Kaua‘i County Council members were criticized by some residents yesterday for meeting in executive sessions and allegedly withholding information about pending repairs of roof at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center gym that has leaked for eight years. But council members, meeting
Kaua‘i County Council members were criticized by some residents yesterday for meeting in executive sessions and allegedly withholding information about pending repairs of roof at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center gym that has leaked for eight years.
But council members, meeting at the historic County Building, said the meetings, which are closed to the public, need to be held because the leaky roof issue may lead to costly litigation.
Litigation is a subject that is entirely appropriate to discuss in such meetings, council members said.
Councilman Joe Munechika said it is unfortunate residents have had to put up with the leaky roof for the past eight years.
He added that discussions held in such meetings are intended to help protect the county against possible litigation.
Workers with Primatech, a contractor for the roof job, installed the roof in 1987. Through a settlement agreement with the county, Primatech workers put a second roof over the first roof last year. The second roof, however, still leaks.
The second roof was put over the first roof in early spring or summer at a cost of $100,000.
County officials have paid only $50,000 of the bill for building materials, and have not paid the remaining $50,000 for the labor, Primatech President Peter Ho told The Garden Island recently.
Kaua‘i resident Andy Parx said the holding of the executive sessions is inexcusable, and that the public deserves “an explanation as to what is going on here.”
Parx said the holding of the closed meetings gives the appearance that government officials are hiding information from the public.
Hanalei resident Ray Chuan said “the issue is that you have to face the public. It doesn’t matter what excuses are used.”
If council members continue to meet behind closed doors, public confidence will erode further, Chuan said.
Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said she and her colleagues are not trying to hide anything from the public.
If anything, council members are doing their best to put the spotlight on matters that may be hidden, she said.
Councilman Mel Rapozo said council members have been trying their best to be forthright on the matter.
“The council has tried to put as much out in the open as possible. I will attest to that,” he said.
Yukimura also said the holding of executive sessions is necessary, in light of the circumstances related to the leaky roof and the potential for lawsuits.
She said information on the subject will be made available to the public when the issue is resolved.
Council Chairman Kaipo Asing said he didn’t see anything wrong with the issue coming up on the council agenda repeatedly.
That process is a way for the council and the public to gauge the progress or lack of progress Bryan Baptiste’s administration has made in trying to get the roof fixed. County officials said a plan is being develop to fix the problem.
Asing also said he wanted to protect the wallet of taxpayers. Asing said he didn’t want a situation where county officials would pay for the repairs and pay more to cover legal expenses in a lawsuit or lawsuits filed against the county.
The problem surfaced during the administration of former Mayor Maryanne Kusaka’s, and though repair work was done, the second roof has continued to leak.
Baptiste administration officials say, however, that fixing the roof may be a simple matter. What complicates the mater is the potential for litigation, officials said.
Kaua’i resident Richard Stauber said he isn’t so concerned about people filing lawsuits against the county on he matter.
He said his concern is that county leaders continue their probe into the leaky roof, and fix it.
Yukimura said the council’s focus is getting the roof fixed so that the facility can be used safely by the public again.
She said the council is trying to track the progress Baptiste’s administration has made in trying to fix the problem.
Kapa‘a resident Glenn Mickens commended Rapozo for pushing the council to add $100,000 to the county’s 2004-2005 fiscal budget for a performance audit.
Councilman Jay Furfaro said while Baptiste’s administration can work with others to fix the leaky roof, a review of the county’s project systems and audit are necessary now.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@pulitzer.net
