Editorials
Monday, March 2, 1998IT'S back to the drawing board for a solution to the problem of Lake Wilson and Wahiawa's wastewater. The closing of Waialua Sugar Co. ended the drawing off of water from Lake Wilson for irrigation. The city had been discharging treated effluent into the lake since 1929, but the closing of the sugar company meant that the lake would be subjected to increasingly high levels of pollution that would eventually kill it. Wastewater problem
in Central OahuThe state sued the city in 1994, after a permit authorizing the city to pour treated wastewater into the Wahiawa lake for five years expired. Last April a solution was announced: The city and the Army -- which has to dispose of wastewater from Schofield Barracks -- would pipe their effluent to the Honouliuli treatment plant and a wastewater reclamation facility in Ewa.
Now that approach has been discarded. The Harris administration explained that it was pulling back because of uncertainty regarding the federal government's funding of the Army's $21 million share. The plan now is to upgrade the Wahiawa treatment plant.
This switch pleased some members of the City Council who were concerned about piping the sewage such a distance. The Ewa and Waipahu communities were unhappy about that. Councilman Steve Holmes, chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said he was ready to testify against the pipeline. Holmes said he favored improving the Wahiawa treatment plant.
Whether the new plan will be an improvement isn't clear, however. The pipeline is only the latest of several plans that have been discarded. What is clear is that a solution must be found.
HAWAII has lost one of its most prominent businessmen and philanthropists with the death of Maurice J. Sullivan at 89. The founder of Foodland, Hawaii's first supermarket, went on to open more than 175 retail stores of various types. But he may have devoted as much energy and enthusiasm to charitable works as to business. Maurice J. Sullivan
Sullivan's Foodland Super Market, Food Pantry and Kalama Beach Corp. operate nearly 100 stores in Hawaii. McDonald's Restaurants of Hawaii and McDonald's of Ireland, founded by Sullivan, operate more than 75 restaurants in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan and Ireland.
The Boy Scouts of America-Aloha Council named him Distinguished Citizen of the Year in 1984. The American Red Cross-Hawaii Chapter named him Humanitarian of the Year in 1989. Sullivan served on many boards and fund-raising committees. One of his favorite causes was St. Francis Hospital.
Stanley Hong, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, said he was "a giant in every way...He leaves behind him an outstanding legacy for many of us to follow."
Maurice Sullivan was born in Ireland and sailed to the United States at age 17. Drafted into the Army in World War II, he was sent to Hickam Field as a buyer for the officers' and enlisted men's messes. His buying rounds led him to become acquainted with the Lau Kun family, operators of the Lanikai Store. After his discharge he went to work for the family. He opened the first Foodland in 1948.
Maurice Sullivan had the foresight to break new ground in retailing in the islands. He used his wealth and leadership for the benefit of many worthy community causes. He will be greatly missed.
A dramatic example of the potential benefits of privatization comes from Kauai. Mayor Maryanne Kusaka has advised the County Council that it will cost the county twice as much to hire a government worker to pick up trash at parks and other county facilities as it would cost to contract the work out to private companies. Privatization issue
It would have cost the county $335,000 in 10 years if the private sector handled refuse collection at 29 county locations, she said in a letter. But it will cost more than $700,000 because of a state Supreme Court ruling that invalidated privatization of county operations normally performed by government employees.
In addition to the worker's salary and benefits, the county will have to pay for garbage bins, a truck and operating expenses.
In recent years the county had contracted out the refuse pickup. The reason for the huge disparity in costs is that private companies can distribute their costs over a broader base. Kusaka wrote that she is opposed to the plan but must comply with the law.
"There may be occasions whereby the cost of public services may be less than private operations," the mayor wrote. "However, this is very definitely not one of them."
The cost comparison stemmed from an administration request to the Council to convert a private contract for trash collection to a county-operated system. The conversion is the result of a plan the county negotiated with the United Public Workers to comply with the Supreme Court decision.
The Kauai refuse case should be exhibited to the Legislature as an example of the need to change the law to permit and even encourage privatization. It's a way to make government more efficient and less expensive. Of course, the public employee unions don't like it.
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
