay within the classes that are established at the State level and cannot do something different for
Water Supply than the Department of Public Works, the Department of Environmental Management,
State agencies, or other county agencies. It puts limits on the Department. Going back to the shortage
differential, that applied to the Civil Engineering class and that was statewide. He believed it is still in
place to a certain degree. If you look at the County of Hawaii job opportunities website, there are
numerous positions on continuous recruitment and basically what that means is it was open for a
period of time; and after that period of time closes, applicants are processed, vetted by the County HR
department, and the names are provided to the departments to conduct interviews. When it is
continuous recruitment, that means either nobody is applying for that position or maybe one or two
might trickle in and departments may interview them if they meet the minimum qualifications. The
fact that there is continual recruitment indicates where things are today as far as human resources in
the county. Also taking that into consideration, the Department has these positions but that does not
necessarily mean they are all filled. The Department has maintained about 165 employees for the past
10 to 12 years. People retire and positions are filled. Most of the employees stay with the
Department until they retire. There are a few that might choose to go off to different departments; but
usually, the loss of employees at DWS is due to retirements. There is no intention to balloon the
Department; but typically, what a superintendent is, like Mr. De Luz mentioned, is an employee who
is closer to the boots on the ground and has probably come up through the ranks. They know what it
takes to repair a broken water main or what it takes to fix a motor or get some electrical equipment
into the control buildings. The Chief of Operations needs to be at the higher level, more
administratively, having the big picture, and in line with management, administration, and the
direction of the Board. The superintendent is envisioned as being someone to oversee the boots on the
ground in all four district offices. The Chief of Operations position is currently open for recruitment.
In the meantime, if the Department can move forward with this superintendent position and if there is
no success filling the Chief of Operations position and has better success in filling the superintendent
position, at least there will be oversight of the Operations Division which will take the burden off
management to a great extent. The Department will probably be coming back to the Board in a few
months with a possible overall revision to the Table of Organization.
Mr. Ney asked who the interim Operations person will be once Ms. Hayducsko leaves.
The Manager -Chief Engineer introduced Mr. William O'Neil, Water Service District Supervisor II,
for the Waimea district. William will be temporarily assigned. His normal day-to-day position is the
district supervisor for the Waimea office. He added that Waimea is the one district that has pretty
Page 7 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
much all of the different components of a water system infrastructure. Aside from pipes, pumps, and
motors, it has the water treatment plant and corrosion control, which is water quality related. His
district has everything this Department operates and maintains, which is different from the other
districts and the reason he has been chosen to be temporarily assigned to the Chief of Operations in
Ms. Hayducsko's absence.
Mr. Ney stated he would like to see some of the requirements relaxed in terms of movement amongst
the ranks because sometimes the educational system is a little bit of a racket where you have people
that have certain degrees to hold positions; but if a person is competent and can do the job, he felt that
it might help, not only with recruitment, but with retention of employees if there is incentive. You
read sometimes about someone coming from being a janitor to being the CEO of a large company.
People can gain the experience over time.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated that is what the Department is trying to do within the boundaries
of the system.
Mr. Hirakami called for the question.
ACTION: Motion was carried unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz,
Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and
Chairperson Boswell).
C. WATER HAULING BID NO. 2021-01, PRICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE WATER
HAULING SERVICES TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS ISLANDWIDE (ON AN AS -NEEDED
BASIS) FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY:
Bids were opened on May 6, 2021, at 1:30 p.m., and the following are the bid results:
1. Carnor Sumida dba ACR Water Hauling, Inc.
3,750- and 5,000 -gallon water hauling trucks (price for all districts):
Regular Hours $103.28/hour
Overtime Hours $117.48/hour
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Board approve the price agreement for WATER
HAULING BID NO. 2021-01, PRICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE WATER HAULING
SERVICES TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS ISLANDWIDE (ON AN AS -NEEDED BASIS) FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY, to Carnor Sumida dba ACR Water Hauling, Inc., at the
prices listed above, and that either the Chairperson or the Vice -Chairperson be authorized to sign the
contract(s), subject to review as to form and legality of the contract(s) by Corporation Counsel. The
price agreement shall be from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2023.
