HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-01-24 Water Board Public Hearing Minutes re: Power Cost ChargeMINUTES
DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY
COUNTY OF HAWAII
PUBLIC HEARING ON POWER COST CHARGE
January 24, 2017
Hilo Operations Conference Room, 889 Leilani Street, Hilo, HI
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Craig Takamine, Chairperson
Mr. Russell Arikawa, Vice -Chairperson
Mr. Leningrad Elarionoff
Ms. Brenda Iokepa-Moses
Ms. Kanoe Wilson
Mr. Keith K. Okamoto, Manager -Chief Engineer, Department of Water
Supply (ex -officio member)
ABSENT: Director, Planning Department (ex -officio member)
Director, Department of Public Works (ex -officio member)
OTHERS PRESENT: Ms. Amy Self, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Mr. Gerald Yamada, GW Construction
Ms. Wendy Yamada, GW Construction
Mr. Eleot Kaipo, Qualified Plumbing
Department of Water Supply Staff
Mr. Kawika Uyehara, Deputy
Ms. Janet Snyder, Information and Education Specialist
Mr. Kurt Inaba, Engineering Division Head
Mr. Richard Sumada, Waterworks Controller
Ms. Kaiulani Matsumoto, Contracts Technician
(Chairperson Takamine called the public hearing to order at 9:45 a.m.)
CHAIRPERSON: Good morning everybody. I'd like to call the public hearing of the Water
Board on the proposed new cost of Power Adjustment Clause please come to
order.
The notice of this public hearing was published in the Hawaii Tribune -Herald
and West Hawaii Today on January 1, 2017.
Good morning. My name is Craig Takamine, Chairperson of the Water Board,
and will the members of the Board please introduce yourselves - (Kanoe
Wilson, District 5, Mr. Russell Arikawa, Mr. Leningrad Elarionoff, Waimea,
and Ms. Brenda Iokepa-Moses, Ka`u, introduced themselves.)
CHAIRPERSON: The Department of Water Supply is operated and controlled by this Water
Board as provided by the Hawaii County Charter. Section 54-63 of the
Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides as follows:
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"The Board of Water Supply may fix and adjust rates and charges for the
furnishing of water and for water services so that the revenues derived
therefrom shall be sufficient to make the waterworks and water systems self-
supporting and to meet all expenditures authorized by this part; the Board may
establish variable rates among the several districts of the County, or among the
areas served by the individual water systems within the County, for the purpose
of establishing charges as closely as possible to the necessary amount required
for the maintenance and operation of the particular individual water systems;
provided no rates and charges shall be fixed or adjusted prior to the holding by
the Board of a public hearing, public notice of which shall have been given not
less than twenty days before the date set for the hearing. The notice shall state
the time and place for the hearing and the proposed rates and charges to be
considered thereat. The time within which the notice shall be given shall be
computed by including the first day (the day of notice) and excluding the last
ay.
We are here to receive comments or testimony on the proposed amendment to
the Power Cost Charge. The Department recommends decreasing the Power
Cost Charge from $1.70 to $1.61, to reflect the decrease in the Department of
Water Supply's power costs.
As stated in the hearing notice, all comments or testimony were to be filed in
writing before the time of the hearing or are to be presented in person at the
time of the hearing. We would like to follow this format as closely as possible;
however, because there may be some of you who do not have any written
statements but would like to testify or comment, we would like to afford you
this opportunity to do so but would like to limit such presentations to five
minutes because of the time limit.
The hearing is now open for comments from the floor. Will you please wait
until you are recognized by the Chair; and for the record, could you please step
forward, state your name and the organization you represent, if any.
Is there anyone here to provide oral testimony? For the record, please state
your name and organization, if any. (There was no one present to testify.)
There being none, I would like to entertain a motion that this public hearing be
closed.
MR. ARIKAWA: So move.
MS. WILSON: Second.
CHAIRPERSON: It has been moved and seconded that the public hearing is closed. All those in
favor say "aye." Opposed? (None) Motion is carried. Thank you.
Meeting adjourned at 9:49 a.m.
Recording Secretary
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