CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Waipahu Satellite City Hall opened in 1974 and closed its doors for good yesterday. Tracy Crighton held her daughter Kayla while her other daughter, Braezelle, stood with her in line for the cashier.
Waipahu Satellite
City Hall closesA $107,000 budget crunch
forces the office to shut down
The Waipahu Satellite City Hall had a steady stream of residents yesterday on its last day of business, a victim of the city's budget crunch.
"I'm so sad to see this go," said Waipahu resident Dorothy Luna, 69. Luna said she stopped at the Pearlridge Satellite City Hall to renew her car registration, but the line was too long, so she went to the Waipahu office.
The Waipahu Satellite City Hall, which opened in 1974, is closing because of the $107,000 slash to satellite city hall operations in the $1.2 billion budget approved by the City Council on June 4. Its closure will save the city $65,000 a year.
Despite a petition signed by 5,000 Leeward residents to save it, the satellite city hall shut for good at 4:30 p.m. yesterday.
Mayor Jeremy Harris had said two to three of the 11 satellite city halls and the City Hall on Wheels, which also ended yesterday, must be eliminated to operate within the budget. Kailua and Hawaii Kai satellite offices are also being considered for closure.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Waipahu Satellite City Hall in the Leetown Center on Farrington Higway closed yesterday despite a petition signed by 5,000 Leeward residents to save it.
The Waipahu office saw a 9 percent drop in use after the Kapolei satellite opened, and it was on a month-to-month lease -- two factors contributing to the administration's decision to close it.
"The last thing the city administration wanted to do is to close down the satellite city halls," city spokeswoman Carol Costa said.
Ann Feesago, 20, said she found the site convenient, and she, like some others in line, was unaware the office was closing.
"My mom said it was the last day," she said. "I thought it was the last day to pay her car registration. This is actually where we all come to pay -- me and my family."
Winston Raval, 48, questioned the reason for the shutdown. "Compared to Pearlridge, there are more people here," he said. "We don't want to drive to Pearlridge or Kapolei to do our business. Can they stop it from closing down?"
Customer service representatives also were saddened by the closure.
"I feel for the customers," Eleanor Ragojo said. "Most are elderly who walk or take the bus, so it's going to be inconvenient for them."