MOTION: Mr. Ney moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Ms. Howard.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated this is the Department's yearly bid to get water hauling services,
which are utilized in an emergency situation where water needs to be hauled to fill up a tank because
of a pump outage or cases such as lava flows or earthquakes where damage assessments are needed on
a particular asset. Another use would be if a small community experiences a water outage. A water
tanker with hose bibbs will be made available for residents to fill up containers, if necessary.
Mr. Hirakami asked how hourly contracting is justified, for example, what happens if the truck breaks
down or if they take the wrong route. He could see it being by volume and hauling "X" amount of
water; but he recalled his experience during two outages in the Keauohana Well, which he lives across
Page 8 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
the street from. ACR was contracted for water hauling almost 24 -hours around the clock. He noticed
that at certain points, they were [trimming] it and there were three trucks lined up. The truck pumping
into the tank was overflowing, and water was coming across the street. He asked them what they
were doing, and they answered they were contracted to fill it no matter what. He wondered if there
was any kind of provision that could be in the contract for just hourly work or some kind of clause to
prevent waste. He witnessed it two times; during the lava flow and after Hurricane Iselle.
The Manager -Chief Engineer thanked Mr. Hirakami for bringing this to the Department's attention.
He was not aware it was happening, and it is quite disappointing. Water haulers are regulated by the
Public Utilities Commission, but he did not know if there are other means to administer the contract
based on delivery. The challenge is there are not many water haulers that are certified to do business
with DWS. He thought this is the only fair way, if they are expected to go the distance from their
baseyard in Shipman to such areas as Pa`auilo, Kea`au, or Pahoa. That is probably why it is based on
an hourly rate. There needs to be a way to monitor and track what they are doing so they are not
wasting water or abusing the timeframe. He asked Ms. Hayducsko if she had any other comments.
Ms. Hayducsko explained that the well and tanks in Kalapana are set up such that the upper tank, the
one Mr. Hirakami might be near, is at a smaller size than the tank at the bottom. As the upper tank
fills, it can completely drain to fill the bottom tank. There is generally a phasing that occurs so that
water is available for the customers at the upper part of the water system and at the bottom elevation.
It may have been a timing issue. It would be a good idea to call the Department's trouble line if this is
noticed in the future and the Department can try to address those issues and move water into another
area. Typically, there will be multiple trucks when trying to fill a tank that has been empty and it
takes a while to do it. Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it does not.
Mr. Ney thought there should be some oversight for potential abuse. He did not think they are on an
hourly rate if you look at the cost of fuel, employees, and maintenance of trucks. He did not see the
rate as being outrageous, especially with anticipated rising fuel costs, and should probably be locked
in.
Mr. De Luz mentioned the Department's water loss management program where trucking of water
was identified as an area where the gap needs to be closed and to understand where that water loss
potentially was. He believed the matter came up during the Pa`auilo Well outage a couple of years
ago. Perhaps there is a way to manage how much water is being pumped into the tanks and how
much is unloaded into the tank until it reaches full. It might be an opportunity to close that gap and
have a better understanding of where the water loss occurred. The meter would record how many
gallons go into the tankers; and upon disbursement, they could verify if it was pumped into the tank.
There could be some process to identify at what point the system is having an issue, for example,
water is being pumped into the tank at a time when there is no peak demand.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated that those are factors that go into the water loss management
evaluation. There is no exact science to this but what can at least be done is communicate with the
owner of ACR Water Hauling to have its operations not waste water, even if the person has to sit there
a little longer and let the tank level drain down some before they start filling up the tank and not to fill
it so it is overflowing. He added, for the Board's information, that he confirmed with staff that the
prices in this bid are the same as they have been over the past several years.
Ms. Howard suggested addressing, in the contract, a provision saying they are to exercise good
judgment and not waste water.
The Manager -Chief Engineer thanked Ms. Howard for that suggestion.
Page 9 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
Mr. Ney asked if the tanks have a low water level alarm to alert personnel if the water level is getting
low or a way to monitor the tank remotely.
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied that, unfortunately, some are and some are not. The system in
Kalapana is not one of them. He joked that the Department's water level indicator is Mr. Hirakami. It
would be nice to have everything on a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system,
but the Department has just not gotten there yet.
