Cleanup money Mayor Jeremy Harris says $2.1 million needed to clean land associated with the Central Oahu Regional Park has already been approved by the City Council as part of the original $6.6 million appropriation to buy the park land.
included in Waipio
park fund, mayor says
$2.1 million will clean an area
that was traded for park landBy Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.comThe Council approved the money in 1999 to acquire the park land from Castle and Cooke -- $2 million more than the city actually spent, Harris said in an interview during the park's opening day festivities yesterday.
Therefore, the mayor says Council approval is not needed to spend the money for the cleanup. The cleanup deals with land along Managers Drive in Waipahu that the city swapped with Castle and Cooke, in exchange for the park land and about $4.5 million in cash.
The mayor said going before the Council is just a courtesy. There's no law that says the administration needs the Council's approval, he said.
But City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura disagreed.
"I don't think it's appropriate that the administration thinks ... 'We'll just get the money out of the remaining money (to buy) the park,'" Yoshimura said.
"I think that this is entirely new expenditure. That's not saying we won't pay it; we have to review the issues."
Yoshimura said the administration should not have the authority to settle the matter with Castle and Cooke. "I do think there's some Council rule to approve that expenditure," he said.
"It's a wonderful park, and nothing takes away from that," said Councilman Duke Bainum. But, he added, "Clearly it's disappointing ... you want things to come in on budget."
The matter will come before the Budget Committee this week, he said.
City Managing Director Ben Lee said the administration is asking the City Council for the $2.1 million to make up for the depreciated value of the contaminated land, which was found to contain "small traces of petroleum products and gas and oil," including lead.
Harry Saunders, president of Castle and Cooke Homes, said Friday that the cleanup of Managers Drive primarily has to do with abandoned vehicles that had been dumped on the vacant property.
Yesterday's opening day festivities at the park drew about 15,000 people and athletes, according to police. Carol Costa, the mayor's spokeswoman, estimated the crowd at 20,000 throughout the day.
The Waipio park hosted soccer and baseball leagues from pee-wee to seniors.
The new park offers two baseball fields, four youth baseball fields and five multipurpose sports fields.
"This is like playing in a stadium," said Waipio Little League coach Dean Abiva, referring to the green, grassy baseball fields. He said Waipio ball players from pee-wee to adult share one district baseball field, and the new park will give everyone more playing time. "This is a 10-step leap from what they're playing in there," he said.
When the 279-acre park is completed in 2004, it will be larger than Kapiolani and Ala Moana Beach parks together, Costa said. The park will also offer a tennis complex, dog park, skateboard park, community garden and box-car facility, among other things.