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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-06-07 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes Minutes for Thursday, June 7, 2001Page 1 of 4 Return to: Home Page | Table of Contents | Commission Page ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION Thursday, June 7, 2001 9:05 a.m. Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant Conference Room Hilo, Hawai‘i MINUTES PRESENT:David Peter Frankel Mack Asato Riley Smith Carolyn Witcher Barbara Bell Lou Ann Jones Sam Kawamura Hugh Ono ABSENT:Peter Martin STAFF:Kristen Griffiths Jodie Savella ALSO PRESENT: Patricia O’Toole, Office of the Corporation Counsel Larry Capellas, Solid Waste Division Peter Boucher, Wastewater Division Nancy Crawford, Public Works David Yamamoto, Wastewater Division Dennis K. W. Lee, Department of Public Works John Ray, State Environmental Management Advisory Group Jon Olson Mary Blair CALL TO ORDER Riley Smith introduced himself and Barbara Bell as co-chairs of the commission. Called meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Both Riley and Barbara decided that Riley run this meeting and then Barbara would run the next meeting. They will alternate until they change the structure of the commission so that there is a chairperson and a vice chairperson. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA Commission members were addressed by two speakers. JON OLSON: Comment on the drafting of your rules for the operation of this committee.  Wants more openness, with as much dialogue as possible.  The openness of the agenda and the ability of the public to input in the process is a critical issue with the commission and  you have the opportunity to do some really innovative things here if you choose to.  JOHN RAY: Came today on behalf of the State Environmental Management Advisory Group, also known as EMAG.  Elected chairman for the next year for EMAG.  EMAG advised the State Department of Health on environmental issues.  Both Environmental Management Commission and the EMAG should interface and share information on things that we can  work on collectively. Provided a copy of the 2001 Legislative Session, Summary of Bills/Resolutions tracked for testimony for the Environmental  Health Administration. Provided a copy of EMAG Recommendation to the Hawaii Department of Health regarding Compliance Assistance with  Environment Regulations. file://C:\Test1\minutes060701.htm6/22/2011 Minutes for Thursday, June 7, 2001Page 2 of 4 Provided a copy of the Strategic Plan for Hawaii’s Environmental Protection Programs that issued by the Hawaii State  Department of Health, January 1999 issue. ADOPTION OF INTERIM ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION’S RULES AND REGULATIONS Members received sample rules and regulations at the previous meeting, which was provided originally by Wendell Hatada. A copy of David’s proposed draft of rules of practice and procedure was distributed. Barbara motioned to adopt David’s (Frankel proposal: 1st draft) as interim rules, subject to changes. Carolyn seconded. All members are in favor of said motion of adopting the Environmental Management Commission proposed rules of practice and procedure. John Olson requested that the public is able to obtain a copy of said rules. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MAY 23, 2001 All members were given a copy of the minutes of the May 23, 2001 meeting that was held at Hawai`i County Councilroom. Riley mentioned that we will try to have outline minutes and staff will keep a complete record of the meeting should anybody want to know specifically what was said during the course of the meeting. David suggested that the agenda topics should also be mentioned in the minutes. Riley agreed and suggested that discussion items and also a section of action items be noted on the minutes. Hugh motioned to approve the minutes of the May 23, 2001 meeting with the comments by David (Kimo) gave. Sam seconded. All members are in favor of approving the May 23, 2001 minutes. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA David motioned to move to amend the agenda to include a topic of Disclosure of Financial Interest. Barbara seconded. Riley asked Pat from Corporation Counsel to brief the members about the disclosures. All members are in favor of including this item on the agenda. Pat said that a financial disclosure is a requirement of the code that elected officials, candidates, directors, and commission members must make available. The form must be completed and filed with the Board of Ethics within 20 days after oath of office. If you inadvertently forget something on the disclosure, then an amendment can be filed. The Board of Ethics reviews them in closed sessions and basically files them away. ADMINISTRATION UPDATE ON SELECTION OF DIRECTOR AND CLERICAL Dennis Lee, Director of the Department of Public Works, read a letter dated July 7, 2001 that was addressed to the Environmental Management Commission from Dixie Kaetsu, Managing Director for the County of Hawai`i regarding the recruitment for a director for this new commission. A private secretary will be hired before hiring a director if it takes too long to find a director. He wanted to give the new director an opportunity to select his/her own private secretary, but because of the workload, recruitment will proceed instead of waiting for a new director. Mayor Kim has included Dennis as part of the selection committee Jodie Savella mentioned that Valerie Tanimoto would be temporarily assigned as private secretary. REPORT OF DEPARTMENT’S BUDGET (FISCAL YEAR 2000-2001 AND 2001-2001) Nancy Crawford, currently the Business Manager of Public Works, and as of July 1, will be the Deputy Finance Director for the County of Hawaii. Nancy said that we established a very small budget anticipating that for the final five months of this fiscal year, that we may have a director and secretary