HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-05-24 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Wednesday, May 24, 2006, 9:03 a.m.
Hilo County Council Room, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 201
Hilo, HI 96720
Carolyn WitcherSkip Bethea
COMMISSIONERSALSO
:
PRESENT
PRESENT:
Sam KawamuraSteve Cassulo
Suzanne MayhewJon Olson
Diana Miller
Arnold Okamura
Bill Sanborn
Sam Sumner
:Marjorie ErwayDora Beck, TSS Chief
EXCUSED
STAFF:
Michael Dworsky, SWD Chief
Sharron Henry, Secretary
Nelson Ho, Deputy Director
Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd, Corp Counsel
1.Commission Vice Chair Witcher, in the absence of
CALL TO ORDER:
Commission Chair Erway, called the meeting to order at 9:03 a.m. She welcomed
Suzanne Mayhew, new Commissioner from District 5 and each Commission
member introduced themselves. Witcher also announced there are two tours
following todays meeting: (1) Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant and (2) South Hilo
Landfill, recycling areas and bottle bill redemption area.
2.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH 15, 2006 MEETING:
Arnold Okamura made a motion to approve the March 15, 2006 minutes. Bill
Sanborn seconded the motion. Motion passed with 6 members voting to
approve and Mayhew abstaining.
3.None
APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTALAGENDA:
4.
STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA:
Jon Olson gave a short summary of the Talking Trash recycling conference he
attended on Saturday and spoke against incineration for disposal of the Countys
waste.
5.
CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION:
(attachedtooriginalminutes)
SolidWasteDivisionChiefsReport
STUDIES:
MountainEdgeEnvironmentalispreparingastudyidentifying/definingthelimitsof
·
theoldWaimeaLandfillinordertoextendthetransferstation.Aspartofthisstudy,
they will develop a Fire Management Plan for the landfill.
Townscape,Inc.ispreparingafeasibilitystudyforWaikoloacurbsiderecyclingand
·
trashpick-upprogram.Thisprogramwouldbeapilotprojectforpossiblefutureuse
in rural areas around the island. Rates for curbside pick-up can be added to the
WaikoloaAssociationfees.
WehavereceivedanEPAgranttoidentifyandstudyBrownfieldsareas,exclusive
·
of County sites, like old sugar mills and dumps that are possibly hazardous but might
be reclaimed for economic benefit or some subdivision or residential use for the
land. There will be community meetings and an inventory of sites will be compiled.
WEST HAWAI`I COMPOSTING FACILITY:
On the first vote by Council on the Mayors amended budgets, the funds to build the
·
infrastructure were eliminated from the CIP budget.
Dworsky said after reviewing the files, he found nothing wrong with the RFP
·
process and contract.
Sanborn suggested, and the other commission members agreed, that appropriate
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Administrative personnel meet with Council members to continue to educate them
about this facility. A power point presentation to Council and residents was another
suggestion. Dworsky agreed.
Processing of biodiesel will be built into the composting program in the future.
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Also in the future, there will be FOG/cooking oil containers in Hilo and Kona.
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TRANSFER STATIONS:
Commissioners requested copies of the Transfer Station Repair and Enhancement
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Plan.
Henry will distribute copies prior to the next meeting.
Commission member Miller thanked Dworsky for the chute covers installed at
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Keaau.
STAFFING:
Hilo Landfill supervisor position is now in the budget.
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EQUIPMENT:
Working with Waste Management to rent a compactor until ours is fixed.
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RECYCLING:
Boxboard can be recycled at the recycling areas at Hilo and Kona Transfer Stations.
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Some private companies, like Wal-Mart and Safeway, are accepting plastic bags.
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(attached to original minutes)
Abandoned Vehicle Program Report
James Isa was not present. Witcher reminded Dworsky that the commission
·
requested Isas attendance at all commission meetings.
Sanborn requested an update on steps taken to improve the system between the
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Police Department and Solid Waste Division. Henry reported that Director Bell
wrote a memo to the Police Department to follow-up on proper procedures.
As a member of the Abandoned Vehicle Task Force, Jon Olson reported that at the
·
last meeting, there was a discussion regarding the department pursuing a $50 bounty
program for removal of cars to appropriate disposal sites before they become
abandoned.
(attached to original minutes)
Wastewater Division Chiefs Report
OPERATIONS:
The names of the Queen Emma and King Kamehameha pump stations have been
·
changed. Queen Emma is now Keopu Sewer Pump Station and King Kamehameha
isLanihauSewerPumpStation.
Okamura asked why there was a $700,000 change in the amended sewer fund
·
budget.
Ho will check with Business Services and report back to the
Commission.
Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment plant lagoon samples were analyzed for Total
·
Phosphorous and Total Nitrogen levels and it wasdetermined there were no
problems with the nitrate levels and as of now, treatment is not necessary.
(attached to original minutes)
Technical Services Section Report
EAST HAWAI`I REGIONAL SORT STATION:
Revised plans, reflecting the lower cost alternatives agreed to by County Council,
·
are expected from the consultant by May 30, 2006.
Anticipating the Notice to Proceed to be sent to contractor in mid July.
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NORTH KONA IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PROJECT:
th
The first of 4 informational public meetings will be held June 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at
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the Kealekehe High School Cafeteria.
The draft Sewer Master Plan will be available on the County website.