Mr. Ney mentioned that technology is getting amazing. He just installed a monitoring flood
prevention system for a client where they can see, from their smart phone, their water use, per gallon,
in real time. If the Department could deploy something within a reasonable cost, he would like that
looked at.
The Manager -Chief Engineer thanked everyone for their comments today.
ACTION: Motion was carried unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz,
Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and
Chairperson Boswell).
D. MATERIAL BID NO. 2021-02, FURNISH BASE COURSE, SAND, COLD MIX, HOT MIX,
AND NO. 3F ROCK TO THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY:
Bids were opened on May 6, 2021, at 2:30 p.m., and the following are the bid results:
Page 10 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
WHC Ltd.
Grace
Jas. W.
Puna Rock
dba West
Yamada &
Pacific,
Glover,
Company
Hawaii
Sons, Inc.
LLC
Ltd.
Limited
Concrete
DISTRICT I:
IA.
3/4 -Inch Base Course
No Bid
$19.69
$17.25
Non-
$23.60
Cost per ton
Responsive
113.
11/i -inch Base Course
No Bid
$18.60
$16.25
$23.05
Cost oer ton
1C.
No. 3F Rock
No Bid
$31.72
$20.15
$28.30
Cost per ton
1D.
#4 Sand (Cost per ton)
No Bid
$42.65
$39.50
$55.50
1E.
Mortar Sand - ASTM
No Bid
$67.81
No Bid
No Bid
C144 Cost per ton)
1F.
Cold Mix -
ASTM D4215-87
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
$149.80
Cost per ton
1G.
Blended Material 60% #4
Sand and 40% No. 3F
No Bid
$53.60
$24.60
No Bid
Rock Cost per ton)
1H.
Hot Mix - County Mix
No Bid
$142.00
No Bid
$137.35
IV (Cost per ton)
DISTRICT IL•
2A.
3/4 -Inch Base Course
Non-
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
(Cost per ton)
Responsive
2B.
11/ -Inch Base Course
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
Cost per ton)
Page 10 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Board approve the contract for MATERIAL BID
NO. 2021-02, FURNISH BASE COURSE, SAND, COLD MIX, HOT MIX, AND NO. 3F ROCK TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY, by Parts to the following for the amounts shown above,
and that either the Chairperson or the Vice -Chairperson be authorized to sign the contract(s), subject
to review as to form and legality of the contract(s) by Corporation Counsel. The price agreement shall
be from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.
District I - Parts IA, 113, 1 C, 1D, and 1G to Puna Rock Company, Limited
- Part IE to Jas. W. Glover, Ltd.
- Parts 1F and 1H to Yamada & Sons, Inc.
District III - Parts 3F and 3G to Grace Pacific, LLC
For Parts 2A, 2B, 2C, 21), 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 3E, where no bids were received, staff
will seek alternative procurement per Hawaii Administrative Rules §3-122-35 to secure pricing in the
best interests of the Department.
MOTION: Ms. Howard moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Mr. De Luz.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated that this is the Department's annual material bid for use in its
day-to-day operations. For parts where bids are not received, the Hawaii Revised Statutes provide
the option of direct negotiations with the non-responsive bidder but not with those who did not submit
a bid. The non-responsive bidder failed to submit their actual proposal with the bid. The Department
Page 11 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
WHC Ltd.
Grace
Jas. W.
Puna Rock
dba West
Yamada &
Pacific,
Glover
Company
P
Hawaii
Sons, Inc.
LLC
Ltd.
Limited
Concrete
2C,
No. 3F Rock
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
Cost oer ton
21).
94 Sand (Cost per ton)
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
2E.
Mortar Sand - ASTM
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
"
No Bid
C144 Cost per ton)
2F.
Cold Mix - ASTM
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
"
No Bid
D4215-87 Cost per ton
2G.
Blended Material 60% #4
Sand and 40% No. 3F
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
"
No Bid
Rock Cost per ton
DISTRICT III:
3A.
3/4 -Inch Base Course
Non-
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
Cost per ton)
Responsive
3B.
11/2 -Inch Base Course
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
TVNo
Bid
(Cost per ton)
3C.
No, 3F Rock
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
Cost ner ton)
3D.
94 Sand (Cost per ton)
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
3E.