and some commission related expenses. Funds are currently used to cover some of the secretarial time and for you mileage and meal reimbursements. Each division has its own budget and those are generated by division heads and their accounting staff. This budget is for the whole administration for the new department. Riley asked if only the director and secretary was intended to be included in the administration for the new department, and Nancy said that those two people were the only staff budgeted for this new department. If another position is necessary to add, then a request for Council action will be required. REPORT FROM WASTEWATER DIVISION Peter Boucher, Wastewater Division Chief, reported on the following: file://C:\Test1\minutes060701.htm6/22/2011 Minutes for Thursday, June 7, 2001Page 3 of 4 Spoke about the Residential Emergency Repair Program that the Office of Housing and Community Development offers.  Need Office of Housing to brief the commissioners on exactly what this program is about. Current policy regarding sewer extensions. As discussed in the May 23, 2001 meeting, there really is no policy regarding  sewer extensions other than what is in the code, so there are no attachments. Maps showing the location of wastewater facilities. Detailed maps were not completed, but hopefully will be done by the  next meeting. We will include a map of the island that shows the location of the wastewater treatment plants. Resolution No. 70-01 regarding Improvements by Assessments at North Kona, Hawaii.  Bill No. 57 regarding Capacity Assessments and Connection Fees.  Bill No. 58 regarding Building Sewer Connection Loan Program.  Provided Department of Health Inspection Reports and Responses for Hilo, Papaikou, Kulaimano, Kapehu and Kealakehe  Wastewater Treatment Plants, Hawaii Wastewater Pump Stations and East Hawaii Sewer System. Discussion about TSA and Lanihau Partners that they are presently before the Land Use Commission for reclassification of  their property. Don’t see why we should subsidize TSA and Lanihau Partners. REPORT FROM SOLID WASTE DIVISION Larry Capellas, Solid Waste Division Chief, reported on the following: Red book was distributed at the May 23, 2001 meeting. Hugh Ono received his copy at this meeting. Recommended that the  members keep all background information on the different divisions in the red book. Suggestion to keep all the minutes and those issues that are related to individual meetings in a larger blue binder.  Provided information about how much tonnage we hold, how much tonnage we carry per year, where the transfer stations  are, where the landfills are and those general types of numbers, information, and personnel. Spoke about the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, also known as ISWMP that consultants Harding ESE is working  on. The scope of work for the ISWMP will be made available for the next meeting. The Solid Waste Advisory Committee, also known as SWAC. SWAC will consist of individual group of members from  various council districts, areas of community, business people that needs to be established before finalizing the ISWMP and the closure of the Hilo Landfill. Larry said that he along with Peter Boucher, Barbara Bell, John Ray were people who volunteered for the SWAC. There’s no reason why members of this commission cannot volunteer and attend the meetings of the SWAC but there open to the public. A copy of the Hilo Landfill permit will be provided at the next meeting.  A copy of a transfer station permit will also be provided at the next meeting.  REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCIL Received memorandum dated May 22, 2001 that was written by Aaron S. Y. Chung, Chairman for the Committee of Finance regarding Bill No. 57 and Bill No. 58. There was no representative present from the County Council to make a report. DISCUSSION OF FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION’S RULES Suggested that we spend 15 to 20 minutes on each item on the agenda.  Went over notification requirements.  Members need more time to select a chairperson  The meetings to alternate between the wastewater and solid waste facilities.  FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS Grant Loan Program from the Office of Housing and Community Development  Resolution No. 70-01  Bill No. 57  Bill No. 58  Election of Chairperson for Environmental Management Commission  Subcommittees  Solid Waste Management Plan  Recycling  Household Hazardous Waste  Report from the State Health Department on County’s wastewater and solid waste programs  Adequacy of wastewater treatment plants  Sludge  Sewage Hook-up Fees Policy  Litter  Budget  file://C:\Test1\minutes060701.htm6/22/2011 Minutes for Thursday, June 7, 2001Page 4 of 4 ACTION ITEMS Solid Waste Advisory Committee  Closure of the Hilo Landfill  Wastewater Division topics to be discussed at the June 21, 2001 meeting  Solid Waste Division topics to be discussed at the July 3, 2001 meeting  DISCUSSION AND ADOPTION OF A MISSION STATEMENT Barbara will prepare a draft mission statement for the members to review and discuss. SCHEDULING OF NEXT MEETING DATES, TIMES AND LOCATION Thursday, June 21, 2001, 9:00 a.m. at the Department of Water Supply Baseyard Conference Room, 889 Leilani Street, Hilo, Hawaii. Site visit at the Hilo Landfill to follow. Tuesday, July 3, 2001, 9:00 a.m. at the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant with site visit. Thursday, July 19, 2001, 9:00 a.m. in the Waikoloa area with location of meeting to be announced. Site visit will be at the Puuanahulu Landfill.  ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:35 a.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: ____________________________________________ VALERIE M. H. TANIMOTO Interim Environmental Management Secretary Return to: Home Page | Table of Contents | Commission Page ©Copyright 2001 County of Hawaii, Hawaii file://C:\Test1\minutes060701.htm6/22/2011