LIHU‘E — Thanks to the volunteering efforts of a few who have kept a long-standing tradition on Kaua‘i, several county cemeteries still provide a decent final resting place for island residents. But as the volunteer base shrinks, the Kaua‘i County Council is concerned with maintaining the cemeteries.
County Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo said at council meeting last week that the administration relies “heavily” on community organizations and on the families of those interred in county cemeteries to maintain the properties.
“We’re very grateful to the community for what they provide to us,” he said.
The county does not charge for burial plots or services at any of the county-owned cemeteries on Kaua‘i. There are 16 of these cemeteries that fall under the jurisdiction of the county Parks and Recreation Department, not including Hanapepe’s Kaua‘i Veterans Cemetery, which is staffed by the county, Rapozo said.
Most of these cemeteries were established during the sugar plantation era, and were established by the large plantations for their workers to bury their family members, according to Rapozo. From the beginning, the cemeteries have been cared for by families of those interred there.
“As we transitioned from plantation (era) to today, this care has been given to the county,” Rapozo said.
The county provides herbicides and tools to volunteers, and when the job is too big, the county comes in with a maintenance crew and heavy equipment, according to Rapozo. But as far as regular maintenance and providing burial services, it’s all up to volunteers.
As there is still confusion as to who owns the land where some of these cemeteries are, Council Vice Chair Nadine Nakamura wanted to find out if the administration should charge for services, and Rapozo was quick to answer her.
“No, I think we should provide the service, because a lot of times people cannot afford to get burial plots in private cemeteries; this is their only option,” Rapozo said. “I think this is something, we as a county government should provide.”
All of the 16 cemeteries still have plots available, but Koloa Cemetery is reaching capacity and lacking care, he said.
“There is a concern in the Koloa Cemetery, which we don’t have anybody taking care there,” Rapozo said. “It’s an older cemetery and it’s filling up. At some point, we will have to close the cemetery.”
At the Kapa‘a Cemetery, there’s also no one taking care of it. But Rapozo said that when there is a request from a family, the department asks personnel from the Veterans Cemetery to meet the family at the burial plot to provide maintenance, either in Koloa or Kapa‘a.
Council Chair Jay Furfaro said he asked Rapozo for a briefing as a follow up on concerns from the community that some volunteer caretakers have retired or died. As the volunteer base is shrinking, Furfaro said he wanted to know what the administration could to help with maintenance.
Furfaro asked Rapozo to come back to the council in the next few months, during deliberations on the county’s operational budget for Fiscal Year 2014, to discuss possibly increasing the department’s beautification staffing to perhaps include two annual visits to each cemetery.
The list of county owned cemeteries are:
• Kekaha: Hawaiian Cemetery on Akiaoloa Road, and Kekaha Public Cemetery on ‘Elepaio and Ewa roads;
• Waimea: Japanese Cemetery and Chinese Cemetery, both on Kaumuali‘i Highway;
• Hanapepe: Hawaiian Cemetery on Kaumuali‘i Highway, Japanese Cemetery on Puolo Road, Filipino Cemetery and Chinese Cemetery, both on Lele Road, and Japanese Cemetery on Moi Road;
• Lawa‘i: Lawa‘i Cemetery on Hailima Road;
• Koloa: Koloa Cemetery on Maluhia Road;
• Hanama‘ulu: Japanese Cemetery and Filipino Cemetery, both on Hulei Road;
• Kapa‘a: Wailua Japanese Cemetery on Kuamo‘o Road, Kapa‘a Public Cemetery on Kanahele Road, and Keapana Cemetery on Haua‘ala Road.
