Costs of landfill operations even out
HILO -- Hawaii County appears likely to break even on court-ordered changes at its Kona landfill following renegotiation of its contract with a private operator.The County Council last week approved a new contract with Waste Management Inc. that reduces payments to the company by about $300,000 out of a total of about $4 million per year.
The Council also authorized creation of seven new county jobs and equipment purchases which will come to about $300,000 per year.
"It looks like pretty much a wash," said county Chief Engineer Donna Kiyosaki.
Mayor Stephen Yamashiro, who earlier expected increased costs that the county couldn't afford, also saw a balance. "It looks as if we're going to be all right. We just have to see what happens as we operate," he said.
County payments to Waste Management dropped because the intake, spreading and covering of garbage is being transferred from the company to county workers.
Circuit Judge Riki May Amano ordered the change after the state Supreme Court said such operations have historically been done by civil-service employees, not private workers.
The actual contract change is a reduction of county payments from $51.72 per ton of garbage to $48.72, said company spokesman Bob Awana.
Solo drivers warned to steer clear of high occupancy lanes
Driver advisory: If you're alone in your car, don't risk going into the HOV lane during rush hours.The Honolulu Police Department yesterday said it has started a crackdown on drivers who travel solo and try to slip into high occupancy vehicle lanes during peak times.
Manpower has been redirected to enforce the state law that -- except for motorcycles -- requires two or more people to be in a vehicle that uses an HOV lane in the morning and afternoon crunch, said Maj. Gary Dias, Traffic Division commander.
"It has come to our attention, and to the attention of the Department of Transportation, that there's an obvious increase in people violating the HOV lane," Dias said. "You have signs posted everywhere, and people continue to violate this law."
Police, as they have in the past, will not stop a vehicle, but will take down the license plate and send a citation to the registered owner, he said. The maximum penalty is $200.
Dias said police and transportation officials feel violators slow the overall flow of traffic and may discourage qualified vehicles and car pools from using the lanes.
Sometimes the scofflaws go beyond the usual efforts to evade authorities.
"There have been people who have used cardboard cutouts -- no, serious -- and plastic dummies to try and make it seem like they have more people in the car than themselves," Dias said.
Would that lead to any additional penalties?
"No," he said. "But you don't get any brownie points for creativity, either."
Barbers Point airport would need more land
A state plan to establish a general aviation airport at Barbers Point has hit some turbulence.The Federal Aviation Administration says about 30 acres more than the 721 the Navy is considering making available are needed before the FAA will certify the Kalaeloa Airport plan, state transportation officials said.
Jerry Matsuda, state airports administrator, told the Barbers Point Redevelopment Commission last night that the state would like to negotiate directly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Coast Guard and Navy for some nearby land, although it appears the state will have to put its request through the commission.
Mike Killian, chief of real estate of the Pacific Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pearl Harbor, said that in addition to the proposed state airport, there are acreage designations for Hawaiian Home Lands, educational purposes, homeless assistance and park land.
Acreage will have to be purchased from the federal government at fair market value or through a system of discounts.
In some cases, land parcels may be discounted 100 percent for public use, Killian said.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffVital statistics department shut down by fire yesterday
The Department of Health's vital statistics department will be closed today after a fire was reported at 6:30 p.m. yesterday.When firefighters arrived at the scene, the fire had already been put out by a broken water pipe.
Fire officials said the pipe burst from the heat from the fire.
Firefighters said electrical wiring is believed to be the cause of the blaze in the Beretania Street building.
Fire officials estimate the damage to be about $25,000 to the contents and $6,000 to the structure.
No one was injured.
39-year-old man charged in Wo Fat Building break-in
A Makiki man was charged with breaking into the Wo Fat Building in Chinatown.Mark Brittingham, 39, who has two prior felony charges, was charged with burglary yesterday at 9:15 a.m., police said. He was arrested Sunday night.
In other news.
WAILUKU -- A 26-year-old Kihei man was airlifted out of northeast Maui, after slipping while climbing to a waterfall at Makamakaole Stream. The man was treated for cuts and bruises.
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