NAWILIWILI — The Department of Public Works has already been challenged with vacancies and budget reductions in the current year. Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2011 required even more reductions, putting an extra burden on the department.
“Last year we were asked to cut all of our costs to absolute minimum,” Public Works Engineer Donald Fujimoto said. “This year it was an even harder challenge to see how we can hold the line and meet the mayor’s budget (reduction) of 7 percent.”
Fujimoto said that in the proposed FY11 budget Public Works staff have looked at every possible way to reduce costs, and still meet important priorities addressing safety, health and welfare issues.
Administration
Public Works administrative staff achieved a net decrease of $41,815, or 4.4 percent, according to Fujimoto.
The two-day furlough allowed a decrease of $56,250 in administrative salaries, he said.
Automotive
“We were able to cut 2 percent in the operation budget from the previous year,” Automotive Superintendent Wayne Adachi said.
This is the second year in a row that an automotive supervisor position has been dollar-funded, and Adachi said it has been “very” tough. But he added that he is hoping to fill the position soon, despite the dollar-funded status.
By dollar-funding a position, the department symbolically allocates $1 to keep it in case there’s a need.
The division just completed one year of using bio-diesel in its fleet, and Adachi said they have experienced “unusual” problems. “That was a painful lesson,” he said.
Bio-diesel prices used to be cheaper than regular diesel, but the scale has tipped, and now it’s more expensive to buy the more environmentally friendly fuel.
Adachi said bio-diesel produces less mileage, and that he could see the benefits of spending more on a fuel that would emit less pollutants. But for some reason, the bio-diesel was harming the fleet, which includes many expensive semi trucks.
“I cannot afford to jeopardize my fleet,” Adachi said.
He didn’t rule out using bio-diesel in the future, but for now the fleet will be using regular diesel fuel.
Engineering
Chief of Engineering Wallace Kudo said the division needs to be afforded flexibility to hire staff and release dollar-funded positions, because the demand for personnel depends on the number of projects that may occur.
Kudo said there are currently four dollar-funded positions.
“Most of the projects assigned to Engineering today are planned for design only,” Kudo said. “Construction is expected to occur the following year,”
Building
Building Chief Douglas Haigh said the division achieved about a 10 percent reduction in its budget.
“We’re doing bare-bones maintenance with this budget,” he said.
Haigh said there’s a significant level of retiring within the Code Enforcement section of the division, and they are working with administration to fill the critical positions as soon as possible.
Councilman Jay Furfaro was concerned that the police evidence room hadn’t been repaired yet, despite funds having been set aside, and that Chair Kaipo Asing had traveled to Honolulu to get an evaluation on how to best address the problem.
“We put a lot of money into this a couple years ago,” Furfaro said. “I’m now wondering if the temporary solution is going to actually fall behind the permanent solution.”
“We’re hoping to start construction within a month,” Haigh said.
Wastewater
“We can’t just shut down on Friday,” Chief of Wastewater Edward Tschupp said. “We’re 24/7.”
The division’s operation budget for FY11 is $9.28 million, a decrease of 4.4 percent compared to FY10.
The changes reflect the furloughs, which Tschupp said are questionable because the around-the-clock services the division provides.
“We are not looking into any kind of reduction in services,” he said.
In FY12, the division will be looking into increasing its revenue by hiking its rates.
Road construction and maintenance
Chief of Field Operations and Maintenance Ryan Nishikawa said the major changes on his division also come from the furloughs.
The division, however, had a few budget increases.
The budget for road signs and marking crew increased to $105,000, representing an extra $60,000. Nishikawa said the division’s budget of $45,000 in FY10 wasn’t enough.
Road maintenance account added $500,000 in the budget for tree-trimming on Maluhia Road, known as the Tunnel of Trees.
Furfaro was concerned that the walkway from Kapa‘a low-income housing to Kapa‘a Middle School needed some improvements.
The councilman was also concerned that a crosswalk on Koloa Road fronting Sueoka store may need better signage. “It’s a little dangerous, in my opinion,” Furfaro said.
Councilman Tim Bynum asked Nishikawa to look into the roundabout between the low-income housing and Kapa‘a Ball Park, saying it was dangerous for pedestrians.
Bynum acknowledged the state did the project, but he would like to see improvements there.
He was also concerned that the division has three high-level positions vacant, and two key positions have been dollar-funded for over two years.
“We’re in the same situation as sewer and engineering,” Nishikawa said. “There are not many licensed, qualified people applying for the jobs.”
Solid Waste
The division brought the biggest surprise of the Public Works Department presentation.
Solid Waste proposed a supplemental budget increase in FY11 of $150,000, to implement an assessment surcharge that could potentially bring in a revenue of $2.5 million in FY12.
If the proposal is approved, homeowners will have to pick up the tab for curbside collection service. Depending on tax exemptions and level of service, homeowners would most likely pay between $6 and $12 per month, and possibly more if they have extra trash bins.
Currently the service is free for Kaua‘i residents.
Large condos that utilize private collectors would be exempted, as well as uninhabitable dwellings such as barns.
Capital Improvement Projects
The Department of Public Works will present its CIP budget proposal to the council’s budget and finance committee, chaired by Daryl Kaneshiro, from 9 a.m. to noon, today, at Council Chambers in Nawiliwili.
Visit www.thegardenisland.com for live streaming of the budget review meeting.
Visit www.kauai.gov for more information.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
