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Mail carriers may
accept no gifts over $20

Question: I read that postal workers, being federal workers, are not supposed to receive gifts or money. But I know they receive tons of gifts at Christmas, cash as well as gifts, from residents along their routes. Why is this allowed to go on for years?

Answer: Postal carriers, like other federal workers, are covered by federal ethics laws and restricted in the kinds of gifts they can receive, said Lynne Moore, manager of consumer affairs and claims for the U.S. Postal Service in Hawaii.

They are reminded of this yearly, she said.

For postal service purposes, Moore explained, a "gift" means almost anything of monetary value, including meals, parties, gift certificates, merchandise, event tickets, transportation and lodging.

The No. 1 rule is that employees are not supposed to accept cash or "cash equivalents," such as stocks, checks or money orders.

They may accept items of "little intrinsic value," such as inexpensive pens or mugs. Even things of slightly higher value, such as an invitation to a holiday party or holiday snow globe, or a retail gift card that can't be converted to cash, may be accepted if they have a market value of $20 or less -- or if they are perishable, Moore said.

Items that "can almost always be accepted," include "modest refreshments," such as cookies, doughnuts, coffee and soda. In other words, snack items rather than meals, Moore said.

Employees also are cautioned that they are not allowed to accept anything from "prohibited outside sources" -- generally a person or organization that does business with the postal service or is regulated by it -- or given to them because of their postal positions, she said.

Moore said employees are advised that they never have to accept a gift if doing so would create the appearance of impropriety.

She asked postal customers to also be aware of the restrictions and not to be insulted if a carrier declines an elaborate or expensive gift. On both the giving and receiving side, the advice is to use common sense.

"Our job is to give service and we appreciate the show of appreciation," Moore said, but added that she hopes customers understand there are limits.

If you think a postal employee is receiving inappropriate gifts, call the postal inspection service at 423-3790.

Q: Now that the Castle Junction project is completed, when will the Pali Highway be repaved?

A: Not any time soon.

There are "a couple of problem areas, particularly near Waokanaka Street," where there are major potholes, acknowledged Scott Ishikawa, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

The DOT has repeatedly made patches to that area, without long-lasting success.

Since there aren't enough funds to repave every roadway that needs to be repaved, "what we're trying to do is put together a maintenance contract" to take care of problem areas on various state roads, including the Pali, Ishikawa said.

The idea is not to "just slap asphalt" into the potholes, but to dig into the road foundation, then repave certain stretches of different roads that require additional work, Ishikawa said.

The DOT hopes to have a maintenance contract sometime early next year, he said.

The last time the Pali Highway was repaved was in 1997.

In the meantime, repaving is scheduled to take place next year, beginning where the Pali Highway ends at Castle Junction and becomes Kalanianaole Highway.

The DOT is awaiting approval of funding for the repaving of Kalanianaole from Castle Junction to Castle Medical Center, Ishikawa said. It hopes to start repaving next spring or the beginning of summer.

Monkey update

Blue Tropix nightclub is entitled to an appeal of a decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture denying its application to renew an exhibitor's license for three squirrel monkeys (Kokua Line, Dec. 16).

No date or place for that hearing had yet been set, spokesman Larry Cooper said Thursday.

When asked if there was any other investigation pending, he said, "I am not aware of that."

Cooper said, "The issue, as far as USDA is concerned, is simply allowing (Blue Tropix) to publicly display those monkeys."

Lights out update

It turns out it wasn't a transformer problem and NOT Hawaiian Electric's fault that the lights have been out on Kalihi Street for more than two weeks (Kokua Line, Dec. 16).

We had to shorten the question about the lights being out on Kalihi Street, between King and School streets, because of space, but the complainant said she was told by the state road maintenance office that the problem was a HECO transformer.

HECO said no one ever contacted it about a malfunctioning transformer. With good reason.

HECO spokesman Jose Dizon followed up and said Friday that a troubleshooter determined there was nothing wrong with the transformer.

Dizon then called the city street lights office, but was referred to the state.

He then referred Kokua Line to the state Department of Transportation, where spokesman Scott Ishikawa confirmed that it was a state problem.

"A vehicle may have damaged (an electrical) conduit," he explained. "It looks like it will take a couple more weeks before it can be repaired," he said Friday.

The electrical contractor involved in the DOT's Moanalua repaving project has been asked to make the repairs.

Auwe

On Hawaii Kai Drive, between Lunalilo Home Road and Kalama Valley, the grass is really high -- waist-high -- and is becoming very dangerous for people who either walk or run on the sidewalk. -- No Name

We passed this along to the city Department of Customer Services. Call 523-4381 to follow up.

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