July 29, 2005

Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

CONTENTS

Living in paradise has become a dream far out of reach for so many of Hawai`i Island’s people, amid skyrocketing prices for homes.

Many middle-class workers like teachers, police officers and fire fighters can no longer afford to buy a home.

The scarcity of affordable homes has had a dramatic impact on an array of aspects of life here. Just as one example, our County of Hawai`i job recruitments for the more expensive areas of West Hawai`i go begging and the many jobs available at our island’s resort hotels are hard to fill, largely due to the high price of housing.

The extremely limited supply of housing on Hawai`i Island is causing serious problems for middle-income workers who are forced to spend beyond their means for housing, live in substandard or overcrowded housing conditions, and commute extremely long distances.

As a result, employers are having difficulty recruiting and retaining workers who want a quality of life that allows them to work closer to inexpensive housing with shorter commutes.

According to Heather Hebenschau, principal broker for Big Island Brokers and public relations chair for the Hawai`i Island Board of Realtors, buying demand is largely driven by the $500,000 tax break on principal home sales for married couples.

The vast majority of home purchases she has seen this past year were by affluent mainlanders who come to retire on Hawai`i Island.

The demand is reflected in a dramatic jump in median home prices. According to figures provided by Ms. Hebenschau, the median home price for Puna in June 2005 was $238,250 versus $159,000 in June 2004.

South Kohala’s median home prices rose to $565,000 in June 2005, compared with $428,000 in June 2004. North Kona’s median home price hit the stratosphere at $639,000 in June 2005, against $442,500 in June 2004.

We are seeing possible signs of a slowdown in the number of building permits issued in Hawai`i County so far this year. While in 2004 the total value of building permits was a record $913 million, the first six months of 2005 saw $427.7 million in building permits. Extrapolated out for the entire year, the total value for this year is unlikely to hit new heights.

The pattern of building permits is changing, too. The less-expensive Puna area of the Island of Hawai`i posted a higher value of building permits in May of $14.9 million versus the perennial leader, North Kona with $11.5 million.

Puna also led the island in May in terms of number of permits, with 130 out of 394 permits issued.

The County of Hawai`i was pleased to announce in June 2005 the selection of a single master developer for Kamakoa Vistas, a workforce housing project in Waikoloa Village that will provide affordable housing for low- and moderate-income Big Island residents.

UniDev, LLC, based in Bethesda, Maryland, specializes in building affordable workforce housing. Their mission is to develop affordable, high-quality for-sale and rental housing. The idea is to build a community where people will want to live, not where they have to live.

The planned residential community, referred to as Kamakoa Vistas (also known as the Waikoloa Employee Housing Project), will consist of a total of 800 to 1,200 single-family and multi-family rental and for-sale homes, related infrastructure and site improvements, and several related non-residential land uses, including a community park, bikeways and other amenities.

The construction would take place over a 10- to 15-year period.

The tentative start date of construction for the on-site infrastructure is March 2007.

The County would like construction of this project to begin as soon as possible, and that the first phase of houses can be completed and available for sale or rent by 2007.

All of the residential units are to be rented or sold at prices affordable to families with incomes in the range of 50% to 140% of the County median income, which for 2005 is $28,500 to $73,500 for a family of four.

The selected developer, UniDev, LLC, will be responsible for the planning, design, and phased construction of the estimated 1,200 affordable homes for people employed in area business on County-owned land.

The project will range from town homes to single-family detached houses, and rental housing units interspersed strategically throughout the community to create a village setting and to promote social interaction.

More than half of the total 268 acres will be devoted to parks, open space, community facilities and to preserving the natural features of the site.

The development will be designed to be in harmony with the land forms and general environmental conditions of the area, and be a good neighbor to the neighboring community.

Kamakoa Vistas will offer a mix of building densities and types, as well as a mix of household income ranges, to create what we hope will be a diverse and dynamic community.

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The County of Hawaii is seeking community-minded applicants for an important new commission whose task is to advise the County on matters relating to public access and open space on the Island of Hawaii.

The Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission will include nine members, one from each Council District.

The Commission will develop a prioritized list of lands that qualify for preservation as open spaces, and explore methods of funding land acquisition and make recommendations to the Mayor.

The overall purpose of the Commission is to ensure:

1. Public outdoor recreation and education, including access to beaches and mountains;
2. Preservation of historic or culturally important lands and sites;
3. Protection of natural resources, including buffer zones;
4. Preservation of forests, beaches, coastal areas, natural beauty and agricultural lands;
5. Protection of watershed lands to preserve water quality and water supply.

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The County Department of Public Works and Council members Angel Pilago and Virginia Isbell will be hosting an Open House -style informational meeting to update the general public on Kona Road projects and initiatives to relieve traffic in the Kona area.

When: Thursday, August 4, 2005, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Where: King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, Kailua-Kona

The purpose of the meeting is two–fold:

• To disseminate information on the status of ongoing or planned road improvements, and traffic-mitigation projects.
• To listen to public concerns about traffic issues or safety problems the community is experiencing in the Kona area.

The meeting will be held in an "Open House" format to allow the public to speak directly with project engineers and other County officials. Information tables will be manned by experts to answer questions on the following projects:

• Ali’i Parkway
• Mauka - Makai Roads (Lako St & La’aloa St)
• Palani Road/Kealaka’a Street & Coastview/Wonderview Connectors
• Mamalahoa Hwy (Honalo to Captain Cook)
• Hokulia Bypass
• Kealakehe Parkway - Kealaka’a St Extension & Other Planning Initiatives
• Police Enforcement
• Transit Initiatives
• Queen Ka’ahumanu Hwy Widening
• Route 190 Improvements
• Kuakini Hwy Widening

A General Information table will be set up to answer questions about smaller road improvement projects in the Kona area.

For further information or for anyone who needs special accommodations, please contact Public Works Deputy Director Jiro Sumada at 961-8324.

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Recruitment efforts are going strong as the Department of Civil Service continues its grassroots outreach campaign to solicit interested persons for County jobs.

The next district recruitment session is scheduled for August 10^th at the Keaau Community Center from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend these sessions to learn about available County jobs and to pick up test-taking tips. Job applications will also be available.

The Department of Civil Service reports progress in the recruitment of police officer applicants. The Hawai`i Police Department has recently filled more of its vacancies, and the number of police officer vacancies has been reduced from 63 to 45.

Gabriella Cabanas, Recruitment & Examination Division Chief for the Department of Civil Service, indicates that written tests are still being administered monthly to applicants for the Police Officer I recruitment. Persons who pass the written test are then scheduled for the physical agility test. Persons who don’t pass the written test are eligible to retake the test the following month provided they request the test retake.

As members of the public reach age 21, they are encouraged to submit an application as well.

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The Hawai‘i County Code, the laws of the County, contains ordinances enacted through June 30, 2005.

Printed copies of the Code will be available for purchase for $200 on August 1, 2005. A CD is included with the purchased copies of the printed Code, or may be purchased separately for $20 by calling the Clerk’s Office at (808) 961-8255.

Because the Code is constantly amended, the website will be brought up to date as ordinances are adopted. However, the official version will be the printed copy, which will be supplemented every six months.

The County Council recently transferred responsibilities for supplementing and reprinting the Code from the Office of the Corporation Counsel to the Office of the Council-Clerk. The Code and annual supplements were previously prepared by privately-contracted companies.

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If you are helping someone with grocery shopping, paying bills, providing transportation to doctor’s visits, or cooking meals, you already are a caregiver. Time spent caregiving can range from less than an hour or two a week to round-the-clock care.

With careful planning, good self-care and knowledge of available resources, you can better prepare yourself to help your loved one. It’s important to realize that as a caregiver, you are not alone.

AARP, HMSA, Alu Like, Inc. and the Hawaii County Office of Aging have joined together to support the family caregivers on the Big Island.

A caregiver’s conference is scheduled at the Hawaii Naniloa Resort on Thursday, August 11 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost is $15 for unpaid family caregivers and $20 for all others. This fee includes refreshments, lunch, workshops and resource exhibits.

