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Home My WebLink About2005-03-17 Veteran Advisory Committee MinutesVETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, March 17, 2005 County Council Room and Kona Mayor's Office (Via Videoconferencing) 3:00 p.m. Present Absent Members Richard Highley Roy Hinokawa Paul Johnston Louis Kaoiwi Wendall Kekumu Morris Kihara George Mukai Patrick Pavao Gilbert Sampaia Kona Mayor's Office (Via Videoconferencing) Members None Guests (Kona) Minoru Hanato Boss Hanato Herb Lum Joe Pretsch Lee Pretsch Dick Scritchfield Dr. Richard Stevens Ex- Officio (Hilo) Patricia Engelhard, Director, P &R Also Present (Hilo) Delbert Nishimoto Nathalie Santos, Secretary Keith Ribbentrop Denny Austen Penny Fox Peter Callahan Hideo Segawa Dale Wilson George Yamamoto Call to Order • Chairman Kaoiwi called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m, Veterans Advisory Committee Page 2 March 17, 2005 STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Minoru Hanato thanked Director Engelhard for use of the backhoe. He reported that the gate was installed manually since the backhoe was down for a long time; it is now up and running. Previous Meeting Minutes — February 17, 2005 • The Minutes of the February 17, 2005 meeting were approved as submitted. STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD — REPORT Delbert Nishimoto, Big Island representative on the State Veterans Advisory Board reported the following: Veterans Cemetery II Mr. Nishimoto reported that Pat Pavao visited Cemetery II and strongly recommends installing a gate. Veterans Cemetery III — West Hawaii Columbarium Mr. Nishimoto asked if Mr. Highley could recommend at least three (3) small local contracting firms to get bids from to install a temporary columbarium at Veterans III. Mr. Highley said he couldn't think of any, but he would need plans and specs to discuss with possible contractors. Mr. Nishimoto said that the plans and specs are being worked on (he only saw a draft sketch) and the State DOD engineers will send a letter and handle bids directly with the local contractors if we provide the names and addresses. He also said that other Kona veterans may have recommendations. The following large firms such as Isemoto, Sonomura, Glover and Lawrence were mentioned, but could take awhile to get started. Mr. Highley asked if liability concerns was the reason that volunteers could not do the job and Mr. Nishimoto responded that the State has the funds so let them handle project. There may be other projects that volunteers will be needed for in the future. Mr. Highley shared a concern that urns are being buried in regular size body burial plots. Director Engelhard said that urns are being buried on the outskirts and in areas where it is hard to dig because of rock. Minoru Hanato confirmed that urns are being buried in regular cemetery plots. Director Engelhard will check with staff as she had previously asked about urn burials and the response was that they were not using regular sized plots. Reforestation Proiect Jeff Knowles reported that the USDA grant was approved which should cover $47,000 approximately 75% of the cost of installing a fence and that Dr. Stevens received another grant which should cover the balance of the cost. The next step will be for Jeff, Dr. Stevens and Director Engelhard to discuss details during a scheduled telephone conference next week. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 3 March 17, 2005 Dr. Stevens confirmed that the project would not interfere with the expansion of the cemetery, which was a consideration at the start of this proposal. Mr. Highley shared concerns about accessing area to construct fence and said that a bulldozer may be needed. He asked if left over funds from the $100,000 allocated for columbarium could be used towards fencing project. Both Mr. Nishimoto and Mr. Ribbentrop confirmed that those funds are allocated specifically for the columbarium and could not be used for any other purpose. Mr. Ribbentrop wanted to confirm that the grants being obtained for Veterans Cemetery III would not hinder other cemetery grants for improvements. Dr. Stevens confirmed that would not happen. UNFINISHED BUSINESS VETERANS CEMETERY II — EXPANSION PROJECT UPDATE Director Patricia Engelhard said that the project has not yet been completed and the County will not accept expansion until the sleeping grass problem is remedied. Mr. Nishimoto estimates that project is 97% complete. VETERANS DAY PARADE Mr. Wilson was not present to make a report on insurance or the progress of a possible Veterans Day Parade. NEW BUSINESS VETERANS CEMETERY I & II — COLUMBARIUMS APPOINTING A SUB - COMMITTEE Mr. Pavao expressed concern regarding the unused vandalized columbariums at both cemeteries. He suggested that a sub - committee be appointed to make a recommendation on the plans for those columbariums. Director Engelhard said that there were several recommendations from different people: 1) Take it down altogether 2) Fence between two and close it with a gate 3) To use it as a Memorial Wall so that veterans who have scattered ashes have a place to put a special memento such as a wristwatch and a small plaque on a niche where families can honor them. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 4 March 17, 2005 Subcommittee Appointed: 1) Chairman Louis Kaoiwi 2) Patrick Pavao 3) Richard Highley 4) Delbert Nishimoto Chairman Kaoiwi asked where the missing granite for the columbarium is and Director Engelhard will confirm, but she remembers someone saying that it had been smashed due to vandalism and removed. Patrick Pavao said that the last administration informed them that it was removed and stored at the Parks Maintenance Baseyard. MEMBERSHIP STATUS There are currently 4 vacant slots — (2) due to terms expiring and (2) due to members moving away. Members Name Hideo Segawa Dale Wilson Organization Term Expiration Date Big Island National Guard Retirees Assn. 12/31/03 Military Order of the Purple Heart 12/31/04 The following members have moved from the Big Island: Members Name Peter Callahan Charles Mayes Organization American Legion HIVM, Inc. Term Expiration Date 12/31/08 12/31/07 Mr. Callahan's vacancy is recent, however, the person in the Mayor's Office has not filled the other (3) slots for awhile and Deputy Corporation Counsel Diane Noda will now handle the task. EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS No Reports. ANNOUNCEMENTS Big Island Veterans Association (BIVA) Herb Lum announced that there is a proposal to bring East and West Hawaii Veterans together. Chairman Kaoiwi said that the rules of this committee do not allow this item to be discussed or endorsed at the meeting unless requested by the Mayor, however, he is in support of bringing east and west together. He would like to see all veterans speak in one voice. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 5 March 17, 2005 State Veterans Home — Update — Nominations for Naming Facility Members were reminded that nominations for naming the facility will be closed in June. There is one recommendation that the facility be named after Medal of Honor recipient Yukio Okutso. A Council Resolution has been passed in support of this nomination. Director Engelhard explained that as a state facility the Mayor or Council cannot make the decision, naming the facility will be done at the state level. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on April 21, 2005 at 3:00 p.m. in the Hawaii County Councilroom and video - conferencing at the Kona Mayor's Office. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Santos Secretary