LIHU’E – Work is progressing to address four island-wide priorities in the war on drugs as identified at five district drug summits, said Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste.
Those priorities include:
€ Establishment of residential drug-treatment facilities for youth and adults;
€ Transitional housing for those moving from jail or drug-treatment facilities back into regular lives, jobs and housing;
€ A transportation system to move youth to and from after-school sporting and cultural activities;
€ A federal Drug Enforcement Administration presence on the island.
Residential drug-treatment facilities are being planned in Kapahi and near the Kapa’a bypass road for adults, with Baptiste and other county officials moving ahead with a plan to use the old Kauai Humane Society site in Hanapepe for a youth residential treatment facility.
While there are no announced, firm plans for establishment of transitional housing, there are plans to erect a homeless shelter adjacent to the Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc. building near Kukui Grove 4 Cinemas.
Baptiste envisions vans operating in each district, from around 2:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on school days, shuttling young people to and from schools, sports and cultural practices and home.
A scholarship fund has been established to help those low-income families whose children want to play certain sports but don’t have the money for the equipment, uniforms or fees those sports require, he explained.
Gyms owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints are available for after-school programs, as is the All Saints Church gym in Kapa’a, and state Department of Education classrooms across the island, he said.
“We do have a federal presence on the island,” said Baptiste, indicating that a DEA agent is assigned to the island, and may operate out of either the Hanapepe or Kapa’a armories of the Hawaii Army National Guard.
Where Kaua’i’s high-technology future is concerned, mainly training Kaua’i’s next generation of high-tech workers, Baptiste said a Kaua’i Community College training curriculum is being established.
A pair of Kauai buses will be converted to “mobile laboratories,” boasting computer stations and traveling around to various schools to deliver high-tech instruction to students, he said.
A system will be implemented to track Kaua’i graduates, in part to keep the young people abreast of job opportunities available on this island after they finish their college studies, “so they can come back,” he continued.
A visiting lecturers program will bring high-technology experts to the KCC campus, with some education delivered by them to high school classes as well, he said.
The Ka Leo O Kaua’i program has “allowed government to be more responsive to them (citizens),” both in terms of day-to-day and longer-term problems, Baptiste said.
On another matter, he said a “traffic calming” plan will be unveiled early next year.
At the same time, the need for emergency roads has become acute, and he is working with private landowners to improve former cane-haul roads for emergency use.
The Wailua-to-Lihu’e stretch will be the easiest to improve, with a Puhi-to-Po’ipu section planned, also. “Our crews are willing to do the work,” but county officials are approaching state leaders with help in funding the projects.
“It’s something that has to be done.”
The Kauai Bus in the transportation section of the Offices of Community Assistance will soon add a Lihu’e Airport stop. Transportation officials have revised rules for carry-on bags, and on order are bicycle racks for the buses so that those with bikes may ride the bus, he said.
A plan to install a photovoltaic (solar) system to generate electricity at the Lihu’e Civic Center will be advertised soon in a request for proposals, and also in the works is a plan to allow people to pay certain county bills online.
Those without computers at home or at work will be able to access the system at neighborhood centers, “like mobile city halls (on O’ahu) without manpower,” he said.
County officials have reached agreement with Hawaii Government Employees Association negotiators to allow random drug testing of HGEA members who are county employees, he said.
Lawyers and staff in the county attorney’s office, working with county Department of Finance officials, have devised a plan to collect delinquent sewer fees, and have recovered nearly $400,000, he said.
A plan to recruit new officers for the Kaua’i Police Department will include drives on both Kaua’i and O’ahu, he said.
Until he was asked to schedule some time to talk to reporters and editors of The Garden Island newspaper and asked his department heads to list some significant accomplishments of his first year in office, Baptiste admitted he would have been hard-pressed to list such accomplishments.
“Hiring a great team was a big accomplishment,” said Baptiste, admitting he has been “amazed” by the quality of work the team has produced in a short 13 months.
“Problems are being addressed by quality people. My job is just to set the course,” he said.
“I’m surprised all that has been accomplished.”
Baptiste said some of the most difficult parts of his job are trying to balance the wants and needs of the community and do so in a legal, quick manner, he said, using the Papa’a Bay access issue as a case in point.
“People’s passion for access is commendable,” but fixes in complicated cases like that take time and patience, he said.
Perhaps the biggest challenge is making systemic changes to systems which haven’t changed in decades, he continued.
On the issue of a new county landfill, Baptiste said a site has been identified, but isn’t as much of a priority now as developing a waste-to-energy incinerator (“the goal is energy self-sufficiency”), beefed up recycling programs, and a composting program for greenwaste, he said.
Then, a new landfill will be a priority.
Finally, on the issue of affordable housing, he said construction is under way for new rental apartments at Kalepa Village in Hanama’ulu, and county officials are examining the possibility of building additional units at Pa’anau in Koloa, while also negotiating with Princeville Corporation representatives about the possibility of developing some affordable rental units at Princeville.
“The harder one will be affordable for-purchase homes,” he said.
Associate Editor Paul C. Curtis may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@pulitzer.net.
