Question: The Aiea Public Library has moved to a new location. What is the state is planning to do with the old library on Moanalua Road? Day and night, the parking lot is full of cars and there’s so much noise at night. Who is parking there during the day and especially at night?
Answer: The long-range plan for the site of the former library at 99-143 Moanalua Road is uncertain, but for the short term, the currently vacant building will continue to be used by the Hawaii State Public Library System.
The property has been under the library system by executive order, explained Keith Fujio, special assistant to the state librarian.
"Technically" it is supposed to be turned over to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which oversees the state’s land inventory, because library services no longer are provided there, he said.
However, DLNR does not have any immediate plans for the property, so the library system will be allowed to use it temporarily to house its logistical support section.
That section, which includes delivery and supply services, is now at 690 Pohukaina St., adjacent to Mother Waldron Park, where the Friends of the Library of Hawaii also shares space.
However, the Hawaii Community Development Authority aims to develop that property, with plans to tear down the building within a year or so, "so we had to find alternate quarters," Fujio said.
The old library will undergo some renovation — "we don’t want to spend a lot of money" — to accommodate large deliveries of supplies and a forklift, he said.
Ultimately, the plan is to move into a warehouse on Kokea Street that’s under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Accounting and General Services.
"We’re finalizing an agreement with DAGS," Fujio said. DAGS is "in the process of reorganizing this warehouse and they’ve graciously allowed us to lease a portion of that area" when it becomes available.
Night Activities
Whatever is happening in the parking lot of the former library "is out of our control" for now, Fujio said. "Once we finish our renovations we’ll put up a chain to lock up the parking lot after hours."
Until then, if people are using the lot for any activity and becoming disruptive, he said, police should be called at 911.
Question: Recently, I went to City Mill to fill my propane gas tank. I was surprised to hear that I was going to be charged an extra
99 cents to have them put a small decal on the tank. I was informed that this was the rules. I don’t know whether it came from the city or state. All it said on the decal was "Flammable." In the meantime, I just came home from Hilo and filled three tanks from Pahoa with no decals. What is the deal on this?
Answer: Actually, the charge stems from a federal law, said Carol Ai May, vice president of City Mill Co.
She provided us a copy of that regulation, which requires that where LP-Gas (liquified petroleum gas) and one or more other compressed gases are stored or used in the same area, the cylinders must be marked "Flammable" and either "LP-Gas," "Propane" or "Butane."
"City Mill needs a permit to sell propane, which we get through our vendor, Hawaii Gas and Oahu Gas," Ai May said. "City Mill cannot get the permit to sell propane unless we fill tanks that have the ‘Flammable’ sticker or we could be held liable for any problems."
She said the company in Pahoa that sold you the propane should have required the sticker as well.
"We have to pay for the stickers, so we are passing that charge on to the customer," Ai May said. "We are not aware of any tanks with ‘Flammable’ already preprinted on the tank."
Mahalo
To two kind people. I was returning on a flight from Las Vegas recently when I encountered a medical emergency. Fortunately, a paramedic and woman doctor were onboard. — Grateful Senior Citizen
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