Question: I am calling about the stormwater fee community meetings that they started holding this week. So far, they’re all scheduled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. I live in Ewa Beach. I work in town. I don’t get home until 5:30 or 6 o’clock at the earliest. I am wondering if they could have some meetings later on the West Side, starting at 6:30 or 7 p.m.?
Answer: Kokua Line has received similar suggestions or complaints from multiple readers, who urged the city to take working people’s commutes into consideration when scheduling community meetings about a stormwater utility fee proposed for Oahu. Not all these “auwes” came from the West Side; a few East Siders complained that 5 p.m. was too early for them to make it to Kaiser or Kalani high schools, where public meetings were scheduled Monday and Tuesday, respectively.
We offered readers’ feedback to the city, and heard back from Ross Sasamura, director and chief engineer of the city’s Department of Facility Maintenance. That department’s Storm Water Quality Branch is overseeing the potential of establishing a fee paid by all Oahu property owners to manage storm runoff.
Sasamura said schedulers did consider commuters’ time constraints, as well as other factors; that the meetings aren’t designed to be neighborhood-specific (so feel free to attend one closer to your workplace); and that you don’t have to attend in person to be heard. Here’s his emailed response:
“Your readers are encouraged to attend any of the remaining meetings at a location closest to their respective work place or home. The community meetings relating to the proposed Storm Water Utility provide an island-wide perspective and include a presentation, a question-and-answer period and small group (breakout) discussion to capture individual concerns, thoughts, ideas and suggestions.
“The meetings are 2-1/2 hours long, and when scheduling the 18 meetings around Oahu, thought was given to those who face long-distance, or long- duration commutes, and the ability to accommodate the participants’ personal schedules and needs to promote participation and attendance. Our intent was to be respectful of people’s evening time and not extend the meeting too late for those who wake early or still have other responsibilities to tend to upon returning home.
“We welcome everyone’s comments and thoughts on this matter, and if they are not able to participate in any of the remaining scheduled meetings, they may still voice their concerns, comments, or leave a message by visiting the stormwaterutilityoahu.org website and clicking on the ‘Contact’ button on the upper left side of the home page.”
Find a schedule of remaining meetings at 808ne.ws/swmtg.
Q: Regarding that water runoff fee, is that from the state or the city? I want to know who to complain to; we are already taxed to death!
A: If approved, the fee would be imposed by the city, to create a “dedicated, fee-based method of funding the services and investments needed to maintain Oahu’s storm water infrastructure, and protect Oahu’s streams and near-shore waters,” according to the website Sasamura mentioned.
State action was required to get to this point. In 2015, the state Legislature passed and the governor signed a measure authorizing Hawaii’s counties to establish stormwater utilities. Now Honolulu County is considering its options, including how the fee would be structured and what it would cover. Once a plan is finalized, a bill would be submitted to the City Council for consideration. That may occur this summer, according to the website.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
