Ka`u News Briefs March 29, 2011

Nearly 300 million tires are thrown out each year in the U.S. Some of them
could be used to make more flexible pavement here.  Photo by Scott Williams

COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART is planning to testify before the Senate Ways and Means committee in Honolulu to support a bill that would allow taxes at the gas station to be used to maintain roads in private subdivisions like Ocean View. She said that Ocean View residents are paying taxes along with the high price of gas at the pump. Since these fuel taxes are used for fixing roads, some of that money should be used for Ocean View roads, she said. The county, long ago, allowed the massive Ocean View subdivision to be developed without roads that meet public standards, and the county has not made the roads public, so Ocean View residents have to pay for them. If the bill passes the Legislature, a committee would review proposals from community road associations to help fund specific projects.

Brittany Smart wants public opinion
on keeping or ending furlough days.

ANOTHER ROAD ITEM on Council member Smart’s agenda is looking into the possibility of using crumbled tires as an additive to asphalt for paving roads. She said putting the bits of tires into the pavement makes it more flexible and able to absorb earthquakes without cracking. She said she is looking into the cost of shredding tires and the machinery that would be needed to add tires to pavement. 

WHETHER TO END COUNTY WORKER furloughs is a big issue in budget discussions at the County Council finance meetings this week. Mayor Billy Kenoi wants to end them. Council Chair Dominic Yagong and Brenda Ford said that furloughs may be needed for another year to help balance the county budget. When asked whether the mayor would represent the council’s view, should the council pass a resolution for another year of furloughs, the mayor could not commit. He said the issue is a collective bargaining negotiation and that Hawai`i County has only one vote, while the governor has four, and the governor wants to end furloughs. Ka`u County Council member Brittany Smart said this morning that she sees mixed opinions among county workers. Some would prefer to have a few days off a month rather than cut their pay and work full-time. Once the economic crisis is over, it would be hard to get the pay raised back up.

     Smart said she invites the public to call her office and give an opinion on the issue. Her office phone number is 961-8536, or email hccdistrict6@gmail.com.

Barcode software could make
county permit processing faster.

TRACKING PERMITS through the county planning process could become easier with barcodes, like FEDEX tracking packages, if new software proposed in Mayor Billy Kenoi’s budget makes it through the County Council. Ka`u council member Brittany Smart says she supports the measure to save time at the county and make permit processing faster for home builders and businesses. 

    

Coffee farmers can learn how to use fungus to battle borers.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

PACIFIC BASIN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER has arranged for Dr. Stefan Jaronski, a USDA entomologist, to speak to coffee farmers on the use of the fungal solution to combat the devastating effects of the Coffee Berry Borer. Jaronski will be in Hawai`i as part of the annual Entomological Symposium titled "Invasive Species of the Pacific Region” at the Hilton Waikoloa Beach Resort. The farmers’ meeting will be at the Old Airport Pavilion in Kona at 9 a.m. this Thursday, March 31. 

THE OCEAN VIEW TEEN CLUB for ages 13 to 18 meets tonight and every Tuesday evening from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Kahuku Park and Ocean View Community Center. Call 937-3335 for more information.