Mortar Sand - ASTM
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
No Bid
C144 Cost er ton
3F.
Cold Mix - ASTM
$157.55
No Bid
No Bid
"
No Bid
D4215 -87(C st er ton
3G.
Blended Material 60% #4
Sand and 40% No. 3F
$163.55
No Bid
No Bid
"
No Bid
Rock (Cost per ton)
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Board approve the contract for MATERIAL BID
NO. 2021-02, FURNISH BASE COURSE, SAND, COLD MIX, HOT MIX, AND NO. 3F ROCK TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY, by Parts to the following for the amounts shown above,
and that either the Chairperson or the Vice -Chairperson be authorized to sign the contract(s), subject
to review as to form and legality of the contract(s) by Corporation Counsel. The price agreement shall
be from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.
District I - Parts IA, 113, 1 C, 1D, and 1G to Puna Rock Company, Limited
- Part IE to Jas. W. Glover, Ltd.
- Parts 1F and 1H to Yamada & Sons, Inc.
District III - Parts 3F and 3G to Grace Pacific, LLC
For Parts 2A, 2B, 2C, 21), 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and 3E, where no bids were received, staff
will seek alternative procurement per Hawaii Administrative Rules §3-122-35 to secure pricing in the
best interests of the Department.
MOTION: Ms. Howard moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Mr. De Luz.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated that this is the Department's annual material bid for use in its
day-to-day operations. For parts where bids are not received, the Hawaii Revised Statutes provide
the option of direct negotiations with the non-responsive bidder but not with those who did not submit
a bid. The non-responsive bidder failed to submit their actual proposal with the bid. The Department
Page 11 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
has historic prices on this to help determine if prices are fair and reasonable, taking inflation into
account.
ACTION: Motion was carried unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz,
Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and
Chairperson Boswell).
E. RESOLUTION NO. 2021-01, APPROVING RECEIPT AND EXPENDITURE OF MONIES
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
FUNDED BY THE DRINKING WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND (DWSRF); AND
AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER -CHIEF ENGINEER OR DEPUTY TO REDUCE,
REPLACE, AND ALLOCATE UP TO $25,000,000.00 IN MONIES FOR SAID PROJECTS, IN
THE FORM OF A LOAN AGREEMENT OR GRANT BETWEEN THE STATE OF HAWAII
AND DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY, COUNTY OF HAWAII:
DWS is submitting a loan application to fund Capital Improvement Projects with the Drinking Water
State Revolving Funds (DWSRF). One of the prerequisites for the loan is a Resolution approved by
the Water Board. This Resolution authorizes the Manager -Chief Engineer or the Deputy to execute
loans and/or grants with the State Department of Health for up to $25,000,000.00.
The Manager -Chief Engineer recommended that the Water Board adopt DRINKING WATER
STATE REVOLVING FUND RESOLUTION NO. 2021-01, subject to the approval of
Corporation Counsel.
MOTION: Mr. Ney moved for approval of the recommendation; seconded by Ms. Howard.
The Manager -Chief Engineer explained that this is basically a pre -requisite for the Department to
continue utilizing the State Revolving Fund Loan Program, which is administered through the State of
Hawai `i, Department of Health (DOH). The DOH is provided money through the federal
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some of this is tied to President Biden's American Jobs
Plan to continue to feed money into the EPA to provide for the various states' revolving fund loan
programs in both safe drinking water and waste water. The State DOH requires DWS to have this
Resolution in place before DWS can even start to apply or put in projects to take advantage of this
funding program. Staff has done the evaluation of projects that could be potentially utilized in
coordination with the DOH and has come up with $25 million as a good round number to work into
the Resolution to apply for projects that will cumulatively add up to that amount. It is not to say DWS
will utilize the full $25 million; but basically, that is the amount this Resolution will allow DWS to
apply for.
Mr. Ney asked if this is a loan or grant or a hybrid of the two.
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied it is a hybrid. It is a low-interest loan at very good rates, as
discussed in the past. The interest rate goes into paying for the administrative cost to run the program.
The principle is paid back to the State and they, in turn, put that in another pool of money where they
can continue to lend out to other entities, including this Department, to do further future projects. He
hopes some of the funds coming from the federal government this year through the American Jobs
Plan will result in more grants. Terminology -wise, it is called a principle -forgiveness loan; not a
grant.
