The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2002-12-18 Enviromental Management Commission Minutes ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MINUTES Wednesday, December 18, 2002, 10:14 a.m. Kona MayorÓs Office Conference Room 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 COMMISSIONERS Riley Smith ALSO Gerald Takase, Corporation Counsel PRESENTPRESENT :Mack Asato:Lorena Agliam, Aide to Councilman Safarik Marjorie ErwaySue Aronson Sam KawamuraSteve Cassulo Luana JonesTony Chang Hugh OnoJim James, Environmental Resources Mgmt. Anne PlackNancy Pisicchio Carolyn WitcherBob Platt Sharon Sakai Erika Yamamoto, Leg. AuditorÓs Office EXCUSEDSTAFF :David Frankel:Barbara Bell, Director Peter Boucher, Wastewater Division Chief Larry Capellas, Solid Waste Division Chief Sharron Henry, Secretary CALL TO ORDER 1. Commission Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 10:14 a.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 27, 2002 MEETING 2. Sam Kawamura moved to approve the November 27, 2002 minutes.Carolyn Witcher seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS LISTED ON AGENDA 3. Bob Platt stated that a tipping fee increase of $15 per year is unfair. Businesses should always pay their fair share but not more than their fair share. Platt will provide the ÐPay-As- You-ThrowÑ manual for distribution for commission members. APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM AND/OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA 4. Commissioner Ono moved to discuss and take action on the Resolut Countywide Diversion Goals. Witcher seconded. Motion carried unanimously and the item was added to Item 7 under NEW BUSINESS. CORRESPONDENCE/REPORTS/DISCUSSION 5. DirectorÓs Report (attached to original minutes) UPDATE TO ISWMP: Commission membersÓ comments on the Final Draft, Revision 1 are due today. th An informal public meeting for implementing the Update will be h in Hilo. PROJECTS: Keaau community recycling center should be open in March, 2003 and an Open House will be announced. th Scrap metal Invitation to Bid went out December 13. It is based on one 10-year contract and addresses the goal of removing the old scrap metal pile and moving the operation to Pu`uanahulu in 2-4 years. th Green waste program will likely stay the same until June 30. Working on an RFP to address sewage sludge composting with stipulations/regulations regarding how sludge is handled. FUNDING Department received the $1M from the State CIP budget. Application was submitted last week to the EPA for Hilo and Kona solid waste baseyard assessments. Jim James stated that if contamination is found, it is likely that DOH will become active in insuring compliance but it could also allow for a new source of funding to address any problem found. LEGISLATION: The resolution setting county division goals was explained and will be addressed further in NEW BUSINESS. A $10 increase was requested in a proposed Ordinance authorizing a landfill tipping fee increase. A residential credit adjustment in direct proportion to the tipping fee was also included. A Resolution has been proposed authorizing the Mayor to enter into a multi-year contract for Ono made a motion to support the Department of Environmental scrap metal. ManagementÓs resolution to allow the Mayor to enter into a multi-year contract in regards to the scrap metal. Witcher seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. A Resolution has been proposed to amend the vehicle registration fee, increasing the DepartmentÓs portion from $4 to $12, to fund the scrap metal contract. Requests for bids for scrap metal removal are open until December 30, 2002 and are ava Purchasing Division. This item will be agendized for further discussion at next meeting. RESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLD CREDIT: The residential credit is addressed in the Solid Waste Division rules, not in the current ordinance, and public hearings will be held to discuss this and other appropriate rules changes. Mr. Platt offered that audits are welcome on the haulersÓ premises any time but the information is proprietary and the businesses do not want to submit anything other than total numbers. : PERSONNEL CapellasÓ last day is December 20, 2002. Bobby Gonsalves will TA in this position until a permanent replacement is hired. Accountant III interviews are scheduled for January. Solid Waste Division ChiefÓs Report (attached to original minutes) HILO LANDFILL: New 15-foot high lift will start in January, 2003 with an estimated life of 14 months; another 15-foot high lift will start in April, 2004 with a life of 8 to 10 months. The Department of Health will require closure 60 days after the coun will require millions of dollars. Stretching the life of the landfill will benefit everyone. SOLID WASTE DIVISION STAFFING: Out of the present staffing of 56, the actual field staff of 38 employees takes care of 2 landfills and 21 transfer stations on a 7-day operation. Staffing needs to be reviewed. This information is included in a TRANSITION REPORT that was turned over to the Director. -2- RFP Î REGIONAL TRANSFER STATION: A draft RFP for a Regional Transfer Station was also turned over to the Director this morning, along with a memo addressing questions and decision-making issues (attached to original minutes). NEW EQUIPMENT: Hilo D-8 Dozer and West Hawaii Landfill Compactor will be received in February or March 2003. 