A Resource Fair will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Local service agencies and organizations will provide information and products available with helpful tips and tools to assist the caregiver at home.

Local pharmacists will offer private consultations from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to assess and evaluate all over-the-counter and prescription drugs a person is taking to avoid the danger of potential adverse reactions.

The morning keynote will feature Lee White’s Keeping Things Together Without Falling Apart – A Caregiver’s Story, about a family’s heartwarming and personal experiences of caring for a loved one.

Dr. Kalani Brady, who is featured on a weekly KHON (Channel 2) morning news segment, will present "Be an Empowered Caregiver! A Doctor’s View on How Caregivers can be Advocates for Themselves and Their Families" in the afternoon.

Twelve other sessions focusing on a wide variety of caregiver topics are offered during the day.

A special Alzheimer’s course will be available for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients. Another session addresses questions and concerns of grandparents raising grandchildren.

Other sessions include topics such as mental health, home safety, Medicaid vs. Medicare, financial preparedness and tax information and many others.

Scholarships are available for Native Hawaiians or unpaid family caregivers of Native Hawaiians through Alu Like, Inc. Respite care for older adults may also be available so caregivers can attend this conference.

Registration deadline is July 27 and you must be registered to attend. This conference was at maximum capacity last year, so attendance is on a first come, first served basis.

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With the Pacific hurricane season now upon us, it is very important for all of our Hawai`i residents to be familiar with hurricane preparedness measures.

The County of Hawai`i’s Civil Defense Agency reminds the community that all areas of our Island of Hawai`i can be prone to hurricane hazards.

Residents must be aware that all parts of Hawai`i Island could be exposed to hurricane hazards, despite a common belief that our mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa shield parts of the island from hurricane winds.

We hope our residents will take the time to familiarize themselves with hurricane preparedness measures by reading the County of Hawai`i’s Hurricane Preparedness Guide.

The Hurricane Preparedness Guide is now available on the County’s website . To access the Hurricane Preparedness Guide, click on http://co.hawaii.hi.us/cd/hpg/main.html . There is also a link to the Civil Defense page http://co.hawaii.hi.us/directory/dir_defense.htm .

If you’d like a hard copy of the Hurricane Preparedness Guide, copies will be available from the Civil Defense Agency after July 1.

For further information, contact the Civil Defense Agency at 935-0031.

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The County of Hawai’i’s beverage container redemption sites have new hours of operation beginning August 1. In addition, there is a new weekend site opening in Hawi in August.

Qualifiying Beverage Containers:

What’s IN: Eligible (redeemable) beverage containers include: soft drinks, soda, water, juice, tea and coffee drinks, and low alcohol content drinks (beer, malt beverages, wine coolers, mixed spirits) in metal, glass or #1&#2 plastic, 64 oz. or less.

What’s OUT: Ineligible (unredeemable) containers include: milk, wine and liquor containers.

Qualified beverage containers may be redeemed for cash at the following locations:

**Transfer Station centers closed daily from 1:00-1:30pm for lunch.**

Please contact Atlas Recycling LLC at 935-9328 (Hilo) or 329-6868 (Kona) for further information about additional scrap value paid on aluminum cans and their mobile redemption sites in rural communities.

Certified redemption centers are now accepting flattened aluminum and plastic HI5¢ beverage containers.

Flattened containers are weighed at redemption sites to determine deposit payment. The public is reminded that reverse vending machines will not accept flattened or crushed containers.

Please call the Recycling Specialists with the Department of Environmental Management, County of’

Hawai’I, at 961-8527 or 961-8549 for information about the HI5¢ program or visit:

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The County of Hawai’i Department of Environmental Management, Wastewater Division will be renovating the Kailua Harbor Sewage Pump Station (formerly known as the King Kamehameha Sewage Pump Station) located at the corner of Ali’i Drive and the Kailua-Kona Harbor Access Road fronting the King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.

