NAWILIWILI — County workers and visiting public at the Lihu‘e Civic Center soon won’t have to walk across Rice Street anymore to collect extra cash: The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the installation of an ATM machine in
NAWILIWILI — County workers and visiting public at the Lihu‘e Civic Center soon won’t have to walk across Rice Street anymore to collect extra cash: The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the installation of an ATM machine in the Pi‘ikoi Building’s atrium.
“The ATM machine will provide a public service to the customers who remit their payments in cash and as a convenience to customers, employees and tourists of the Lihu‘e Civic Center,” Finance Director Wally Rezentes Jr. said in a communication to the council.
County spokeswoman Beth Tokioka said that in the past, people would use the ATM machine at the nearby Big Save. But the supermarket chain was sold months ago, and there were no immediate plans to open up another supermarket there.
“In the interest of customer service, it was determined that we should install one here at the Civic Center,” she said.
Rezentes’ communication — endorsed by Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. — requested council approval for an agreement between the county and First Hawaiian Bank.
The county will provide the location and the electrical power source. First Hawaiian Bank will prepare the site, including construction work. The bank will also provide the machine and maintain it, including repairs and periodic maintenance, and handle all customers’ inquiries.
“There will be no cost to the county for having it on our property,” county spokeswoman Sarah Blane said.
The machine is supposed to provide all regular services that a normal ATM machine provides, including cash withdrawal from savings and checking accounts, cash advances from credit cards, and account balances and transfers.
First Hawaiian Bank is to provide access to shared ATM networks and is allowed to charge a convenience fee for withdrawal transactions to non-FHB cardholders.
Despite council approval, the county is still in the preliminary phases of the discussion, and there is no timeline for when the ATM would be installed, according to Blane.
The agreement is initially scheduled to last at least five years.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
