WAHIAWA NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006

WAHIAWA RECREATION CENTER

CALL TO ORDER: Chair Ben Acohido called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. A quorum was present.

Chair Acohido apologized for not submitting the agenda in time for a Regular Meeting. The Sunshine Law requires the Regular Meeting agenda to be time-stamped seven days prior to the meeting, but only six days prior for Special Meetings.  Thus, this evening’s meeting is a Special Meeting.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Ben Acohido, Sheri Bentley, Burt Iwata, Robert Kent, Silvia Koch, Kathy Masunaga, Irwin Yamamoto.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Mary Jane Lee (excused), Jyun Yamamoto (excused).

GUESTS: Eugene Lee (Mayor’s Representative), Council Chair Donovan Dela Cruz, Brandon Mitsuda, Kim Ribellia and Ann-Maile Yamasaki (Council Chair Dela Cruz’s office), Edmund Aczon (U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye’s office), Patty Dukes (EMS), Capt. Ed Nishi and Lt. Charles Wong (HPD), Duke Chung, Francis Fung, Andy Keliikoa, Ryan Nakata and Kawehi Yim (BWS), CDR Joe Spegele and LTJG Cody Mortensen (NCTAMS PAC), Capt. Brad Masutani and 1^st Sgt. Raymond Pinzon (227^th Engineer Company), Chris Aguinaldo (Ka Nupepa), Kathy Best (Castle & Cooke), Gary Omori (sub-contractor), Pam Mills-Packo (RMS), Rod Ohira (Honolulu Advertiser), Norberto B.and Rose Baysa, Ellen Hyer, Ron Kubota, Mildred Mesaku, Y. Ohori, Benny and Linda Quiseng, James and Joyce Shimokusu, Vincent Souki, Ken Tamura, Steve J. Rodrigues (Neighborhood Commission Office Staff).

Homecoming Recognition of 227th Engineer Company, Hawai`i Army National Guard – Chair Acohido and Council Chair Dela Cruz each presented Capt. Brad Masutani and 1st Sgt. Raymond Pinzon with Certificates of Appreciation for serving our country in the Middle East. Capt. Masutani thanked everyone for their support. The Wahiawa Hongwanji sent snacks and local foods that boasted morale. Support from family and the entire state was unbelievable. There were several soldiers from Wahiawa in the 227th Engineer Company. He encouraged the Board to keep up the good work for the community. (A round of applause was given at this time).

Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project – Gary Omori, sub-contractor along with Pat Lee for the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project, said their main role is to get the public involved. Input was received at public meetings held on December 13-14. He asked for the Board’s permission to give periodic updates. This project will have an impact on the quality of life for everyone. He encouraged everyone to participate in the process. For more information, visit www.honolulutransit.org or contact 566-2299. 

APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 21 2005 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES: The Board approved the minutes with the following corrections:

Page 2 and 3, under U.S. Army, delete “The Army officer” and insert “ Brigadier General John Bednarek”

Page 3, under Residents Concerns, first paragraph, first sentence, delete “Mrs. Lowery” and insert “Mr. Lowery”…second paragraph, third line, delete “to”….fourth line, delete “need” and insert “needs”.

Page 4, under Residents Concerns, fourth paragraph, eight line, delete “Governo” and insert “Governor”.

Page 4, under Presentations, insert “;” between “DTS and however”.

Page 5, under Correspondence, third line, delete “has”.

Page 5, under Unfinished Business, insert “Masunaga offered to tabulate the surveys into an electronic database; however Chair Acohido rejected this offer.”

Page 6, under Elected Officials, second paragraph, eighth line, delete “Parks” and insert “Park”…fourth paragraph, second line, delete “grand fathered” and insert “grandfathered”.

In response to Masunaga, Chair Acohido stated there were no expenditures from the Publicity Account (at last month’s meeting, the Board passed a motion to authorize the use its Publicity Account to purchase a banner, welcome home sign, and refreshments). The item has been tabled.

TREASURER'S REPORT: No report.

FIRST RESPONDERS – Reports and Concerns:

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) – No report or representatives was available.

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) – Lt. Charles Wong reported the statistics in the District for the months of December and January, there were 15/11 burglaries, 14/10 UEMV (unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle), and 26/15 thefts.

Concerns and comments followed:

1)       Koch inquired if any of the burglaries in Wahiawa are tied to the burglaries in Mililani. Lt. Wong stated he can’t say that the burglaries have spilled into Wahiawa. They have a suspect who is responsible for the crimes. This person has a pending burglary against him. Most of the burglaries involved entry through louver windows.

