A deteriorating Lihu‘e building housing hundreds-of-thousands of dollars worth of county vehicles and equipment is being used on an “at your own risk” basis, officials said yesterday at the Historic County Building. County Councilwoman Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho called this “outrageous” and
A deteriorating Lihu‘e building housing hundreds-of-thousands of dollars worth of county vehicles and equipment is being used on an “at your own risk” basis, officials said yesterday at the Historic County Building.
County Councilwoman Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho called this “outrageous” and joined her legislative colleagues in demanding answers from the administration allowing the liability to persist.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste’s proposed $61.25 million capital improvement programs budget for next fiscal year includes $500,000 for Honsador Building structural renovation. The county acquired the facility from the lumber company years ago, but still refers to it on paper by that name.
The council discussed this line item at the end of a second week of departmental budget review hearings, which are set to continue at 9 a.m. Thursday in Council Chambers.
Doug Haigh, the county Building Division chief, said he has recommended the rusting facility not be used at all at this point.
But County Engineer Donald Fujimoto, who heads the Public Works Department, said he told the Kaua‘i police and fire departments some two months ago that they can store their vehicles and equipment there if they accept the risk.
Iseri-Carvalho said a $750,000 police unit, fire trucks and other equipment were being stored there as of this week.
Employees have limited access to the facility, according to Fujimoto.
After acknowledging the extra measures being taken to protect human lives should the structure fail, council members said they remain concerned about the financial liability.
“The risk is here. The risk is the county,” Councilman Jay Furfaro told Fujimoto.
Iseri-Carvalho said the administration needs to take proactive measures — such as evicting those now using the facility and locking it up until the building is deemed safe.
“We’re going to have to pay,” she told Fujimoto. “Whether you told them … whether they listen … it’s still the taxpayers who have to pay.”
Gary Heu, the mayor’s administrative assistant, told the council that he will personally follow up on the matter.
The history of the building and its precise use remained unclear at press time, but the council requested that the administration return with more information at a future hearing.
Heu yesterday asked at least the Police Department to not comment to the media on the Honsador Building project while the administration works internally with other county departments to determine the facility’s fate.
The building is a “classic example” of a maintenance project that was postponed too long and now requires major work, Haigh said.
“All we’re doing is deferring into crises,” Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said, noting that the county five years ago identified severe structural problems with the facility.
Iseri-Carvalho said after the meeting that she remains concerned over the administration’s “internal bickering.”
County spokeswoman Mary Daubert said the administration does not have a comment on this matter at this time.
• Nathan Eagle, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or neagle@kauaipubco.com