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LARGE CAPACITY CESSPOOLS:
Department of Health has responsibility for individual cesspools.
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EPA requires owners of large capacity cesspool toreport them to EPA. Unless there
·
are deed assignments, the individual home owners are responsible for thecost of
replacement and replacing their large capacity cesspools with individual cesspools.
(attached to original minutes)
DirectorsReport
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Approximately 70 people attended the Mauna Lani Recycling conference on
·
Saturday, May 20, 2006.
NEW BUSINESS:
Council deleted approval to fund the West Hawai`i Composting Facility from the
·
th
CIP Budget. The May 24 West Hawai`i Today article relating to this funding was
discussed.
Green waste tip fees do make up for the increased cost to compost.
·
Theres a two-year payback for the infrastructure.
·
OTHER:
Ho feels that the 3 waste-to-energy proposals that were short listed for Stage 2 of the
·
Waste Reduction Technology Request for Proposal (RFP) will be very controversial.
He said that the Director wants the commissioners to weigh in on and be educated on
the issues to help direct the discussions that happen in the public.
TherewasadiscussionregardingtheCountyswaste-to-energyprocurement:Isita
·
badoption?Cantheislandswastestreamsupportit?WilltheCountylosemoney?
Leithead-Todd discussed the decisions made in the Integrated Solid Waste
ManagementPlan,alternativestoanewlandfillinEastHawai`iandtheexpenseof
the alternatives.
POSSIBLE LEGISLATION/RULES FOR THE FUTURE:
The ordinances and resolutions listed on the second page of the Directors report
·
represent many long term projects.
Horequestedthecommissiontotakeoneormoreoftheseitemsandhelpthe
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department devise a public relations campaign, or key points, that the department
wants the public to understand so they can help the department lobby and educate
the Council through the process.
Sanborn asked about the tires, batteries and other household hazard waste items that
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are being left at transfer stations. The Transfer Station Enhancement Plan is trying
to address additional drop off areas and this will require modifying the Department
of Health transfer station permits which dont allow those items to be taken at the
transfer stations currently.
Aside from the bi-annual County household hazardous waste disposal days, there are
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private companies that take commercially generated or household hazardous items if
they cant be held.
6.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
STATUS REPORT AUDIT, RESOLUTION NO. 168
Report has not been completed.
·
REPORT ON MAUI TRASH TOUR COMMISSION MEMBER OKAMURA
Okamura reported on the participants, the sites visited and distributed the Hawai`i
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Island Journal article written by Alan McNarie who attended.
UPDATE ON WATER COMMISSION COMMUNICATION COMMISSION
MEMBER SANBORN
Previous County Councils have refused to approve water shut-off for non payment
·
of bill. Board of Water Supply, when approached in the past, has been unwilling to
be involved in joint water-sewer bills or interested in water shut-off.
Okamura moved that the Department draft an ordinance, to be sent to the
·
County Council, allowing the Department to terminate sewer services to any
very delinquent user, to include thresholds, account size, discretion of the
Director, a notification process, subsequent enforcement and appeals process,
for non payment of bill. Mayhew seconded and it passed unanimously. Ho will
work with Leithead-Todd to draft this ordinance and have it at the next
Commission meeting for discussion and decision making.
Termination of sewer service would be via installation of a shut-off valve in the
·
sewer line.
Sanborn made a motion that the Director implement possible changes in future
·
projects that meet a certain threshold by requiring shut-off valve in the
installation process, as opposed to having to come back and re-fit it. Sumner
Leithead-Todd will have
seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
a draft ordinance for discussion and decision making next meeting.
7. (Taken out of order)
NEWS BUSINESS
DISCUSSION: WATER SHUT-OFF OR OTHER MEASURES FOR NON PAYMENT
OFSEWERFEES:
See 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS, Update on Water Commission Communication -
·
Commission Member Sanborn above.
DISCUSSION AND DECISION MAKING: CONTINUANCE OF DERELICT
VEHICLEAMNESTYPROGRAMFORFY06-07
Sanborn made a motion to recommend extending the program. Mayhew
·
seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
DISCUSSION: COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION QUESTIONS
Okamura made a motion to endorse the recommendations made by the
·
Director and to add the following to Question 1:
Provide work program for foreign engineers
o
Recruit hard to fill positions by way of private employment contracts.
o
Kawamura seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Henry will draft letter to be reviewed and finalized by Commission Chair and
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Vice Chair.
8.: None
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
9.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
FUTURE COMMISSION MEETINGS
July 26, 2006, Waimea, Community Center (Park) Building, 65-1260 Kawaihae
·
Road, Kamuela, HI 96743
September 27 ,2006, Kona, Mayors Office Conference Room, 75-5706 Kuakini
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Highway, Suite 103, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
November 22, 2006, Hilo, County Council Room ,25 Aupuni Street, Room 201, Hilo,
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HI 96720
10.
ADJOURNMENT
Kawamura moved to adjourn. Mayhew seconded and motion was carried
Meeting adjourned at 11:25 p.m.
unanimously.
Minutes Respectfully Submitted by:
SHARRON HENRY
Environmental Management Secretary
FORMAT NOTE: ACTION ITEMS ARE IN PRINT (MOTIONS AND ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION TO
BOLD
BE TAKEN FOR FUTURE MEETINGS).