2)       Kent had concerns about loud car mufflers. Lt. Wong said any modified muffler is required to have a reconstruction sticker. Officers will pull over a vehicle if the muffler is loud; however, it is not high on the priority list.

3)       Chair Acohido mentioned residents of Royal Palm Drive and Walker Avenue are concerned about increased of speeding on their streets. Masunaga noted that motorists don’t stop at the stop sign on U`uku Street at Royal Palm Drive. A resident added that Royal Palm Drive is dangerous.

4)       A resident had concerns regarding junk cars left on Avocado by Lone Star State. The business leaves the vehicles all over the place until it is towed away. Lt. Wong advised the resident to call 911 when he sees those vehicles.

5)       Chair Acohido pointed out that illegal left turns at Wilikina Avenue and Kamehameha Highway are being made by motorists.

6)       Chair Acohido recognized that District 2 officers have the largest beat to cover despite a manpower shortage. (A round of applause was given at this time).

Emergency Medical Service (EMS) – Patty Dukes, Chief of EMS, reported: 1) For the month of December, Wahiawa EMS received 304 calls, transported 218 patients, had 3 emergency transfers, 6 out of area calls, no MAST operations, and 107 co-responses. 2) Recently in the news it was announced that the Army medevac helicopters would be mobilized to the Middle East and be unavailable for rescues. The helicopters transfer critical trauma patients to either Queens Hospital or Tripler. Intervention is done in route. The biggest impact will be felt when there is a multi-patient accident. EMS will not only miss the helicopters, but also the personnel.

Concerns and comments followed:

1)       Chair Acohido recognized Dukes, Chief for EMS as one of the highest-ranking woman in the City government.

2)       Koch asked since the State has a surplus, what is the possibility of the State purchasing a helicopter. Dukes answered the City has been in discussions with the State. They will come up with an alternative. The military would also be affected by this change.

U.S. Army – Schofield Barracks – No report or representative was available.

Chair Acohido stated: 1) Schofield’s Light Division is no longer retains its “Light” definition. 2) The Army might give up Makua Valley for live-fire training if they can acquire additional lands. 3) Another brigade from Schofield will be deployed soon. It will impact the economy. 4) The Stryker Brigade unit is coming to Hawai`i. 5) Housing is being constructed at Schofield. 6) The Army is looking into the dumping of chemical weapons along the Waianae coast.

U.S. Navy – NCTAMS PAC – CDR Joe Spegele reported: 1) Captain Jim Donovan sends his regrets. 2) More than 200 North Shore residents participated in NCTAMS PAC 16^th Annual Operation Aloha Thanksgiving Dinner at the Waialua Community Center. In addition, throughout October and November, volunteers from NCTAMS PAC collected more than 3,000 pounds of canned goods that were donated to a local food bank. 3) In December, NCTAMS PAC Sailors completed a clean-up/repair and restoration project at Liliu`okalani Protestant Church in Haleiwa, one of the oldest churches in Hawai`i. 4) NCTAMS PAC had great success with holiday safety over the past couple of months. All the training (i.e. alcohol awareness, driving safety, and suicide prevention) the Sailors attended paid off. There were no major safety issues this holiday season. 5) November’s minutes should be corrected so it states “sailors” instead of “soldiers”.

Concerns and comments followed:

1)       Chair Acohido thanked Captain Donovan and NCTAMS for the overnight trip on USS Reagan that was attended by Board members Koch, J. Yamamoto and himself. It was a tremendous experience. Koch also thanked the Navy. It was an experience beyond her belief. The technology aboard the ship is amazing. Everywhere where they went, sailors would stop and tell them their duties. She was impressed by their youth, expertise and hospitality.

2)       CDR Spegele will follow-up on Chair Acohido’s request if the Navy could help the State with a medevac helicopter.

3)       Chair Acohido said he would like to meet with the Navy at Whitmore either March or April.

RESIDENTS’ CONCERNS:

Traffic Calming – Resident Ken Tamura said his uncle lives on Walker Avenue, where a traffic-calming project was installed. Residents of Walker Avenue were not informed of the project nor was there an opportunity for public input. The first his uncle heard of the project was when he saw the equipment on the street in front of his house. The traffic-calming project is unsafe for people living down the street.

