HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-08-23 Water Board Public Hearing on the Proposed New Cost of Power Adjustment Clause MINUTES
WATER BOARD PUBLIC HEARING ON THE
PROPOSED NEW COST OF POWER ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE
August 23,2022
West Hawaii Civic Center, Room B2, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona,HI
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. David De Luz,Jr., Chairperson
Mr. Michael Bell
Ms. Julie Hugo
Ms. Kea Keolanui(9:46 a.m.)
Mr. Stephen "Kawena"Lopez
Mr. Benjamin Ney
Mr. Keith K. Okamoto,Manager-Chief Engineer,
Department of Water Supply(ex-officio member)
ABSENT: Mr. Steven Hirakami,Vice-Chairperson
Mr. Pono Kekela,Water Board Member
Mr. Kenneth Sugai, Water Board Member
Director,Planning Department(ex-officio member)
Director, Department of Public Works (ex-officio member)
OTHERS PRESENT: Ms. Diana Mellon-Lacey,Deputy Corporation Counsel
Mr. Sinclair Salas-Ferguson, Deputy Corporation Counsel
DEPARTMENT OF
WATER SUPPLY STAFF: Mr. Kawika Uyehara, Deputy
Mr. Kurt Inaba, Engineering Division Head
Ms. Candace Gray,Waterworks Controller
Mr. Gregory Goodale, Chief of Operations
Mr. Eric Takamoto, Operations Division
Mr.Warren Ching,Energy Management Specialist
Mr.William O'Neil, Jr.,Water Service District Supervisor II, DWS Waimea
Ms. Kathleen Isherwood,Water Service Program Supervisor
Mr. Alvin Inouye,Water Plant Electrical/Electronic Equipment Repairer II
(Chairperson De Luz called the Public Hearing to order at 9:45 a.m.)
CHAIRPERSON DE LUZ: Good morning. Will the public hearing of the Water Board on the proposed new
cost of Power Adjustment Clause please come to order. I am David De Luz,Jr.,
Chairperson of the Water Board; and I'll have the members of the Board and staff
introduce themselves. Well start with the Board please, off to my right.
S. LOPEZ: Steve Lopez,District 8.
J. HUGO: Julie Hugo. I think I'm District I or 2,Hilo.
B. NEY: Benjamin Ney,District 9.
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M. BELL: Michael Bell,District 7.
CHAIRPERSON DE LUZ: And if we could do staff,please?
MANAGER-CHIEF ENG.: Keith Okamoto,Manager-Chief Engineer, and I'll turn it over to Kawika.
K. UYEHARA: Kawika Uyehara,Deputy.
K. INABA: Kurt Inaba, Engineering Division Head.
W. O'NEIL: William O'Neil,District Supervisor,Waimea.
ALVIN INOUYE: Alvin Inouye,Electrician/Mechanic,Kona.
W. CHING: Warren Ching, Energy Management Analyst.
E. TAKAMOTO: Eric Takamoto, Mechanical Engineer III.
G. GOODALE: Greg Goodale, Operations Chief.
C. GRAY: Candace Gray,Waterworks Controller.
K. ISHERWOOD: Kathleen Isherwood,Water Service Supervisor, Customer Service in Hilo.
D. JOLLIMORE: Doreen Jollimore, Secretary.
D. MELLON-LACEY: Diana Mellon-Lacey, Deputy Corporation Counsel assigned to the Water
Department.
S. SALAS-FERGUSON: Sinclair Salas-Ferguson. I'm the Deputy Corporation Counsel. I'll be here
representing the Department in a contested case hearing.
CHAIRPERSON DE LUZ: And we just had our Board Member enter. Kea,would you introduce yourself
please?
K. KEOLANUL Kea Keolanui,Board Member,District 1.
CHAIRPERSON DE LUZ: Okay,thank you. So, Julie,you're District 2. Thank you. Notice of this public
hearing was published in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and in the West Hawaii
Today on August 3, 2022. The Department of Water Supply is operated and
controlled by this Water Board as provided by the Hawaii County Charter.
Section 63 of Part 111, Chapter 54, Hawai`i Revised Statutes,reads as follows:
"The Board of Water Supply may fix and adjust rates and charges for the furnishing
of water and for water services so that the revenues derived therefrom shall be
sufficient to make the waterworks and water systems self-supporting and to meet all
expenditures authorized by this part; the Board may establish variable rates among
the several districts of the County, or among the areas served by the individual
water systems within the County, for the purpose of establishing charges as closely
as possible to the necessary amount required for the maintenance and operation of
the particular individual water systems;provided no rates and charges shall be fixed
or adjusted prior to the holding by the Board of a public hearing,public notice of
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which shall have been given not less than twenty days before the date set for the
hearing. The notice shall state the time and place for the hearing and the proposed
rates and charges to be considered thereat. The time within which the notice shall
be given shall be computed by including the first day(the day of notice) and
excluding the last day."
We are here to receive comments or testimony on the proposed amendment to the
Power Cost Charge. The Department recommends increasing the Power Cost
Charge from$2.48 to$2.75 per thousand gallons to reflect the increase in power
costs. As stated in the hearing notice, all comments or testimony were to be filed in
writing before the time of the hearing or are to be presented in person at the time of
the hearing. We would like to follow this format as closely as possible; however,
because there may be some of you who do not have any written statements but
would like to testify or comment,we would like to afford you this opportunity to do
so but would like to limit such presentations to five minutes. The hearing is now
open for comments from the floor. Is there anyone here to provide oral testimony?
SECRETARY: No, Mr. Chair.
CHAIRPERSON DE LUZ: Any written testimony, Doreen?
SECRETARY: No.
CHAIRPERSON DE LUZ: Okay. So, for the record,there were no individuals or statements. Therefore, no
further testimony at this time,I'd like to entertain a Motion that this Public Hearing
be closed.
S. LOPEZ: So move.
B.NEY: Second.
CHAIRPERSON DE LUZ: Moved by Kawena and seconded by Ben. Any further discussion? Hearing none,
all in favor? (Board Members: Unanimous Ayes) Any opposed? None. Motion is
carried. Thank you.
(Public Hearing adjourned at 9:50 a.m.)
Recording Secretary
APPROVED BY WATER BOARD
SEPTEMBER 27,2022
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