Mr. Ney asked if this Department would be competing against the other counties for these funds. If
so, it would be good to get the Department's name in the hat for this money.
Page 12 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied that is correct, and this Department has been using the program
for over 20 years and is very familiar with it and the personnel at DOH. It works well and is one of
the better funding opportunities.
Mr. Hirakami understood how the funds could be reduced but did not understand "replace." He asked
what it would be replaced with. In other words, what funds would be used to replace any monies in
this $25 million.
The Manager -Chief Engineer explained that this is a revolving fund loan where you basically pay
back into the program. That would be what he thinks is meant by "replace." How it is done is the
Department pays a contractor up front, for example: a $1 million contract; they submit progress
payment requests on a monthly basis, say $100,000.00. The Department pays that $100,000.00 to the
contractor. As long as the Department has an active application that has been approved by the State,
the Department can ask for reimbursement to replenish the funds it paid out. He asked Ms. Gray if
there was anything to add.
Ms. Gray added that on the last State Revolving Fund loan agreement, the interest rate was .75%,
along with a loan fee rate of 1%. They are really low rates for funding for projects.
Mr. Ney asked if there is always a guarantee that the Department will be reimbursed by the State.
Ms. Gray replied that the Department tries to have the funding in place earlier instead of going back
and applying for reimbursement.
The Manager -Chief Engineer stated that it is not a process without structure. Each year the
Department has to submit a list of projects to the Department of Health for consideration because
there is criteria to qualify for this funding. They have what is called an intended use plan. It is a list
of projects that the Department submits and is approved in advance. There is no specific application
with the State yet, but there will be a list of projects that the Department will schedule and go back to
the State for a formal application. There is also another mechanism that allows several smaller
projects to be consolidated into one bigger funding allotment, called programmatic financing.
ACTION: Motion was carried unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz,
Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and
Chairperson Boswell).
F. MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT:
Mr. Inaba showed the Board some photos of the progress on the Hala`ula Well Development, Phase 2,
project. This project is the well and reservoir, along with about two miles of pipeline and several
service lateral replacements. The highway pipeline has been installed, and four of the five tank walls
have been poured. Columns for the roof support are being poured.
Mr. Ney noted this project is in his district and asked what the window of time would be between
leaving the existing infrastructure and having the new line pressurized, in case he is asked by people
in the district.
Mr. Inaba replied that it will be at least a couple of months; but the Department will have a better idea
after the first week or so on and how many customer connections the contractor can do in a day.
Page 13 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
There may be some situations where it would require "chasing" the customer line to find a good
enough section of it to connect to.
Mr. Ney had a feeling there may be issues as there was an incident where a UPS vehicle ran over a
meter and it was not repairable. The waterline all the way up to the house had to be redone. He
wondered if Goodfellow Bros., Inc., is prepared to absorb that cost, if it would be them paying it.
Mr. Inaba replied that Goodfellow Bros., Inc., is prepared to do all of that. The conditions will have
to be looked at to see if they will need more time.
Mr. Ney suggested the Department having some kind of release where it will not be assuming
responsibility for the customers' line for the next five to ten years so it does not have this come back
on the Department in the future.
Mr. Inaba replied that the Department does have everything up to current standard and does its best
with the tie-in with materials that will fit the customer side and not have any issues with corrosion.
G. REVIEW OF MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
No questions.
H. MANAGER -CHIEF ENGINEER'S REPORT:
The Manager -Chief Engineer provided an update on the following:
1. North Kona Wells — the Deputy provided an update on the North Kona Wells. Of the fourteen
wells in the North Kona system, eight are online and six are offline, with an asterisk. He gave
kudos to staff who continue to ensure the customer's water needs are met by adjusting the system
as necessary. For the six wells that are offline, Kahalu`u B is repaired but is not in use at this time
(thus the asterisk). Kalaoa Well - the contractor is working on the pump and motor installation
with anticipated start-up in early- to mid-June. Palani Well - the pump and motor are expected on
island around mid-June with installation thereafter. Wai`aha Well is on litigative hold.
