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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Pool fees up despite poor maintenance
Question: How does the city justify doubling the cost of the water exercise class at the Kaneohe District Pool when they have not solved various problems, e.g., showers that don't always work, the light over the women's toilets have been out for months and four heat pumps have failed to provide warm water for the pool for the last two winters?
Answer: The increase in instructor fees is not related to the maintenance of the pool, according to Dana Takahara-Dias, deputy director for the city Department of Parks and Recreation.
Fees to instructors were increased throughout the parks system -- the first rate increase in nearly 20 years, she said.
Instructors are now paid $2 per person per class hour, double what they received previously.
That said, Takahara-Dias noted that the showers were inspected on May 28 "and all are working at this time." That same day, the lights in the women's dressing room were repaired.
However, the department is still "working on resolving the issue" of the badly deteriorated heat pumps, which broke down last November, she said. (See Kokua Line, March 23.)
Q: Who do we call about leaking water pipes? The pipe on Kahuapaani Street was running all weekend on Memorial Day weekend. Police were called several times by several concerned citizens, but to no avail. It's not a true HPD problem, but who else are we supposed to call?
A: Call the Board of Water Supply's emergency dispatch number, 748-5010.
Someone is available to answer calls from the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said BWS spokeswoman Wanda Yamane.
"In the event of a broken water main, damaged fire hydrant or other problems that affect water delivery and service, our dispatchers will send out stand-by personnel to investigate the situation and call out backup crews to repair and follow up any concerns or complaints," she said.
In the case of Kahuapaani Street, Yamane said BWS dispatchers received a call on Memorial Day about broken sprinklers in front of the Ice Palace.
They immediately contacted "the proper authority," which turned out to be the state Department of Transportation, about repairing the broken lines, she said.
"DOT is following up on the complaint," Yamane said.
Auwe
Regarding motorists getting fined if they don't give pedestrians the right of way: I'm on the road a lot during the day and I see a lot of pedestrians violating the law themselves. They start out across the street when the light is already flashing red for them. A lot of times, they are still crossing when the light turns green for motorists. So someone wanting to make a right turn on a green light can't do so, because these people are walking across the street late, against the light. It really makes traffic back up for people who want make the turn. -- No Name
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers