Ka`u News Briefs March 2, 2011

Mayor Billy Kenoi

MAYOR BILLY KENOI announced yesterday that he will end all county worker furloughs except for those of the mayor and his immediate staff. He will do this even though he is proposing a budget that is nearly $40 million less than the county operating budget when he first took office. This is the “third consecutive year of our program to reduce the size and cost of government in a strategic, responsible manner that maintains critical infrastructure and public services,” said the mayor.
     According to Kenoi, “the lingering effects of the national recession of 2007 through 2009 will once again reduce county tax collections and other revenues in the year ahead. He said property taxes are expected to total $207 million this year - a drop from $226 million. At the same time employee health care and retirement costs as well as utilities and fuel are going up.
     The mayor said the budget shortfalls are unprecedented in county of Hawai`i history. It is expected to be $38.1 million short this year, $44.8 million in the upcoming fiscal year and $38.8 million the following year.
     To reduce county spending the county reduced consulting contracts by 48 percent, cut overtime by 22 percent, eliminated purchasing police fleet vehicles, cut out-of-state travel and golf outings. It also cut funding to the Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Repairs for county parks – such as the roof at Pahala Community Center – have been delayed.
     For the next year there will be a payroll lag that will put the last payroll into the next fiscal year, for a one-time savings of $6 million.
     One expense that is returning is the $4.1 million from tax collections that will go into the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund to fund continuing acquisition of open space and coastal areas. Another area where spending will increase is for public safety, the mayor said.
     The mayor thanked county employees for becoming more efficient with fewer resources.
     The County Council will take up the budget, and debate is expected before it is finalized.

Yellow tang living in an aquarium.

BANNING TROPICAL FISH aquarium collecting failed to pass the state Legislature this year. Instead, a bill that would establish two marine life conservation districts on Maui is still alive. The Humane Society, Snorkel Bob Foundation and Hawai`i Reef Wildlife Advocates said they would go to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to ask him to make an executive order to ban commercial aquarium collecting. This has become a national issue for the Humane Society of the United States, which reports that earlier this year 551 yellow tang were found rotting in a dumpster at Honokohau Harbor – apparently the work gone wrong of a fish collector. Hawai`i Humane Society Executive Director Inga Gibson said, “Death is the cost of doing business.” Collectors take in an average of $4 a fish, and many of the fish die, she said. 

COFFEE FARMERS will be trained on using a coffee berry borer spray this afternoon at 3 p.m. at Yano Hall in Captain Cook. The spray, which has a live fungus as its active ingredient, was recently approved by the state Board of Agriculture on an emergency basis as coffee borers devastated some coffee farms in Kona. Ka`u coffee farmers are also under a quarantine to prevent the spread of the borer to other islands. To sell green beans to other Hawaiian island buyers, the coffee must be treated at a facility in Kona. Ka`u coffee farmers are also hoping for the Department of Agriculture to fill vacant agricultural inspector positions to make it easier for treatment and certification.

THE PROPOSED BIOFUELS REFINERY and energy farm for Ka`u goes before the County Council this afternoon in committee sessions. The informational presentation by `Aina Koa Pono takes place at 2 p.m. in County Council chambers. The public is welcome.

Hawksbill turtles nest
at Pohue Bay.

THE NANI KAHUKU `AINA proposed resort project for the coast between South Point and Ocean View will be presented to the public at a meeting at 6 p.m. tonight at the Na`alehu Community Center. The proposal includes land classification and zoning changes from conservation and agriculture. The developers promise to preserve the turtle-nesting sites at Pohue Bay. 

THE REGULAR `O KA`U KAKOU meeting tonight has been postponed until next Wednesday, March 9. The group will discuss its New Family Fest, involving running races and sports tournaments, on June 11. The monthly meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Old Aspen Center at Punalu`u – that’s next Wednesday. OKK also hosts bingo this Friday at Pahala Community Center from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

ACCESS to ranches and farms for hunting, hiking and gathering will be the subject of a community meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. The meeting on land use will involve landowners, hunters, hikers, bikers and other people exchanging information on lands that are fenced for ranching, farming, forestry and nature and the laws regarding access to mauka forests.

Young Miss Ka`u Coffee contender Dayse Andrade

THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL is open for those who want to sign up for food, craft and coffee booths. The event will be held on May 14 and 15, and Miss Ka`u Coffee, Miss Peaberry and Young Miss Ka`u Coffee will reign following their pageant on April 23. See contestants and coffee farmers to help out.