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Home My WebLink About2010-04-15 Veteran Advisory Committee MinutesPresent Absent VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, April 15, 2010, 3:00 p.m. Prosecutor's Office (Hilo) and Kona Mayor's Office (Via Videoconferencing) Members Carolle Brulee- Wilson Penny Fox Edward Lee Delbert Nishimoto Norman Stahl Emile Wery Kona Mayor's Office (Via Videoconferencing) Members David Carlson Antonio Gaspar Minoru Hanato Robert Welter Guests (Hilo) Keith Ribbentrop Guests (Kona) None Ex- Officio (Hilo) Joseph Flores, OVS Ex- Officio (Kona) Robert Fitzgerald, Director, P &R Also Present (Hilo) Nathalie Santos, Secretary Renee Schoen, Deputy Corporation Counsel Herbert Lum, Member, State Veterans Advisory Committee Meeting Don Bennett Wendall Kekumu George Mukai Gilbert Sampaia George Yamamoto Call to Order Chairperson Penny Fox called the meeting to order at 3:06 pm - (10) members present. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC None Veterans Advisory Committee Page 2 April 15, 2010 PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES — March 18, 2010 The minutes of the March 18, 2010 meeting were approved as submitted. REPORT ON CEMETERIES — STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative Dr. Norman Stahl Dr. Stahl reported that the State Veterans Advisory Board did not meet in March and will not be meeting in April due to funding restrictions on travel and problems with coordinating a video conference. Veterans Cemeteries I and II — Columbaria Location Dr. Stahl announced that OVS Director Mark Moses will be in Hilo the morning of April 20th to do a site visit at Veterans Cemeteries I and II to select columbaria locations. They should be at the cemeteries at 9am, approximately (7) people are coming. Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative Mr. Herb Lum Mr. Lum had no report. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION Director Fitzgerald reported that besides the OVS East Hawaii site visit to Veterans Cemeteries I and II next week, he received an email an hour ago from OVS Director Mark Moses informing us that Frank Salvas, Director of State Cemetery Grant Services of Washington DC will be coming to inspect Big Island veterans' cemeteries. His current itinerary states that he will be coming to the East Hawaii Veterans Cemeteries on Thursday and doesn't say when he will be in Kona. Director Fitzgerald also reported that they are removing all of the temporary buildings except for the greenhouse at Veterans Cemetery III. He has asked P &R West Hawaii Superintendent of Maintenance Carl De Camp to obtain a permit to leave the greenhouse there. Veterans Cemetery III - Mapping Director Fitzgerald said Lisa of Data Systems sent a sample of the map which should be done in the next couple weeks. Section A might have some problems because it's out of order, but the rest should be fine. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Veterans Cemetery III - West Hawaii Reforestation Project (Members reviewed the March 18, 2010 Reforestation Report. (Report dated April 14, 2010 is attached) Veterans Advisory Committee Page 3 April 15, 2010 Flagpole — Missing Ball on Top — Veterans Cemetery III — West Hawaii Director Fitzgerald informed members that the ball for the flagpole couldn't be found so P &R will order a new one. Veterans Cemetery III — West Hawaii — Headstones Delbert Nishimoto asked Antonio Gaspar if his brother's headstone was okay and Antonio responded that Mr. Minoru Hanato cleaned it and it looks very good now. He thanked Minoru. Mr. Minoru Hanato said when the contractor poured cement near the first row of headstones, cement splashed on it. Mr. Hanato cleaned it and it is now looking okay. He said it wasn't the fault of the mortuary or the manufacturer. Mr. Nishimoto said that the headstones are powerwashed, but should also be sealed. Granite headstones need to be sealed occasionally because granite is porous. It is recommended that members solicit spray bottles of sealant from companies that sell granite counter tops. Sealant costs approximately $30 per bottle. Chairperson Fox asked VAC/P &R Secretary Nathalie Santos to type a letter to be sent to various marble companies from the Committee on County letterhead. Nathalie mentioned that the County is unable to request donations. Chairperson Fox will instead make request from the DAV Chapter 9 Veterans Organization. NEW BUSINESS Veterans Cemeteries — Missing Headstones Director Fitzgerald reported that according to P &R employee Desiree, P &R staff is working with Dodo Mortuary to prepare a list of graves that are missing headstones and will check on how to replace them. Veterans Cemetery III — Water Supply and Irrigation Line Director Fitzgerald said the water pressure at Veterans Cemetery III is a concern. There are three different locations currently being watered; A and B are in the cemetery and C is the dry forest area. P &R West Hawaii Superintendent of Parks Maintenance Carl De Camp checked on the pressure which drops. The lawn has some dry spots because of the low pressure. He said P &R staff will check on it, if necessary look for funds to install a pump and timer in order to rotate the areas being watered. He also stated that the dry land forest is not supposed to be watered after a period of time. Mr. Hanato spoke to Dr. Richard Stevens on the phone last night who said the water going up to the reforestation hill is watering twice a week at around midnight each time which does not interfere with the water pressure below. They had someone go up there to do the timing. Below the hill, near the columbaria and committal shelter, the timing was done by the County and apparently when one system is going on, before it finishes, the other system goes on, therefore the timing should be corrected. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 4 April 15, 2010 Director Fitzgerald also said the dryland forest should not require water after a certain period of time. He will report at the next meeting whether or not we need to purchase a pump and how to remedy problem. EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS No Report ANNOUNCEMENTS Homeless Veterans Chairperson Carolle Brulee- Wilson reminded members about the Outreach Event for Homeless Veterans to be held on May 28, 2010. Planning meetings are still being held. She asked members to help collect donations at the Commissary Sale for the May 28th event. Main purpose this year is to reach out to more homeless /displaced veterans on the island, there are many in Pahoa, Fern Forest, Fern Acres, and to help our veterans get back into society. At the event there will be transportation providers, household items, hot food, showers, toiletries, VA Benefits Counselors, Area Agencies, etc. Commissary Case Lot Sale — May 7 -9, 2010 (Guests) Ms. Brulee- Wilson asked all ID Card holding veterans to consider taking a non -ID card holding veteran to the Guest Day Commissary Sale. There are veterans that don't have ID cards and would appreciate being a guest of an ID card holding veteran. Chairperson Fox explained that Saturdays and Sundays are Guest Days which allows a veteran with an ID card to take (2) guests) in with them during a case lot sale. Ms. Brulee- Wilson will send email of sale information to members. Memorial Day Ceremonies Veterans Cemetery I and II — Memorial Day Service East Hawaii - Dr. Stahl announced there will be a Memorial Day Observance Ceremony at Veterans Cemetery I on Monday, May 31, 2010 at 9:45 am. Camp Tarawa, Detachment Marine Corp League is organizing that event. The Hawaii County Band will be performing. West Hawaii — Mr. Minoru Hanato announced there will be a Ceremony at Veterans Cemetery III at 11 am. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 5 April 15, 2010 NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 3pm at the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and video - conferencing at the Kona Mayor's Office conference room. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 3:40 pm. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Santos, Secretary