Keahuolu Well - the replacement motor was received mid-May and the contractor is working on
installation this week with anticipated start-up of early June. Makalei Well - staff continues to
work with the developer on their timeframe of bidding out their repairs. Chairperson Boswell
commented that it looks promising to have three of the wells coming back online soon and will be
a nice percentage to get into.
2. COVID-19 Update — the Manager -Chief Engineer reported on several major milestones the
Department is moving forward with. As mentioned at the last Board Meeting, there is an
emergency rental assistance program available and, as the Board suggested, the Department
placed an advertisement in the May 16 newspapers. Also, notes were included in every water bill
about the program and a direct mailout to the delinquent customers was done, highlighting this
opportunity. Starting June 1, the Department plans to allow people to come in person without
having to make an appointment. After continuing to track the level of new COVID-19 cases and
the amount of vaccinations happening in this County overall, this County is in a good place. The
Department's district offices that manage walk-in services have almost been operating without
appointment already. The most challenging location is the main office in Hilo because of the
layout of the office. There are three wings, with a central lobby, large sliding glass doors, and a
covered walkway. Staff had to come up with a plan using delineators and signage to direct
people. This week, it will be tried to see if there are any kinks that need to be worked out and will
open it up for people to in June. The hope is that everyone has been well trained at other locations
Page 14 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
on the proper protocols of face mask wearing, staying home if feeling ill, etc., and he is confident
this transition will go well. Again, due to the great work of staff in following the protocols, the
Department continues not to have any positive COVID-19 cases in the workplace. Another item
of note is that the Department is following the electrical utility as far as beginning to advise its
delinquent customers that they may be subject to shut-off if they do not pay their bills. They will
be given additional time and not cut off on the spot. First will be to send additional notification
that they need to come current on their bill or at least get in touch with the Department to come up
with some kind of payment arrangement; otherwise if it cannot be resolved, it may lead to
shut-off. The Department wants to be empathetic; but at the same time, be fiscally responsible.
As long as they can pay something on a regular basis, the Department will not shut them off.
Mr. De Luz suggested to Ms. Gray that, if possible, a doubtful account on the balance sheet be set
up for liabilities. The reason for his suggestion is to plan for assistance in regard to these items.
For example, the Department is coming up with a rate study and he wondered, although it seems
that the Department is recovering in regard to its inflow/revenue, there is a 1.7% decrease in
gallons sold that should be considered within the rate review, and perhaps some type of reserve
where people could apply for hardship purposes. As much as he would hate to see a rate increase,
it might be good to consider looking at understanding how to self-help within the community in
that regard. It seems, other than the construction in aid, the cash position is actually improving.
The Department has done an excellent job in managing its cash; but perhaps there might be an
ability to assist. Essentially, you take from the fund, debit the delinquency, and credit the
account.
Ms. Gray stated that is something to take into consideration with the rates.
The Manager -Chief Engineer thanked the Board and welcomes comments such as this.
Department General Information Presentation — the Manager -Chief Engineer did an informal
presentation for the benefit of the new Board Members, as well as the rest of the Board:
• Mission Statement - "Provide customers with an adequate and continuous supply of safe
drinking water in a financially responsible manner, comply with all relevant standards, and
assist and facilitate development of water systems in areas not currently served." The Motto
is "Water, Our Most Precious Resource ... Ka Wai A Kane."
• There are 23 separate water systems. Some of them are interconnected and may be just
separated by a closed valve. The water systems are regulated by the Department of Health.
The Department serves approximately 45,000 customers, which is an estimate of about
121,000 of the island's population. Personnel staffing level of about 165, maintained over the
past 10 to 12 years. The average daily water consumption is 25 million gallons a day. The
Department has almost 1,300 miles of pipeline, 75 different sources across the island, and
about 200 storage tanks. Current operating budget proposed for Fiscal Year 2022 is
$54.9 million, which is a 1% decrease from the current fiscal year budget of $55.4 million.
The different water system components are source, storage, and transmission. Source is in the
form of wells, springs, tunnel, and surface water. Primarily wells are used in the systems. On
the Hamakua side, there are several springs still being utilized. Waimea has the Department's
only surface source. The Department's jurisdiction ends at the water meter, and it is a source
of measuring what is provided to the customers and is basically the source of information
utilized for the billing, the Department's revenue base. He asked if there were any questions.