1991 Hilo dozer should be kept as a spare and the West Hawaii track loader should be repaired. Eleven new containers will be delivered in the Fall or Winter 2003. KAILUA LANDFILL is monitored weekly but Walker Consultants have not provided a written report since the one addressed in last monthÓs division report. OLD WAIMEA LANDFILL: Status unchanged. HILO LANDFILL GAS MONITORING is done by Harding Lawson every 3 months. No methane has been found. Commissioner Ono, on behalf of the commission, thanked Capellas and wished him well. Wastewater Division ChiefÓs Report (attached to original minutes) SEWER CONNECTION EXEMPTIONS: The proposed ordinance has not been agendized by council. NORTH KONA IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT: Proposed ordinance has not been agendized by council. NEW SEWER USER FEES: Draft ordinance and cover letter attached to original minutes. Even though some rates increased substantially, they are still in line with other Hawaii counties. Per EPA grant conditions, sewer user fees must be adequate to pay for the operation, maintenance, and replacement of the sewer system. Facilities administration is also paid by sewer user fees. Witcher made a motion to recommend Debt service is shared among all the property owners. the adoption of the new wastewater service charge rates as presented. Erway seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. PROPOSED SEWER EXTENSIONS: Sewer extension proposals for Queen Lili`oukalani and Komohana Heights subdivisions have been deferred by council awaiting more information. Boucher will request the money to begin the design process, comp engineering report and present the additional information to council. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6. Discussion and Approval of Sewer Connection Exemptions : Addressed in Item # 5, Wastewater Division ChiefÓs Report. Discussion and Approval of Resolution authorizing Kalanianole Phase II Collector Sewer : No action was taken. Discussion and Approval of proposed ordinance related to sewer user fees : Addressed in Item # 5, Wastewater Division ChiefÓs Report. -3- NEW BUSINESS 7. National Solid Waste Philosophy (statement attached to original minutes): Ono recommended the commission take a more proactive stance on what is being produced that ends in the counties and cities landfills. Relationship between County Council, Administration and Commissi (statement attached to original minutes): Ono recommended that a plan be developed by the Commission to either become more effective or to suggest the termination of the Environmental Management Commission. Nancy Pisicchio suggested the commission and Director be proactive in educating Ono made a the council regarding Department of Environmental Management proposals. motion that the Chair designate individuals to accompany the department at the Council meetings for agenda items as determined by the Chair to support the department through the deliberation of the agenda item. Plack seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Boucher suggested the department request the council to agree, by ordinance, to delegate the authority to approve Wastewater Division Administra Environmental Management Commission, which includes user fees. Boucher and Takase will discuss appropriate action to be taken and Boucher will draft Wastewater Administrative Rules to be included with this action. A Charter Amendment is needed to change the commissionÓs responsibility from advisory to authoritative. Bell will keep the commission informed on state legislative actions relating to environmental issues. Jones will prepare a draft resolution from the commission supporting the national solid waste and aggressive recycling efforts for discussion at the next meeting. Solid Waste Residential Credit for Trash Haulers : Discussed in Item #5, DirectorÓs Report. Discussion and Approval of Final Draft of Integrated Solid Waste Managmeent Plan Addendum, Revision 1, November 15, 2002A motion was made by Ono to adopt the : Final Draft of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan and seconded by Kawamura. Motion passed unanimously. Discussion and Approval of the Resolution Setting Countywide Diversion Goals : Approval of the goals of 50% diversion from any landfill in 5 years and 80% diversion in 10 years will be Jones made a motion to support the support for council funding to achieve these goals. resolution and Kawamura seconded. Motion carried unanimously. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 8.: None. ANNOUNCEMENTS 9. Due to conflicts with County Council meeting schedules, the March commission meeting will be th moved to March 13, 2003. Quarterly meetings will continue to be held on the 4 Wednesday of the thnd month. All special meetings after the February 26 meeting will be held on the 2 Thursday of the month. Wednesday, January 22, 2003, 9 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., Waimea Community Center (Park) Building, 65-1260 Kawaihae Road, Kamuela, HawaiÒi 96743 -4- Wednesday, February 26, 2003, 9:00 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., HawaiÒi County Council Room, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 201, Hilo, HI 96720 Thursday, March 13, 2003, 9:00 a.m. Î 12:00 p.m., Kona MayorÓs O 5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 ADJOURNMENT 9. Jones moved to adjourn. Kawamura seconded and motion was carrie Meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m. Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: SHARRON HENRY Environmental Management Secretary -5-