LIHU‘E — About three months ago, county officials told the Kaua‘i County Council they had requested $120,000 to hire a consultant to find out solutions for water problems at Kilauea Gym. The gym’s roof was redone in the early 1990s
LIHU‘E — About three months ago, county officials told the Kaua‘i County Council they had requested $120,000 to hire a consultant to find out solutions for water problems at Kilauea Gym.
The gym’s roof was redone in the early 1990s and again in 2003, but it continues to leak when it rains. The gym’s east-facing doors also let rainwater in.
“Pretty much it hasn’t happened in terms of progress,” said county Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo on Wednesday, while updating the council on what has been done since an April 25 meeting at the council chambers.
He said that during the recent budget process the administration wanted to make sure there was enough money for different projects in the funds that are going to be used for the consultant in the Kilauea Gym project.
Now that the “budget exercise” is done, Parks and Recreation has cleared with the county Finance Department that it will be able to spend money from those funds, according to Rapozo.
“We’re moving forward, we’re transmitting to Public Works our plans in the hopes that they will be able to do the work for us,” Rapozo said of the plans to address the doors.
Doug Haigh, Chief of Building Division at Public Works, said he had not seen the plans yet.
“Once we receive those plans we’ll be reviewing them, and we hope we can do it in tandem with the roofing consultant to make sure the plans are following the appropriate design,” Haigh said.
Council Chair Jay Furfaro wanted further answers.
“So, we are nowhere,” he said. “We haven’t done anything to the side doors. We’re waiting for the roofing consultant before we address the eves being extended over the side exhibit doors. Is that what we are waiting for?”
Rapozo said his department had already sent over to Public Works the plans to address the gym’s doors.
Haigh, however, said he had not received such plans.
Upon further questioning, Rapozo said he had sent the plans Monday.
Haigh said his department would be reviewing the plans carefully to make sure the problem would be addressed correctly, but the decision whether to fix the doors prior to the roofing being fixed would be up to his boss, County Engineer Larry Dill.
“I just applaud the cautious approach give the history of water problems (at Kilauea Gym),” Councilman Tim Bynum said.
“Well, we’ve got 10 years of caution here, so we should defer this,” Furfaro said.
Kapa‘a resident and self-described “nitpicker” Glenn Mickens said there are several reasons why the problem has continued for so long.
“But the major one is that we continue to hire people into positions not because of their qualifications for the job but for political reasons and thus problems like this will continue to happen,” Mickens said.
Furfaro said he has “great faith” in Rapozo, Haigh and Dill, and that Public Works staff should be given an opportunity to consult with Parks and Recreation staff.
On Aug. 22, the council will hear again from county officials about the issue.
• Léo Azambuja can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