Mr. Hirakami mentioned the Department's mission of providing more service to underserved
areas and sees a large void in Puna in areas like Orchidland, Hawaiian Acres, and Paradise Park.
Because there is so much land available and so much rainfall, he wondered if there could be
Page 15 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
something like the system in Waimea --a surface water combined with treatment, storage, and
distribution. He wondered if that would be feasible for Puna, the district he represents on the
Board.
The Manager -Chief Engineer replied that a lot of things are possible now, and membrane
filtration has come a long way in efficiency and cost effectiveness. A lot of the challenge faced is
with land acquisition. Part of a surface water system requires where the water comes from. In
Waimea, streams feed the treatment plant. A surface water system without stream intakes would
require some kind of roof area, like catchment, to get the water into a storage reservoir prior to
treatment and then into the distribution system. The wells in Puna are very effective because they
are a lower lift than the Kona wells and require less power demand. The footprint of a well is
smaller than a large catchment system. The Department is looking to see if there are other
potential mechanisms besides the Council Improvement District to extend water infrastructure but
has not found anything yet. There has been talk in the community about using some of the 428
FEMA funds, but that is being coordinated with the current Administration. If something like that
is done, it has to be for the overall benefit of the community. Expanding and extending water
systems is usually the Department's most fiscally challenging subjects.
Mr. Bell thanked the Manager -Chief Engineer for the presentation. He found it very interesting.
The Manager -Chief Engineer invited the Board Members to email any questions they may have.
4. Department of Water Supply Energy Report — Mr. Ching covered his energy report. The total
power costs for the first quarter of 2021 were almost $3.8 million, which was down 13.4% from
the same quarter of 2020. Compared to the previous quarter, it was down about 8.2%. The
Department has 158 HELCO accounts, which has not changed from the last quarter. HELCO's
energy rate for the first quarter of 2021 was about 27.2 cents per kilowatt hour, down 12.2% from
the same quarter of 2020; and compared to the previous quarter, was up about 2.1 %. The demand
rate for the first quarter of 2021 was $20.50 per kilowatt, which is up 1.9% from the same quarter
of 2020; and compared to the previous quarter, it was up .6%. The Power Cost Charge (PCC),
which is at $1.71 per thousand gallons, last adjusted December 1, 2020, will be adjusted
beginning next month to $1.85 per thousand gallons. Getting into some energy redundancy for
2021, the hurricane season is upon us. The Department relies on the electric utility to power all of
its sources to some degree. The Department has emergency generators stationed at the Hilo
Baseyard and at the Treatment Plant in Waimea, and then there are portable generators, either
trailers or in a manufacturer prebuilt outdoor enclosure on a trailer. There are a total of 12 around
the island, staged at what are thought to be critical sites for water use. The Department has been
installing transfer switches and is currently working on the Honok6hau Well Site. Just completed
were Keonepoko Nui, Pana`ewa, and Pi`ihonua No. 3. These transfer switches were put in with
the help of FEMA and HIEMA (Hawai`i Emergency Management Agency). They have a grant
program that the Department was lucky to be a part of. They are helping fund the 75% to the
Department's match of 25%. These transfer switches will enable the Department to transfer
power to the generators quicker and are a good asset to energy redundancy. Ongoing power cost
savings projects are a solar PV system at the baseyards and offices at five locations. Work is
ongoing at the Waimea and Kona baseyards. The project is anticipated to be finished the end of
this year. The next project is the Air Conditioning Equipment Replacement. Construction has
been completed, and there are some minor punchlist items to complete. The Leak Detection
Loggers for 2021 have been deployed. There are 200 new loggers which were purchased with the
help of Hawaii Energy. The Hawaii Energy rebate is being processed. Pi`ihonua #3 Booster
Replacement is another aging infrastructure that will be replaced. Notice to Proceed is next
month for the project. In response to the Manager -Chief Engineer's question of the amount of
Page 16 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
reimbursement expected for the loggers, Mr. Ching replied it should be in the order of around
$80,000.00, half the amount of the loggers and half the amount of the battery kits that were
received to replace batteries that have since gone out for older loggers.
