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Home My WebLink About2003-03-25 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, March 25, 2003, 9:09 a.m. Kona MayorÓs Office Conference Room, 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Su Kailua-Kona HawaiÒi 96740 COMMISSIONERS Riley Smith ALSO Steve Cassulo PRESENTPRESENT :Sam Kawamura:Fred Cowell Hugh OnoSkip Cowell Anne PlackPete Hendricks, Deputy Managing Director Carolyn WitcherKaren Iwamoto, West HawaiÒi Today Newspaper Michael Kaha Howard Ransom Erika Yamamoto, Legislative Assistant to Councilman Safarik EXCUSEDSTAFF :Mack Asato:Peter Boucher, Wastewater Division Chief Marjorie ErwayBobby Gonsalves, Acting Solid Waste Div.Chief David FrankelSharron Henry, Secretary CALL TO ORDER: Commission Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 26, 2003 MEETING: 2. Hugh Ono moved to approve the February 26, 2003 minutes.Sam Kawamura seconded the motion. Ono noted there was a request in the minutes that mandatory Motion with OnoÓs recycling be placed on this meetingÓs agenda and it was not. amendment to include the mandatory recycling item carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA 3.: Mandatory Recycling was added to item 6. Unfinished Business pe to approval of minutes. Ono also requested that the status of Solid Waste Division ChiefÓs position be added to item 7. New Business. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA 4.: None CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION: 5. DirectorÓs Report (attached to original minutes) SORT STATION/WASTE REDUCTION: URS and Rifer Environmental consultants will attend the April commission meeting. th $4M was included in the bond float that Council passed March 20. KEAAU COMMUNITY RECYCLING CENTER: Opening celebration is Saturday, March 29, 2003. As requested at last meeting, HIEDB report is included in this report (attached to original minutes). HIEDB will attend the May commission meeting and host a tour of the Recycling Center following the meeting. GREENWASTE: There is an excess of mulch in Kona and everyone is encouraged to load up. SCRAP METAL: During vendor transition, there will be full time security guards at scrap yards. Island Recycling will begin processing in about 3 weeks. Big machinery is due in 8 to 9 weeks. Permit applications have been sent to DOH. VEHICLE DISPOSAL FUND/ABANDONED VEHICLES: New fees start June 1. Reviewing ways to streamline the Abandoned Vehicle process. COUNCIL ACTIONS: Commissioners were requested to review the illegal dumping draft ordinance (attached to original minutes) and to offer input and discuss in detail at a future meeting. Finance Committee will agendize Landfill Tipping Fees Ordinance, Proposed recycled water rate ordinance will be discussed in the Wastewater Division report. BEVERAGE CONTAINER LEGISLATION: Appears to have enough support to survive the session in its present form. PERSONNEL: Robin Bauman, Accountant III, will start April 1, 2003. Eileen O`Hora-Weir, Recycling Coordinator, will start May 1, 2003. Solid Waste Division Chief and Operations Supervisor are in open recruitment. A list of 8 qualified applicants was received for CEIII position differential may be helping. Wastewater Division ChiefÓs Report (attached to original minutes) SEWER CONNECTION EXEMPTIONS: Proposed ordinance has not been agendized by council. NORTH KONA IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT: Proposed ordinance has not been agendized by council. Legislative auditor will take the information discussed at the February meeting to Councilman Tyle NEW SEWER USER FEES: Council filed Bill requesting increase in user fees. The commission was requested to support an ordinance establishing a fee for reclaimed Witcher made a motion to support the water rates (attached to original minutes). proposed ordinance. Plack seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. PROPOSED SEWER EXTENSIONS: Council has deferred authorizing sewer extensions to Queen Lili`uokalani and Komohana Heights subdivisions, requesting additional information that is not currently available. -2- With the $100k allotment from the Mayor, the survey and prelimin will be done for Komohana Heights. When the preliminary engineer it will be submitted to council. Awaiting bond float approval to begin Queen LiliÓuokalani sewer extension. PUA PUMP STATION ODOR CONTROL: Chemicals to be used in test include Caustic (sodium hydroxide), Sodium Nitrate, Ferric Chloride and ÐProsweetÑ. Total test period is approximately 12 weeks, beginning in mid-April with expected completion in Mid-July. When the recommendation is received, the design process will begin. In the interim, a special load of carbon has been ordered for the carbon scrubbers. SEWER CODE REVISIONS: The proposed bill (attached to original minutes) being submitted to council changes billing responsibility to the property owner. It also adds an interest charge for outstanding balances on unpaid bills and authorizes Departments of Public Works, Environmental Management and Water