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AIEA NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2007

AIEA PUBLIC LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM

CALL TO ORDER – Chair William Clark announced that the meeting could be not called to order until the Board has a quorum of eight members. The meeting was called to order 8:07 p.m., with a quorum present.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Jane Sugimura, David Arakawa, Sandra Thompson, William Clark, George Passmore, Monica Texeira, Sam Heth, Ron Mobley.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Tracy Arakaki, Mary Booth, Ruby Hargrave, Ryan Distajo, Wilbert Ho, Ross Lee, Martha Aldinger.

GUESTS: Eileen Clarke (Board of Education), Robert Piper (Governor’s Office), Amy Tsuneyoshi (Board of Water Supply), Sharleen Oshiro (Councilmember Romy Cachola’s Office), Carol Feig, Barney Hanson, John L. Mariani, John Burns, Steve Antonio (Representative Lynn Finnegan’s Office), Kevin and Maria Tobin, Gary Omori (HHCTCP), Breene Harimoto (Councilmember Gary Okino’s Office), Susan Sheldon, Suzette Adversalo, Representative Lynn Finnegan, Ross Tsukenjo (Senator Donna Kim’s Office), David Tanoue (Deputy Director, Department of Planning and Permitting/Mayor’s Office), Nola Frank (Neighborhood Commission Office staff).

ROLL CALL OF BOARD MEMBERS – The roll call of Board members was administered with a quorum of eight members present (Sugimura, Clark, Thompson, Passmore, Heth, Mobley, Arakawa,Texeira).

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS – Chair Clark asked guests to introduce themselves.

PUBLIC SERVICE REPORTS:

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) –There was no representative present.

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) – There was no representative present.

Board of Water Supply (BWS) – Amy Tsuneyoshi reported: 1) There were no water main breaks for the month of April. 2) The 2007 Annual Detect-A-Leak-Week will be observed from June 3^rd through 9^th, focusing the public’s attention on the importance of finding and fixing simple leaks around the house. Free Toilet leak detection tablets will be available for pickup at various City Mill stores, satellite city halls, and in the BWS Lobby on Beretania Street. Free home leak check-ups will be provided to 50 customers through a drawing that will be announced later. Special thanks to co-sponsor City Mill, and associate co-sponsors the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and the Sierra Club of O’ahu for their help. The average household with a leak or two that adds up to 1/8” stream can lose 150,000 gallons over the course of a year. 3) Water Saving Tips –If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace it with a water efficient showerhead. 4) BWS Poster contest – Ten students from Aiea area schools are poster contest winners (St. Elizabeth, Waimalu elementary, Gus Webling Elementary, Waiau Elementary and Momilani Elementary). Poster contest winners will be displayed at Pearlridge Uptown from the 18^th to the 29^th of May.

Chair Clark thanked Tsuneyoshi for her report.

Board of Education (BOE) – Eileen Clark circulated the BOE Highlights and noted: a) The grand opening of the new Keone`ula Elementary School (grades K-5) at Cross Pointe today was attended by her and Breene Harimoto. b) Waipahu Intermediate School is the first to receive a LEED (leadership, energy, environment, design) Award for the newly designed cafeteria. c) BOE has approved the Hawaii State Assessment cut scores and proficiency levels that were recommended by the Department’s test contractor, American Institutes for Research (AIR). d) Work continues with Charter Schools, special education issues and the driving force of education. Chair Clark thanked Clarke for her report.

APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 2007 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES – Chair Clark asked if there were any corrections or additions to the minutes:

• Page 4, Questions, comments, concerns should read, “…4) Panos Prevedouros representing the High-Occupancy/Toll Facility stated that the decision for the fixed guideway system is based on lies…”
• Page 5, Questions, comments, concerns should read, “…1) Per his own report an automobile is more competitive than a rail and it would be more advantageous to use a car to Waikiki…”

Without objections the April 2007 regular meeting minutes were approved as corrected.

TREASURER’S REPORT APRIL 2007 – Treasurer Thompson reported the balance in the Operation/Publicity Account ending April 30, 2007 was $1,519.28; expenditures incurred were $82.30 (printing, agenda/minutes mailing, facility rental fee) leaving a balance of $1,436.98. There were no expenses in the Refreshment Account leaving the balance at $120. The financial statement was accepted subject to audit.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS: There were no community concerns.

