March 24,1998

Kailua Bay Advisory Council

March 24,1998

CALL TO ORDER: Chair Christine Woolaway called the meeting to order at 6:55pm.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Jeff Harris, Steve Holmes, Edward Laws, Roland Libby, Jr., Fred Madlener and Christine Woolaway. There was a quorum.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Mark Heckman and Elaine Murphy

CSF: Judy Nakamura

EX-OFFICIO MEMBER: Donna Ashizawa

GUESTS: Peter Adler, Gene Dashiell, Alex Ho and John Knox

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the March 10, 1998 meeting were approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

Discussion on Susan Miller’s final report - The computer specialist has nearly completed the requested job. After paying for the services the difference will be paid to Susan ($500 - invoice from computer specialist = difference paid to Susan).

Mini Grants - one application has been received so far; we expect a lot more towards the close date of March 31^st.

Technical Coordinator - The "Consultant Agreement" between Eugene Dashiell, KBAC and CSF has been signed. The "Technical Program Task 1 - Review and Evaluate Research Reports and Background Information" about water quality in the Kaneohe, Kailua and Waimanalo areas has also been signed and work will begin immediately.

Eugene passed out a copy of a letter sent to Roland Libby, Jr., Deputy Director of the Dept. of Public Works with a photo of the concrete structure mentioned in the March 10th meeting. Discussion had centered around the concrete structure impeding the flow of water in the canal and how the removal of it would increase the water flow. Roland will look into this problem.

He also handed out information about a Watershed Management Conference: Moving from Theory to Implementation to be held in Denver, Colorado from May 3-6, 1998. He suggested that the council members think about attending this very important conference. The members would check their schedule to see if attendance was possible.

Memorandums to the council members outlining the technical program status and information about maps and photos (scale and resolution) along with samples of how he intends to showcase the problems was handed out. He also brought a hardcover book "Taro - Mauka to Makai" put out by CTAHR that would be very useful not only to the taro farmers but also to the general public.

Discussion with Peter Adler and John Knox regarding community surveys and meetings - A lively discussion ensued about the surveys. Should it be done and what method should it be: door-to-door, phone survey or letters (mass mailing). Some of the members were concerned about people’s perceptions about water quality problems; the council brings together a lot of insight about problems but the council needs to know the public perception. And if perception is treated as data then maybe these could be used as focus points for the council. Donna, through her meetings with community leaders, would be able to inform the council about perceived problems and ads placed in the newspapers asking for feedback from the community would be another avenue to get some answers. At the community meetings the same activists speak out and many times the real pulse of the community is not heard. It is important to get information from the people who normally do not attend these meetings; we want to enpower the people and validate their perceived problems

and also to inform them about the coming meetings.

Tasks: News - SunPress and Waimanalo News (random)

Questions - supermarket surveys (random)

Public Service Announcements on radio (random)

Contact the professional groups and agencies of government

Questions

John Knox said we have to know the objectives and the purpose for doing a survey: a survey is a way of "getting" information. It is a way of getting a picture of what people think at a given point in time. He suggested: 1) go the route of talking to the organizations that are knowledgeable; 2) give people an opportunity to write in (newspaper ads are one approach); and 3) public service announcements on radio with a telephone call recording. This is one approach: 1) identify "all" problems; 2) identify "top priority" problems; 3) identify "all" solutions/actions for top problems; and 4) identify final actions for KBAC (and gov’t). He asked, "From whom do you want to hear?" He also suggested that the council not go with broad, open-ended questions.

Peter Adler said: 1) are the ordinary people experiencing any water problems; 2) what do they perceive the problem to be; and 3) what do they believe is the solution to the problem. By April 15^th he will present a plan to the council that includes information about advertising the meetings and 1) how to go about educating people on KBAC, 2) inventory the set of problems that emerge and 3) some solution to the problems.

C. Discussion on indirect cost rate for UH - The question arose because some people from the UH were interested in submitted a proposal for the mini- grant. Chris checked on this and was informed that the indirect cost rate is 3.4%.

D. Letter from the Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey. After much discussion it was decided that someone from the division would be invited to the next meeting to speak to the council.

E. Audubon Society - it was decided that an individual from the society would be invited to speak to the council members during the June meeting.

** Member Jeff Harris’ phone/fax number : 261-6711

pager (digital) : 574-0407

pager (message) : 599-7789

The following are tentative KBAC dates for future meetings to be held at Windward Community College:

April 14 and 28, 1998 - Hale Alaka’i #118

May 12 and 26, 1998 - Hale Alaka’i #118

ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned by Acting Chair Christine Woolaway at 10pm.