Concerns and comments followed:

1)       Chair Acohido mentioned that Acting Director of City Department of Transportation Services (DTS), Alfred Tanaka, admitted fault for not informing residents. Chair Acohido also apologized. Public notices were published in the daily newspaper and flyers were handed out to residents. The traffic-calming project was designed and installed for the safety of area residents.

2)       Masunaga noted the Neighborhood Board has no power, no authority and no budget. The Board is a forum where residents can express their opinions. The Legislature, City Council, Governor’s representative, and Mayor’s representative have the power of authority. She agreed that residents should have been notified.

PRESENTATIONS:

Property Tax and Car Fees – Chair Acohido said he received a lot of concerns regarding property tax assessments and car registration fees. Tonight is the night to listen to the presenters and raise your concerns.

Eugene Lee, Mayor’s representative, reported upon taking office a year ago, the Mayor convened a review committee that found the City’s fiscal health in danger from years of irresponsible spending. The previous administration deferred $925 million in debt services and operating expenses while raiding our special funds established for specific purposes like sewer maintenances. As a result, the City now owes its creditors $3 billion.

Acting on advice of his review committee, the Mayor immediately imposed strict fiscal controls, cut many unnecessary projects, and established public-private sponsorships for popular programs like Sunset on the Beach. Through these efforts, the City is now making ends meet for the current fiscal year 2006 and 2007. While the hot housing market has benefited homeowners, home sellers, the real estate market and the construction industry, it also has had a severe impact upon folks who have lived in the same house for decades and particularly those on fixed incomes. The Mayor has therefore proposed a tax cut of $40 million – a third of the additional revenue the City expects to receive. If approved, this tax cut would be effective this August, and  equivalent to an additional $80,000 exemption, on top of the standard $40,000. Another important feature of the Mayor’s tax relief proposal is to create a new “homeowner” classification of property, just as Mau`i, Kaua`i, and Hawai`i counties have done. This will allow the City to reduce tax rates for owner-occupants by distinguishing them from other property owners such as investors or speculators. A Special Budget Committee meeting will be held on January 26, 9:00 a.m. on various property tax relief bills.

Council Chair Donovan Dela Cruz stated low interest rates over the last few years have been the primary fuel for the real estate boom that has sent property values skyrocketing not only here in Hawai`i, but across the nation. While investors and businesses associated with the real estate industry have enjoyed substantial gains, others not involved in the frenzy of buying and selling real estate have been nonetheless pulled into the fray. As part of our efforts to lessen what we consider to be an unfair financial burden on an alarming number of residents affected by escalating property taxes, he and Council Vice-Chair Kobayashi have introduced five bills that if passed, would alleviate some of the tax burden cause by soaring real property tax assessments. The Mayor does not want to cut services. (Council Chair Dela Cruz circulated a list of proposals for real property tax legislation).

Mililani resident Ron Kubota, representing homeowners on the panel, said most homeowners who live in their own homes have no intention of selling their homes so any increase in home property value assessments does

not provide them with any kind of benefits. Property values in Hawai`i have continued to rise due to investors. Most homeowners cannot even afford to purchase a home at the assessed value of their existing home. Appealing the property tax assessment is not recommended because the chances of winning are slim. You will lose the $25 application fee. He recommends immediately freezing the property tax, increasing property tax exemptions, and property tax cap/calculations. The exemptions and caps should not be based on the homeowner’s income.

Concerns and comments followed:

1)       Masunaga said most homeowners who received their property assessments were shocked. Only Bill 5 addresses property assessments. The City’s website, www.honolulupropertytax.com, shows how much your neighbors pay in property tax. The appraisal process needs to be improved.

2)       Masunaga had concerns about the money funding for Whitmore Gym had elapsed. She inquired how much money does the City have encumbered and hasn’t yet been used, and when the money lapses, does it go back to the General Fund. Lee stated encumbered money is usually bonds. It’s not cash, it’s just an obligation. The money is used only when construction begins. The $3 billion in debt is in bonds. Council Chair Dela Cruz mentioned 20% of the City’s budget goes to paying the debt.

3)       A resident stated his mother is 87 years old, doesn’t drive, and has no means of transportation. It would be difficult for her to appeal her assessment all the way in Honolulu. Another resident asked if the City could come out to the community.

4)       Chair Acohido asked even though the deadline to appeal your assessment has passed, can you ask for an extension. Council Chair Dela Cruz answered no, the deadline is set by ordinance. Homeowners just have to wait until they see which bills pass, then check their exemptions.

5)       A resident was concerned that his property tax increased 100%. Council Chair Dela Cruz stated the value is based on your neighborhood.

