LIHUE — The county has finalized a $7 million list of five projects that will be seeking state funding in January. The county’s legislative package, which is submitted annually to the Hawaii Legislature, includes $5 million for an adolescent treatment
LIHUE — The county has finalized a $7 million list of five projects that will be seeking state funding in January.
The county’s legislative package, which is submitted annually to the Hawaii Legislature, includes $5 million for an adolescent treatment and healing center, $550,000 for a centralized auto maintenance facility, $400,000 to go toward the Salt Pond master plan, $500,000 for a helicopter hangar for the Kauai Fire Department, and $700,000 for construction and improvements at the Veterans Cemetery facility.
Nadine Nakamura, county managing director, and Keith Suga, county Capital Improvement Projects manager, presented the five projects to the council on Nov. 4. The list was analyzed in committee meetings before it was brought before the council Wednesday for a second reading.
Two things held up the approval of the package in the Nov. 4 meeting — questions about the feasibility of the adolescent treatment and healing center, and the absence of affordable housing projects on the list. Those two subjects were heavily debated before the council approved the list on Wednesday.
“Based on what we know, it will be a waste of money to build a building for $5 million, when we don’t know how to pay to operate it,” Yukimura said. “We have no expertise on how to run a 24/7 drug treatment center and we have no clue how to build one.”
Councilman Gary Hooser said he thought it was premature to ask the Legislature for money on the project, even though it’s a very important project for the community.
“The reality is, we aren’t ready to spend $5 million and we have other needs,” Hooser said. “I have strong doubts that it would be funded and we would be wasting bullets, so to speak, if you request it from the Legislature.”
Councilman Ross Kagawa said addressing Kauai’s youth drug use issue is imperative and including the center on the list would be an “opportunity to get the state to pay all of the costs” for creating the building.
“Meanwhile the county needs to get their feasibility study together,” Kagawa said. “We need to prove that we are ready to move on this project, otherwise they won’t release the funds.”
Councilmembers Mason Chock and Arryl Kaneshiro both said they support having the center on the list, but are expecting to have more information in the coming months.
“We can argue that the bus system isn’t feasible, but it’s something that the community wants and needs,” Kaneshiro said. “Right now, I’m willing to support it, but we’re still in the preliminary stages and we’ll see if this is something the community wants and needs.”
Matthew Barnabe, a Kauai resident, had a different take on the treatment center.
“I’m going to advocate for a self-sufficient youth farm facility to create a workforce and give kids hands-on activities that will give them responsibility,” Barnabe said. “That will help a lot more than having some $5 million facility.”
Council Chair Mel Rapozo agreed with Barnabe that providing agricultural opportunities for kids is a way to keep them off of drugs.
“Matt, you’re right on target. Let’s get those kids in the dirt growing stuff, get them into the markets and making money and taking ownership of their life,” Rapozo said.
Affordable housing
After they approved the legislative package, the council took a look at Yukimura’s proposal of including on that list $5 million for the purchase of the Courtyards at Waipouli’s affordable housing project.
Currently, 41 of the 82 units on the property are affordable housing units, but their status as such is set to expire in 2019. The county’s housing committee is considering buying the property and keeping it as affordable housing. Yukimura’s idea is to use $5 million in state money to take a bite out of the property’s $24.5 million price tag.
“That money would contribute to the pot that the county would have to pull together in order to purchase,” Yukimura said.
Gary Mackler, the county’s acting housing director, said the department is considering the purchase of that property, but whether it can buy it is up for debate.
“My personal take on it is not to ask for money given all the questions that linger,” Mackler said.
In order for the Courtyards at Waipouli to be included in the county’s legislative package, it needed the mayor’s approval, which would result in the list returning to the council during its December meeting.
“It’s difficult for me to support this because the administration doesn’t support it,” said Rapozo. “I would ask councilmember Yukimura to submit it for the county council package and that the scope be broader.”