COMMUNITY REPORTS:

Aiea Community Association (ACA) – Chair Clark announced that Claire Tamamoto was unable to be in attendance this evening. Chair announced that the next ACA meeting will be on Monday, June 4, 2007. The time and place remain the same.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None.

NEW BUSINESS:

Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan Briefing – There was no representative present.

Draft FYs 2008-2011 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – Sugimura reported the Board received correspondence asking for community input. Responses are needed by July 2007. She asked that comments be brought to the June meeting or log on to www.oahumpo.org to submit comments. Chair Clark thanked Sugimura for her report.

Chair Clark relinquished the gavel to Vice Chair Sugimura.

Kaahumanu Street-One Hour Parking (Times Square Shopping Center) – Clark reported he received a letter from Colliers Monroe Friedlander Management, Inc. seeking Board support in asking for signage to be placed on Kaahumanu Street (Times Square) fronting Stuart Anderson’s Cattle Company through Supercuts on the ewa side to one-hour parking. The parking is being utilized (all day) by people working across the street at Newtown Square.

Clark moved, seconded by Arakawa that the Aiea Neighborhood Board No. 20 has no objections to one-hour parking fronting Stuart Anderson’s Cattle Company through Supercuts on Kaahumanu Street. The motion carried unanimously 8-0-0 (Clark, Sugimura, Arakawa, Mobley, Passmore, Texeira, Heth, and Thompson).

Chair Clark resumed the agenda order.

Announcement of two (2) Vacant Seats in Sub-District 1 – Chair Clark announced that Neighborhood Board elections were just completed. He explained that the new term would run from June 2007 through May 2009, and there are two vacancies in Sub-district 1 (Halawa, Halawa Heights, Halawa Valley Aloha Stadium, Ford Island areas). He encouraged interested persons to attend the June 18^, 2007 meeting to be nominated. Clark asked if interested persons could bring a short paragraph of 100 words or less on why he/she would like to serve on the Board.

 REPORTS BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS:

Representative Lynn Finnegan – Representative Finnegan distributed her written report and noted: 1) Legislation along with the mid-year survey results are being gathered to be included in a wrap up newsletter. 2) Dr. Jeffrey Akaka, a licensed psychiatrist, was recognized for the work he has done for Hawaii. 2) She was invited and attended the USS Commissioning Ceremony in Groton Connecticut for the newest Virginia Class Nuclear Submarine. 3) Her office has received noise complaints from residents living near the stadium. Steven Antonio, aide to Representative Finnegan is working with the community to find solutions to the noise concerns from drifting at the Aloha Stadium. A meeting at the Crosspointe Community Center is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16, 2007, 329 Mananai Place, at 6:30 p.m. to hear from the community and the drifting group, Punish’UM Motor Sport Drift Series. Interested persons were encouraged to attend. For more information contact the representative at 586-9470.

Questions, comments, concerns: 1) Heth reiterated that two month’s ago he reported to Representative Takai that no work is being done on the temporary bridge near the Halawa Gate, and no work has been done for about seven months. Mobley added the equipment at the site never moves. Chair Clark said there are problems with the construction because the driller must to be extended with steel to drill down farther.  He asked if it is a drill bit problem or if steel must be added, but doesn’t know. The sub-contractor for the State Department of Transportation (DOT) is working on the problem. However, the sub-contractor cannot work on the bridge due to another obligation somewhere else. 2) An audience member said that drifting is happening in the parking lot of Circuit City with cars speed up and down Kaonohi Street, as well as the H-1 Freeway. Other area where drifting occurs are Costco’s parking lot, Zippy’s, etc. island wide. Chair Clark thanked Representative Finnegan for her report.

Councilmember Romy Cachola – Sharleen Oshiro distributed the written report, and highlighted that the City’s departments of Customer Services (CDS) and Informational Technology (DIT) developed a new website for the public to report suspected abandoned and derelict vehicles: http://www.3.honolulu.gov/csdavcomplaints/.