6)       A resident said he taxes increased $500 even though no houses were sold in his neighborhood. Council Chair Dela Cruz stated all of the information is online.

7)       A resident asked why the Mayor can’t ask the State for some its surplus. Lee answered the City, along with the other counties, have continued to ask the Legislature for their share of the Transient Accommodation Tax (TAT) and non-adjudicated traffic fines.

8)       Kent inquired who evaluates the homes. Lee stated the City has a Real Property Assessment Division. They don’t actually go out in the field, they monitor sales. A resident asked if they consider the age of the house. Lee said he would hope so.

9)       Lee stated there was an increase of motor vehicle fees on January 1, from two cents per pound to three cents per pound (i.e. a 3,000 pound vehicle would pay $30 in fees). The money goes to the Highway Fund, which pays for roads, police, traffic signals, beautification, etc.). Council Chair Dela Cruz added that the previous administration preferred a gas tax, but it would hit the Wahiawa community more (because residents have to drive farther). The vehicle weight tax affects everyone across the board.

10)   Chair Acohido said, in summary, that residents are concerned about the issues discussed tonight. The City needs revenue that comes from property taxes. The fines paid for traffic tickets go to the State and not the City. A computer model for real property assessments is not available. He thanked Council Chair Dela Cruz, Lee, and Kubota. (A round of applause was given at this time).  

BWS Project on California Avenue and Traffic Implications – Kawehi Yim said two crews are working in opposite locations on California Avenue, from U`uku Street to Karsten Drive (one on the north end and the other on the south end). Work involves open trenching, two to three feet in width. The water mains were installed in the 1980’s and there have been 22 main breaks to date. There are issues with high and low pressure. There is not much they can do with traffic mitigation since there are only two lanes of traffic. One lane would have to be closed during construction. Flagpersons are located at the top and bottom of the project and are constantly in communication with each other.

Concerns and comments followed:

1)       Chair Acohido asked if residents of California Avenue had been notified. Yim answered letters were sent out to the Neighborhood Chair, elected officials, and residents of the immediate area. BWS would like to continue to use the Neighborhood Board to get the word out. Koch, resident of Alahula Way, mentioned she did receive a notice. She complimented Perfecto Engineering on their work. A large truck turned around in a resident’s driveway and damaged their driveway. A representative from Perfecto said the next time it happens to either call them or BWS so they are aware of it. Perfecto will pay for the damages.

2)       Yim stated workers will not be going into anyone’s driveway. Andy Keliikoa, Senior Construction Inspector for BWS, said whenever they do construction, his inspectors go house to house and hand deliver notices. If anyone has any questions or concerns, he can be reached at 225-6269.

3)       Iwata inquired about hours of operation. Yim stated work will be done Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with no work on holidays. They don’t expect weekend work. The old mains will remain in place. Water service will be transferred from the old main to the new main, which usually should take three to six hours.

4)       Kent suggested working with police, fire, and EMS. Yim said anytime there is an emergency vehicle, they have to let them through.

CORRESPONDENCE: Deferred.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY GROUP REPRESENTATIVES:

Wahiawa Community Business Association (WCBA) – No report or representative was available.

Chair Acohido said Jack Kampfer was reelected President of WCBA.

Council Chair Donovan Dela Cruz – Brandon Mitsuda circulated Council Chair Dela Cruz’s monthly report, along with the 2006 City Council Calendar. Council Chair Dela Cruz was available for questions. Kim Ribellia, Executive Assistant for Council Chair Dela Cruz, introduced new Senior Advisor Ann Maile Yamasaki. Yamasaki will be in attendance if Mitsuda is not able to attend.

Mayor's Representative – Eugene Lee was available for questions. Neighborhood Assistant Steve J. Rodrigues circulated the Mayor’s monthly newsletter “Honolulu News”.

Governor’s Representative – Laurence Lau circulated the “Governor’s Update”, a booklet titled “The Lingle-Aiona Administration 2006 Initiative”, and information on E-10 alcohol blended gasoline. In addition, he followed up on: 1) The State Department of Transportation (DOT) Traffic Branch is okay with either parking or no parking on Kamehameha Highway. They are just concerned that there may be a conflict between the Neighborhood Board and the Wahiawa Community and Business Association members. The department does not want to be caught in the middle. 2) Engineers from the State Department of Health (DOH) went to Central Auto Repair Service on 805 California Avenue on December 1. They saw 27 vehicles that the company claimed were customer vehicles. No free liquids were observed on the ground. The company said they do not salvage vehicles at this site. It appears to be a repair operation, not a solid waste management facility. As such, the engineers did not observe any solid waste violations. They will be closing this complaint.

