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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Roadwork delayed repair of HawTel pole
Question: I called Hawaiian Electric Co. to try to get a broken electric pole fixed. A car hit it about six weeks ago. They just spray-painted it orange but nothing was fixed. When I reported this to Hawaiian Electric, I insisted someone call me back. A guy called back and said, "It's not our pole so it's not our job," and hung up on me. I walk by the pole every day. This pole is propped up and a danger. It's in front of Snappers Sports Bar, 1778 Ala Moana Blvd. Can you help?
Answer: The pole belongs to Hawaiian Telcom.
A conflict with other work in the area delayed removal of the pole, but it should be taken out tomorrow and replaced with a new pole, an official with Hawaiian Telcom's Joint Pole Department said yesterday.
Hawaiian Electric had inspected the pole, determined it was not theirs or jointly owned, then notified Hawaiian Telcom. HECO lines in that area are underground.
"We share ownership of many poles around the island, and in general, Hawaiian Electric takes first responsibility for jointly owned poles as well as our own," explained HECO spokesman Peter Rosegg.
Anyone who sees a broken or damaged pole should call HECO at 548-7961. Rosegg said HECO will figure out whose job it is to fix or replace it.
Either HECO or Hawaiian Telcom will "take action as quickly as possible, dealing first with problems that present immediate public danger or interfere with service," he said.
The Hawaiian Telcom official said workers were set to replace the pole a few weeks ago but ran into a conflict with Endo Electric, which also received a state permit to close off the roadway to do work in the area.
Hawaiian Telcom was waiting for the state to let it know when it could proceed, he said.
That hadn't happened as of yesterday, so someone from Hawaiian Telcom finally called the state and was told the other work apparently had been completed. If that turns out to be true, then the pole will be removed today.
In the meantime, Rosegg said if the person who called you "was a bit short ... we apologize. We'll work harder to remember that every call is important and welcome."
Q: We have not yet received our certificates for completing the 2007 Honolulu Marathon. I know there was a problem with the timing devices holding up the process. Can you get an update? Also, a kamaaina reduced rate for entry into the next race is usually offered in January. Will a discount be available for this year's local entrants?
A: It was a time-consuming process, but the video review has finally been completed, according to Jim Barahal, president of the Honolulu Marathon Association.
He said certificates will be mailed out within the next four weeks. More details will be available on the Honolulu Marathon Web page at honolulumarathon.org after the certificates are mailed.
Barahal said there will be an early race entry for Hawaii residents in May, but details on that also will be announced later.
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