HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-09-28 WPR Group NotesMINUTES OF PARKS,WATER &ROADS SUB-COMMITTEE September 28,2016
ATTENDANCE: Sarah Pule-Fujii, Toni Withington, Carter Collins, Andi Longpre
(minutes by Andi)
INTEGRATED AG WATER SYSTEM: Toni Withington reported on a September
26,2016 meeting that she attended. In attendance were Senator Lorraine
Inouye;Keith Okamoto,head of County Water Supply; Jeffery Pearson, deputy head
of the State Water Commission; Bob Lindsey and Guido Giacometti, Kohala Ditch
Foundation board members. Senator Inouye has transferred the $1.5 million from
DOA to the DNLR where it will be administered by Mr. Pearson. Mr. Pearson is
tasked this first year with studying the resources, the need, sustainability and the
preliminary costs of getting it online. Future funding will be available through the
state and federal governments, but decisions will be made locally.
There was complete agreement that the system will be staffed and operated by
locally by Kohala residents through a non-profit.
The DWS has agreed to provide all the legal and geographical information about the
tunnels and other available resources. The State Water Commission is willing to
draw up the R.F. P. for and engineer to do the work before the end of this year.
The most immediate need is for a non-profit entity to take on the administration of
the system. Senator Inouye would like to get together a community meeting with
the stakeholders, farmers and anyone interested in being involved or supportive of
a system fairly soon. Toni reported that the “Water Paper” that John Winter
developed was extremely helpful for this meeting. Our sub-committee will reach
out to various community members such as the “Community Cooperative
Association “ (see Kohala Mountain News Sept 23rd) to ascertain their interests in
this project.
HISAOKA GYM: ROOF and FLOOR: Carter reported that the new floor is in at the
gym; it is a synthetic material that has some “bounce” in it. However, the roof has
leaked again and damaged about 15 square feet of the new floor. The Park Manager
is looking into whether the one year warranty on the roof is still in effect.
ROADS: Coast Guard Road has become dangerous and needs repairs. Mr. Bobby
Command has spoken with the Halbritter family and agrees that the road is in need
of repairs. He agreed to seek a “work order” from the Mayor’s Office to start the
repair process.
Pratt Road: Despite a March 7 meeting in Hilo, a letter of June 20, and an e-mail on
July 21st; Mr. Lee and the Dept. of Public Works have not responded to our request
for assistance in developing a “Revocable Right of Entry Agreement” between the
Pratt Rd. landowners and the community IF there is a need to use Pratt Rd. as an
emergency by-pass. (as identified in the North Kohala CDP).
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Akoni Pule Highway (especially in the Niuli’i area to Pololu look-out): There is a
great need for road reflectors for night driving. This is a dangerous road with many
unseen curves,road debris and narrow bridge areas. On June 3rd, Andi called Mr.
Panem’s office(Highway Dept) re: our request for a copy of the bridge evaluations.
He was out of the office that day so she called back on June 10th, she called again on
June 13th and was transferred twice to his office. He did not respond; Andi sent
another e-mail request. Sarah Pule – Fujii has also called and to this date there has
been no response from Mr. Panem.
PARKS: Mahukona toilets are filthy and in very poor conditions. The sink at
Keokea is still plugged and the tree trimming along the park road has not been done.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, October 26,2016 5 P.M. at the Senior Ctr.