Concerns and comments followed:

1)       Iwata had concerns about people selling their goods on the side of the road on Wilikina Avenue. He asked what is the State’s policy regarding this matter. Lau stated they would probably need a business license. He will follow-up.

2)       A resident said a eucalyptus tree in Kipapa Gulch is growing on the side of the hill and will eventually fall into the roadway and cause an accident.

3)       It was pointed out that Central Auto Repair has erected a six foot high piece of wood that blocks the view into its operations from California Avenue.

Congressman Ed Case – No report or representative was available.

Senate President Robert Bunda – Senate President Bunda’s monthly report was circulated.

Representative Marcus Oshiro – No report or representative was available.

Wahiawa Action Initiative (WAI) – Iwata stated WAI has started a project to repaint bus stops throughout the community. They just finished the bus stop in front of the Wahiawa Hongwanji. If anyone knows of any sites that need repainting, please let them know.

Chair Acohido mentioned there was an bus stop bench made of iron at 1729 California Avenue that was stolen.

Wahiawa Satellite City Hall – No report or representative was available.

Board of Water Supply (BWS) – Duke Chung circulated BWS 2006 Water Conservation Calendar. In addition, he reported: 1) In response to the resident’s concern about his high water bill, the high cost is attributed to the sewer bill. 2) On January 3, Clifford P. Lum began his appointment as the new Manager and Chief Engineer of BWS. He is the 8^th Manager and Chief Engineer of BWS and is responsible for the strategic direction and management of BWS. 3) Water saving tip – limit your shower duration to five minutes, and replacing your old showerhead with water saving one can save up to 20 gallons of water per shower. 4) The Wahiawa-Whitmore

project is 73% complete.

Kent suggested limiting water to irrigate golf courses. Chung stated BWS is trying to limit potable water use for golf courses as much as possible.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Task Force for Wahiawa Community Garden – Chair Acohido announced that a neighborhood watch will be established this Saturday with police. Pamela Torres (former Board member) will be the representative for the Board. As reported last month, people were stealing fruits, equipment, etc. from the garden.

Traffic Management – No Parking Hours along Kamehameha Highway (Wahiawa Business District) Coordination with WCBA – Discussed earlier in the meeting.

Survey Results of Wahiawa/Whitmore Community – Chair Acohido presented percentages based on a hand tabulation of the survey results as follows: zoning – 61%; drugs – 40%; mass transit – 38%; education – 37%, crime – 27%; government facilities – 32%; homeless – 23%; economy – 19%; sewers – 18%; roads and traffic – 17%.  However, there was no correlation with the percentages to actual numbers from the survey.

Legislative Committee – Chair Acohido asked Masunaga to chair the Legislative Committee. He spoke with the Office of Information Practice (OIP) regarding Neighborhood Boards and the Sunshine Law. The Boards hands are tied. They can’t initiate action. There is a bill in the Legislature that will allow Neighborhood Boards more freedom.  Masunaga again indicated that her acceptance is contingent upon receiving written confirmation from either the NCO Executive Secretary or the OIP, or both, as to the latitude given to Neighborhood Boards to support or oppose specific bills or resolutions within the confines of the Sunshine Law and the Neighborhood Plan.

NEW BUSINESS:

Legislative Proposal Request for Soldiers/Veterans Relief – Koch stated there is a legislative proposal from California to protect soldiers, called the California Wartime Shared Sacrifice Act of 2005. The act would address pay, medical services, employment, and reemployment rights. She asked if there is an act to protect our soldiers in Hawai`i.

Save Waimea Valley Coalition Invitation – Masunaga asked the Board to support a resolution in support of the Save Waimea Valley Coalition and acceptance of invitation to join the coalition. Masunaga moved and Koch seconded that the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board No. 26 support a resolution in support of the Save Waimea Valley Coalition and acceptance of invitation to join the coalition. The motion carried unanimously.

Appointment of Neighborhood Board Committees – Deferred.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1) The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 1, 2006, Wahiawa Recreation Center, 6:30 p.m. 2) The next Regular Meeting will be held on Monday, February 28, 2006, Wahiawa Recreation Center, 7:00 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT: 9:17 p.m.

Submitted:

Steve J. Rodrigues                    

Neighborhood Assistant