Mr. Hirakami asked if it could be checked if Air Conditioning Equipment Replacement is covered
under the federal Cares Funds. He mentioned his experience recently they received almost half a
million dollars under one of the priorities to create clean air systems. This was for the Department
of Education, but there might be some general money specifically targeted toward creating cleaner
air in offices.
Mr. Ching replied it was something to look into. He is also planning to get a Hawaii Energy
rebate under that project.
Mr. Ney asked who the Department uses for electrical engineering (consultant) when doing a
project or reviewing systems to get a second opinion on how to save money.
Mr. Ching replied that the Department had Mr. Steve Bolles from Process Engineering Services
do an energy report back in 2015, and the Department has been working on knocking things off
that list. An overall energy report or update to this may be a good idea.
Mr. Ney thought someone with expertise in the field may have details on reconfiguring the
electrical and wiring on facilities for more savings.
4. Retiree of the Department of Water Supply — the Manager -Chief Engineer announced that
Mr. Inaba has one retiree in his division. Mr. Inaba announced that Mr. Oren Tsunezumi of the
Department's Water Quality Branch is retiring at the end of this month. He is not able to join in
on the Board Meeting today. Oren started with the Department in 1989 as a Clerk Meter Reader.
In 1994, he became a Customer Service Representative; and in 1997, he joined the Engineering
Division at the Microlab as a lab technician. He worked his way up from Laboratory Technician I
to Laboratory Technician 11, and then to Water Microbiologist 1. Since 2018, he has been in the
Water Microbiologist 11 position. As the Manager -Chief Engineer mentioned earlier, a lot of the
positions are career positions or series; and when there are retirees such as Oren, it is a big loss.
To say what kind of person he is, he is very quiet but very efficient and effective. He has been the
"go to guy" where at the end of the day, if someone needs to go to the outer districts to collect a
sample, it has been Oren who will drive to Kohala, Kona, or Hawaiian Ocean View Estates.
Recently, the Department hired three positions within that branch; and Oren has set a good
example for the new hires. He may have stayed on a little longer than he needed to, helping out
with the new hires, and he is comfortable retiring at this point. He made 32 years this month with
zero sick leave for all 32 years. He will definitely be missed and he is much appreciated. An
addition to the retirees is a retiree for last year who wished to retire quietly, from the same Water
Quality Branch and was very instrumental to the lab. That is two people in two months.
1. EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING CIVIL NO. 3CCV-20-0000132:
The Board anticipates convening an executive meeting, closed to the public, for the purpose of
consulting with the board's attorney on questions and issues pertaining to the board's powers,
duties, privileges, immunities and liabilities relative to Civil No. 3CCV-20-0000132, as authorized by
Hawaii Revised Statutes ("HRS"), Sections 92-4 and 92-5(a)(4). A two-thirds vote of the members
present, pursuant to HRS Section 92-4, is necessary to hold an executive meeting, provided that the
affirmative vote constitutes a majority of the board.
Page 17 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes
ACTION: Ms. Howard moved that the Board enter into Executive Session for the purpose of
consulting with the board's attorney on questions and issues pertaining to the board's powers,
duties, privileges, immunities and liabilities relative to Civil No. 3CCV-20-0000132, as authorized by
Hawaii Revised Statutes ("HRS"), Sections 92-4 and 92-5(a)(4); seconded by Mr. Ney and carried
unanimously by roll call vote (Ayes: 9 - Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz, Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard,
Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney, Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and Chairperson Boswell.)
(Executive Session began at 11:00 a.m. and ended at 11:28 a.m.)
J. CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT:
1. Chairperson Boswell did not make a report and moved into announcements.
8) ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Next Meeting: - June 22, 2021, 10:00 a.m., via Web Conferencing
9) ADJOURNMENT
ACTION: Mr. De Luz moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Ms. Howard and carried by roll call
vote (Ayes: 9 — Mr. Bell, Mr. De Luz, Mr. Hirakami, Ms. Howard, Ms. Hugo, Mr. Ney,
Mr. Scicchitano, Mr. Sugai, and Chairperson Boswell).
(Meeting adjourned at 12:34 p.m.)
Recording Secretary
APPROVED BY WATER BOARD
JUNE 22, 2021
Page 18 of 18 May 25, 2021, Water Board Minutes