Questions, comments, concerns: Sugimura reported an abandoned gray truck on Koauka Loop and Koauka Street, that was parked next to the Lutheran Church for six month, but now has been moved by a fire hydrant and has not moved for a couple of months; residents do call HPD. With the new website, Texeira asked if that means the previous fax number is no longer valid. Tanoue will follow up. Tanoue added via the internet abandoned vehicles can be track faster and the department is working to correct suggestions made by the auditors. Chair Clark thanked Oshiro for her report.

Councilmember Gary Okino – Breene Harimoto circulated the written report and noted: 1) The Department of Transportation Services (DTS) has been in contact with the Kam Swap Meet operators regarding traffic concerns. DTS reported that the Kam Swap meet agreed to open the gate on Moanalua Road, and add a second special duty HPD officer in early May. This morning a representative from the Kam Swap Meet informed the office that the gate on Moanalua Road is targeted to open this weekend, and be an entrance only for those traveling in the Diamond Head direction. They believe the hiring of a second officer has helped with the traffic flow. The officer assigned to the entrance ramp keeps cars moving along quickly to make more room for cars to enter. When the swap meet parking lot is full cars will not be allowed to stop on Kaonohi Street and wait to enter. Although traffic flow has improved, complaints have been received from irate customers who want to wait at the entrance until they are able to enter. 2) Included in the written report was the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget. The next Budget Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16, 2007 and May 23, 2007 at 9 a.m. to consider these matters relative to property tax measures.

Questions, comments, concerns: 1) Heth relayed the history of why the gate closed was that a woman running across Moanalua Road to the Swap Meet got hit by a car and got killed. 2) Passmore commented that sometimes the officers cause more problems than help such as stopping traffic going makai on Kaonohi Street to let cars exit the swap meet. Harimoto will follow up. Chair Clark thanked Harimoto for his report.

Senator Donna Kim – Ross Tsukenjo distributed Senator Kim’s and Sakamoto’s written reports. Follow up to motorcycle noise concerns near the Forty-Niner Restaurant - HPD is aware of the noise concerns and monitored the area for two nights, but found no one in violation. Enforcement in the area will be increased. Chair Clark thanked Tsukenjo for his report.

Governor’s Representative – Robert Piper distributed Governor Lingle’s Update, a booklet on The Hawaii Family Guide to Health Emergencies, and a flyer with information on Quest-Ace a free health insurance for needy adults. He was available for questions. Chair Clark thanked Piper for attending the meeting.

Mayor’s Representative – David Tanoue reminded everyone that the bus stop mauka bound on Kaahumanu Street near Moanalua Road and the bus stop on Kaahumanu Street near Kamehameha Highway will be discontinued this Wednesday.

Sewage facts and fiction handouts and a fact sheet relating to the EPA’s decision to deny variance at the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant were available for interested persons to review. Tanoue explained that the EPA is considering withdrawing the renewal of the City’s CWA 301 (h) variance waiver for the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant. If the EPA denies the waiver cost to upgrade the Honouliuli Treatment Plant as EPA suggests would cost taxpayers about $400 million, and approximately another $400 million to upgrade the Sand Island Treatment Plant in the future. The City is focusing on collection of raw sewage, which is part of the connection for the primary treatment, and the sewer infrastructure.  An EPA hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 15, 2007, Kapolei Middle School at 7 p.m. to accept comments and testimonies. Secondary treated water is used for watering golf courses, etc. Chair Clark thanked Tanoue for his report.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Executive – Chair Clark reported: 1) The request for the closure of several Aiea parks was sent to the Department of Parks and Recreation and submitted to the Parks Board for review. He noted Kilinoe Neighborhood Park is private and owned by Newtown Estates. 2) Complaints have been received regarding loud motorcycles at Stadium Mall. 3) Cultural Survey of Hawaii, Inc. is doing an archaeological and cultural study west of the Blaisdell Park and is asking to be contacted about any potential impacts of cultural significance in the area. For more information log on to: www.lgollin@culturalsurveys.com.

There were no other committee reports.

ANNOUNCEMENTS – Chair Clark thanked all outgoing Board members for their service to the Board and community.

ADJOURNMENT – Without objections Chair Clark adjourned the meeting at 9:08 p.m.

Submitted by,                                                               Reviewed by,

Nola Frank, Neighborhood Assistant                           William Clark, Chair