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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-06-17 Veteran Advisory Committee MinutesPresent Absent VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, June 17, 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 Emile Wery Kona Mayor's Office (Via Videoconferencing) Members David Carlson Antonio Gaspar Minoru Hanato Robert Welter Guests (Hilo) Keith Ribbentrop Juan Babiak (Veterans Affairs Liaison Officer for the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home) Guests (Kona) Tom Leone Ex- Officio (Hilo) Clayton Honma, Deputy Director, P &R Joseph Flores, OVS Ex- Officio (Kona) None 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 Norman Stahl George Yamamoto Call to Order Chairperson Penny Fox called the meeting to order at 3:12 pm - (9) members present. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 2 June 17, 2010 STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC None PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES - April 15, 2010 The minutes of the April 15, 2010 meeting were approved with the following change made by Minoru Hanato: Present at the April 15th Meeting in Kona were guests Thomas Leone and Boss Hanato. REPORT ON CEMETERIES - STATE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative Dr. Norman Stahl Dr. Stahl - Absent. Hawaii Island - West Hawaii Representative Mr. Herb Lum Veterans Cemeteries I and H - Columbaria Location Mr. Lum reported since Dr. Stahl was not present, plans being finalized to put in columbarias at Veterans Cemetery II. They expect to have (9) columbarias with 64 niches each for a total of 576 niches. This compares with (8) columbarias with 24 niches each in West Hawaii for a total of 192 niches. There will be considerably more in Veterans Cemetery II which is a much larger cemetery and has a lot more burials than West Hawaii. Chairperson Fox said the Engineer told her they would be adding more columbarias to West Hawaii. Mr. Lum responded that the (8) includes (4) additional columbarias added to the (4) old ones. Office of Veterans Services - Additional Position Added for Bi,- Island - No Funding Mr. Lum said that an additional position was created for an OVS Counselor on this island, but there is no funding for that position at this point. West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery III Mr. Lum reported that at Veterans Cemetery III, they are installing water meters to be able to calculate the amount of water being used, rather than the water supplier informing us of usage. The upper gate has to be removed and replaced with a wider gate because the gate as it stands is too narrow. It's wide enough for the road, but not wide enough for two lane traffic. The gate will be expanded and a symbol will be installed. Mr. Hanato asked Mr. Lum what happened to the water meter that was installed years ago prior to construction. Mr. Lum didn't have an answer. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 3 June 17, 2010 REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION (Director Robert Fitzgerald on vacation) Deputy Director Clayton Honma reported that the hours will change on timers for the sprinklers at West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery III. Sprinklers will turn on in the evenings in the cemetery and during the day on the hillside. Deputy Director Honma said that we are still waiting for Willocks Construction to provide the name of the flagpole manufacturer so we can order the ball for the top of the flagpole. Lastly process of edging out and raising up headstones is almost complete. Chairperson Fox reported that Director Fitzgerald sent a letter to families of Veterans Cemetery II that are growing their own grass at the cemetery. Families have been informed if the grass has not been removed by June 30th, P &R staff will remove it. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Veterans Cemetery III - West Hawaii Reforestation Project (Members reviewed May 17 and June 13 Reforestation Reports submitted by Dr. Richard Stevens) Veterans Cemetery H — East Hawaii — Columbarias Site Selection Chairwoman Fox reported that representatives from OVS, potential contractors and veterans met up at the cemetery and decided to put the (9) columbarias like a spoke of a wheel around a culdesac. It will look really nice and it will be made so that skateboarders can't get into it. She said we should be receiving plans from the engineer soon. We'll circulate plans upon receipt. NEW BUSINESS None EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home — Pet Therapy Program Juan Babiak, Veterans Affairs Liaison Officer for the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home shared that they accepted a donation of a parrot and will be setting up a Bird Therapy program in compliance with VA requirements for pet therapy. A policy will be set up and it should be ready to implement in a few weeks. Veterans Advisory Committee Page 4 June 17, 2010 ANNOUNCEMENTS Memorial Service — 60th Anniversary of the Korean War; June 25th at loam; Veterans Cemetery I Mr. Emile Wery announced that there will be a Memorial Service held on June 25th at 10 am at Veterans Cemetery I for the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. Korean War Veterans — Community Service Project — Cleaned Headstones at Veterans Cemetery I and II Mr. Emile Wery shared that the members of the Korean War Veterans cleaned and power washed the headstones at Veterans Cemetery I and II. He asked that the Mayor send them a letter of appreciation. Change of Command Ceremony at Pohakuloa Training Area — July 15th at loam Ms. Carolle Brulee- Wilson announced that on June 24t at loam at Pohakuloa Training Area there will be a change of command ceremony between Lt. Colonel Warline Richardson and Lt. Colonel Roland C. Niles. If members would like to attend, they should call Laurie Horner at 808 - 969 -2403. Attire: Organizational Uniform or Aloha Attire. Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) Ms. Carolle Brulee- Wilson announced that on June 22nd from 2:15pm to 3:00pm Mr. Tom Driscoll and two other individuals will be at the Hilo CBOC to discuss issues relating to medical services and highly recommended members attend this meeting to voice concerns. Newspaper Obituaries — Request for Flags for Veterans Mr. Tom Leone reported the latest on requesting that the Newspapers include a flag in obituaries of veterans, he contacted Senator Inouye's representative who said he was going to take care of it. NEXT MEETING It was announced that the next meeting would be held on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 3pm at the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and video - conferencing at the Kona Mayor's Office conference room. (As of June 30th, the July 15th meeting is cancelled, the next meeting will be held on AUGUST 19, 2010). 'VIDEO *VIDEO CONFERENCING — EXPERIENCED TECHNICAL PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE MEETING ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 3:30 pm. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Santos, Secretary