This work commenced in January 2005 and is expected to be completed by the end of August, 2005. Work is taking place between the hours of 8 am and 5:30 pm during week days and possibly Saturdays.

This renovation project will add capacity to the pump station resulting in better ability to accommodate the increasing number of future developments in Kailua-Kona. As an added benefit, renovation of the King Kamehameha Sewage Pump Station helps with preparing for future abandonment of the Queen Emma Sewage Pump Station located at Emma Square. This should enhance the area for nearby businesses as maintenance activities by Wastewater Division personnel will no longer be required in Emma Square.

During the construction period of the renovation project, businesses along Ali’i Drive can anticipate uninterrupted sewer service and conduct their business in a normal fashion.

Pedestrian traffic will be safely re-routed around the construction area at the King Kamehameha. There will be very little impact to vehicular traffic.

Some construction work will take place at the Emma Square location while giving consideration to pedestrian traffic. This work may include minor improvements to the rock wall and concrete walkways with the intent of making the area safer for pedestrians.

The public is welcome to direct any questions or concerns during construction to the Construction Manager, SSFM International, Inc. at 933-2727. General questions may be directed to the Wastewater Division at 961-8338.

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The Department of Water Supply is experiencing drought conditions around the island and is requesting our customers to conserve drinking water. Due to continuing dry weather conditions, water consumption in the affected areas has increased to a point where water sources and water distribution systems are strained. Drought conditions may last for some time, and the Department is requesting all our customers around the island to use water wisely.

This Water Conservation Notice is a request to reduce your daily water usage by 10%.

The following areas are under WATER CONSERVATION:

1. SOUTH KOHALA - Waimea Town.
2. HAMAKUA - Ahualoa, along Kahaua Drive, Kalopa State Park, Kapahu, Paauilo Mauka, and Pohakea.

Listed are some ways to conserve water to reach the 10% goal:

• Wash full loads of laundry only.
• Wash full loads of dishes only.
• Serve drinking water only when requested.
• Do not let the faucet run unnecessarily.
• When bathing, use water only to wet and rinse off.
• Do not fill up the bathtub.
• Use a glass to rinse when brushing your teeth.
• Do not flush toilets unnecessarily.
• Stop lawn sprinkling.
• Stop car and boat washing.
• Stop dust control watering.
• Use drinking water wisely.

Agricultural users shall irrigate only at night from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This measure will reduce water loss due to evaporation and minimize water system drain during peak demand.

For more information, please contact Daryl Ikeda at the Department of Water Supply at 961-8790.

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Due to ongoing dry weather conditions, exceptionally large water consumption, and repairs being done at the Hualalai and Kalaoa Wells, the Department of Water Supply would like to remind customer in North Kona that they are under Water Conservation.

The Water Conservation Notice is a request to reduce your daily water usage by 10%. (See above article which lists some ways to conserve water to reach the 10% goal.)

Agricultural users should irrigate only at night from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This measure will reduce water loss due to evaporation and minimize water system drain during peak demand.

If this trend of large consumption continues, the next water conservation action will be mandatory reduction. Please conserve water.

For more information, please contact Daryl Ikeda of the Department of Water Supply at 961-8790.

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Construction work to widen Kuakini Highway, from Palani Road to Hualalai Road, commenced on November 8, 2004.

Kuakini Highway will be widened to four lanes for automobiles, including two through-lanes in each direction, and a pocket lane for left turns where appropriate. In addition, there will bicycle lanes on both sides throughout most of the project. The construction will last 18-24 months.

One lane will be open at all times from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. while construction is in progress. Outside of these hours, one lane in each direction will be open.

The contractor, Hawaiian Dredging, will work with the adjacent businesses and residences to assure that a reasonable access to the businesses and residences will be maintained throughout the construction period. However, motorists traveling in the area should drive with caution.

We are most grateful for the public’s patience and apologize for any inconvenience caused.

The public is invited to a weekly update on the Kuakini Highway, Palani Road to Hualalai project every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. at the Kona Mayor’s West Hawai`i Office conference room at Hanama Place. Light refreshments will be served.