Supply to make appropriate rules to shut off water in the event of non-payment of sewer bills. By making the owner responsible for the charges, the bill automatically becomes a lien on the property. Witcher made a motion to support the proposed bill and Kawamura seconded the motion. It passed unanimously. KALANIANA`OLE INTERCEPTOR SEWER REHAB: Contingency plan is completed and the by-pass piping has been delivered. An assessment shows the sewer line to be solid with no leaks although it is deteriorated. The consulting firm of Brown and Caldwell has been selected for A power point presentation was shown summarizing what caused the corrosion; what has been done so far; the project goals, challenges/ problems; and the rehab options. The consultant contract also includes a community outreach prog Estimated Schedule: April, 2003:Begin project o June, 2003:Receive final engineering report o September, 2003:Put out bid o December, 2003:Begin construction o April, 2004:Project completion o There are various ways to fund this capital improvement project. Solid Waste Division ChiefÓs Report (attached to original minutes) HILO LANDFILL: No changes on estimated life span. Another analysis will be done SOLID WASTE DIVISION STAFFING: New temporary attendant started mid-March; another is scheduled to start first of April. -3- NEW EQUIPMENT: Expected delivery of D-8 Dozer and landfill compactor is late April or early May. GREENWASTE: Grinding operations begin in Kona mid-March through mid-April, then returns to Hilo. West HawaiÒi residents are being encouraged to pick up free mulc for a fee. TRANSFER STATIONS: There was a trailer fire in Paauilo in mid-March. Exterior paint discoloration was the only damage and trailer is still operable. SCRAP METAL PROGRAM: Smith requested Gonsalves review contract and monitor vendor to ensure he meets contract requirements since the full operation is not expected to begin until June, 2003. Small empty gas/propane canisters can be discarded as scrap metal. KEALAKEHE FIRE: A fire of suspicious nature was extinguished after burning white metal and old car piles. The tires did not catch on fire. The price to remove the burned scrap metal increases because it has been contaminated with rocks and other debris which is hard on grinding equipment. Placement of fire breaks is being considered. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6. : DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING DISCONNECTION OF WATER SERVICE WHEN SEWER FEES ARE DELINQUENT AND CHANGING WASTEWATER FEES RESPONSIBILITY TO PROPERTY OWNERS: See discussion under 5. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION, Wastewater Division Report. DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING SETTING RATES FOR RECYCLED WATER: See discussion under 5. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION, Wastewater Division Report. DISCUSSION OF MANDATORY RECYCLING: Ono requested the department implement a mandatory recycling program. This item will be placed on the next meeting agenda for further discussion with the Director. NEW BUSINESS 7.: DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING ELIMINATION OF 60 DAY GRACE PERIOD BEFORE PAYMENT IS DEEMED DELINQUENT: Deferred to next monthÓs meeting. DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE ADDRESSING ELIMINATING DUMPING: Ordinance to be reviewed prior to next monthÓs meeting where it will be discussed in detail. -4- DISCUSSION OF SOLID WASTE DIVISION CHIEF ENGINEER REQUIREMENT: National and State professional engineer associations are concerned that the position was changed to a non-engineer. After meeting with Director Bell, the professional engineers thought the position was going to be advertised as a Civil Engineer and it was not. The Association President will be invited to give testimony at the next meeting and Ono will request that a position paper be submitted to the commissioners prior to the meeting. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 8.: None ANNOUNCEMENTS 9. Tuesday, April 29, 2003, 9 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., West Hawaii DHHL District Office, Kuhio Hale, 64-756 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743 Wednesday, May 28, 2003, 9 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., Hawaii County Coun Street, Room 201, Hilo, HI 96720 Wednesday, May 28, 2003, 12:30 p.m. HIEDB Tour of Keaau Recycling and Reuse Center. Meet at HawaiÒi County Council Room Wednesday, June 25, 2003, 9:00 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., Kona MayorÓs O Room, 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103, Kailua-Kona HawaiÒi 96 Wednesday, July 23, 2003, 9:00 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., Waimea Civic Center, 67-5189 Kamamalu Street, Kamuela, HawaiÒi 96743 ADJOURNMENT 10. Kawamura moved to adjourn. Witcher seconded and motion was carr unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 10:40 a.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: SHARRON HENRY Environmental Management Secretary -5-