Representatives from the contractor, Hawaiian Dredging, and the County, Public Works Department are available at the meetings. Everyone is welcome at these informal "talk story" sessions.

A large project map and a complete set of plans are available for reference at the Kona Mayor's office.

The Tuesday morning updates will continue, and information will also be available via the County website at www.co.hawaii.hi.us.

For more detailed information on the construction, please contact Hawaiian Dredging Contracting Co., Inc. at (808) 483-4270. You can also call Pete Hendricks, Deputy Managing Director at 329-5226.

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Or call our 24/7 Job Hotline: 961-8618

Click on employment opportunities to download all of the forms.

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State legislators are holding a series of statewide meetings to get public input on the establishment of Marine Managed Areas. These plans will affect the future use and preservation of Hawaii's ocean resources.

The following meetings are scheduled on Hawaii Island:

Marine Managed Areas are marine environment areas that are established by law or regulation in order to protect or enhance the area's natural and cultural resources.

The purpose of the meetings on the Big Island is to inform the community on the benefits and the drawbacks of Marine Managed Areas, and to gather feedback from residents.

The House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources have joined together to organize the meetings, hosted by Representative Ezra Kanoho, Chair, and members of the House Committee on Water, Land and Ocean Resources.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources will make a presentation on the establishment of the Marine Managed Areas, their usefulness in Hawaii and the various tools and options used in other locations.

All interested community members are encouraged to attend the meetings.

For further information, contact Georgette Deemer at (808) 586-6133 or (808) 341-5043.

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Free mulch is now available at both the Hilo and Kailua-Kona (Kealakehe) Transfer Stations.

At the present time, no loading fees are being charged, although the public is advised to ask the operator for loading assistance. There may be a short wait time if the operator is busy.

The public may drop off green waste at either facility between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm seven days a week. Loading assistance is available Monday through Saturday.

EKO Composting Systems has assumed the operations of the County of Hawaii’s green waste drop-off and pick-up areas at the Hilo and Kailua-Kona (Kealakehe) Transfer Stations as of July 1, 2005. Below is a list of materials not accepted at these green waste drop-off sites.

If loads do not meet these criteria, you may dispose of the load at either the County’s South Hilo or West Hawai’i Sanitary Landfills. Green waste loads that do not meet acceptable requirements will be charged a special handling fee of $85/load in addition to the tip fee of $65/ton IF taken to either of the County landfills.

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UH Manoa College of Education is recruiting for three programs to be offered for West Hawaii residents via the UH Center, West Hawaii.

The three programs are the Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Secondary Education program 2006, the Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education program 2006, and the Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Special Education program 2006.

All three programs provide eligibility for initial teaching licensure. A public information session for these three programs is scheduled for Friday, August 12 from 7 p.m.–9 p.m. at the UH Center, WH, Building 4, Room 3.in Kealakekua.

Dr. Darlene Martin, on site Kona Coordinator for UHM COE with representatives from College of Education will provide additional information.

Interested applicants may contact the UHM Office of Student Advising Services at 808 956 7849 for application materials and check the COE web site for additional information http://www.hawaii.edu/coe/departments/outreach/ Prospective students are encouraged to apply immediately.

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The prevailing public sentiment indicates that every year there are fewer and fewer opihi, and there is some truth to this. However, commercial take of opihi has been relatively stable since 1960. No significant population crashes have occurred since the 1.25" size restrictions were implemented in 1978, but there has been no recovery either.

The opihi is the subject of our latest in a series of free ReefTalks:

WHEN: Tuesday, August. 23, 6:30-8:30 pm

WHERE: Kealakehe HS Library, mauka of Honokohau Harbor

Join Chris Bird to learn about the complex interactions among humans, opihi, haukeuke (shingle urchins), limu (seaweed), and other organisms that have impacts on opihi growth rates, reproduction and, ultimately, population size.

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(All project schedules based on weather permitting.)

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We encourage everyone to use web-based calendar links. Please add your own events to the respective calendars so others can get the word and not conflict with your plans.

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Hawai‘i County ... a nice place to live.