Minutes: December 13, 2000

Kailua Bay Advisory Council

Business Meeting Minutes

Windward Community College

Hale Alakai #102

December 13, 2000

www.kbac-hi.org

1. CALL TO ORDER

Acting Chair Mark Heckman called the meeting to order at 6:50 pm. There was not a quorum.

A. Attendance:

1. Board members present: Scott Derrickson, Jeffrey Harris, Mark Heckman and Donna

Wong. Board members excused: Benjamin Kama, Toby Rushforth, Christopher Winn

and Christine Woolaway.

Contractors: Maile Bay and Ramsay Taum.

2. CSF: Judy Nakamura
3. Guests: Donald Bremner and Charles Prentiss (Comprehensive Planning Services of

Hawaii).

2. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS

A. Koolaupoko Water Quality Monitoring Assessment

1. Memorandum Agreements have been re-crafted with assistance from Bay.
2. Upon the recommendation of the Council, Volunteer Coordinator has been meeting/speaking with various local, State, federal and community agency/organization representatives regarding a coordinated monitoring effort that identifies and acknowledges past, current and future monitoring efforts in effort to select appropriate sites. Heckman stated that we can’t wait for the State to complete its protocol and procedures; we need to run a parallel track with the State and get people into the stream. He would like to see something started next semester. Harris noted that parameters are needed. Heckman added that the parameters need to be educational and we need to look at quality assurance aspects.
3. As a result of these meetings, conversation with project partners (i.e. WCC and HPU, etc.) has been halted until further clarification of "needs" and "expectations" are established. Heckman reiterated that he doesn’t want the MOU’s recrafted. Taum explained that there were disagreements between WCC and HPU about what should be done versus what they wanted to do. Merging and bringing this together has been a task.
4. Meetings were had with the following to discuss integrated monitoring efforts as well as to define parameters and protocols for volunteer monitors statewide:
1. Executive Director, Maile Bay; Dr. Maqs Alam; Donald Bremner (Technical Report Consultant)
2. Department of Health (Gary Gill, DOH Dep.Dir., Reps. of Clean Water Branch & Environmental Planning Office), YES, and Dr. Maqs Alam and staff) Next Meeting: 1/11/01.
5. GIS Data Library/project: Office records have been updated and reorganized in preparation for public access.
6. Work on WCC/Hoa’aina Center server files: on-going.
7. PENDING: Participating in visual stream assessment of Waiahole stream with NRCS staff, Office of Environmental Quality Control, DOH Office of Planning and Waiahole/Waikane volunteer monitors (Kaipo Faias): December 14^th, 8:30 am). (Intend to incorporate Stream Visual Assessment in project and VWQMP training and education effort).

ACTION REQUESTED: None. FYI

1. Met with Technical Report consultants ; provided historical information, data, documents
2. See A.4. Meeting with Dr. Maqs Alam

1. Web Site: http://www.kbac-hi.org
1. Updates and editing completed/on-going.
2. Secured bid for webmaster; forwarded to Judy Nakamura.
3. NETWORD: type in *kbac to browser to get to the web page.
4. Proposal: LET Academy/Lanikai Elementary to design WebPage for VWQMP.
2. Stream Restoration Projects/Issues
1. Met with project champion, Stephen Kubota, to discuss VWMP support and effort including education and community workshop components including use of GIS / GPS technology in this effort.
2. Met with DLNR Water Commission and several community interests to define and identify GIS data sharing; theme selection (i.e. oral histories, etc.)
3. Dialogue opened with DLNR, Dr. Kimberly Lowe, aquatics office regarding coordination and data sharing of GIS Data; also coordination of a demonstration project. The State Water Commission would like an oral history program started and KBAC members also expressed interest in having recordings made of different cultural information.
3. Storm Drain Stenciling
1. Participated in and assisted with storm drain stenciling with Wailupe School on "Make a Difference Day". Location: `Aina Haina Valley
4. Beach clean-up:
1. Provided gloves and bags to Waimanalo District Park, Beach clean up effort. Estimated participants: 50-70.
5. LIVING MACHINE TECHNOLOGIES:
1. Met with Executive Director of Ocean Arks International, Inc., Michael Shaw, and Lauren Roth, manager and staff biologist at DOD/DOA funded demonstration site in EWA Beach. Took both on tour(s) of Kailua and Waimanalo water features, including Enchanted Lakes, Kawainui Marsh, Oneawa Canal, Kaelepulu stream, Wing King State reservoir, Waimanalo Meadow Gold dairy, and former Unisyn site as a preliminary review of potential sites for living machine technologies.
2. Mr. Shaw returns to Hawaii, Friday, 12/15 and intends to meet with various community interests as a result of his visit.
6. Workshop/Forum
1. Attended and supported Ala Wai Watershed Association Community Forum: Innovative Strategies for Watershed Restoration; event was held at UH Hawaiian Studies Center.
7. DOH TMDL Community Outreach Efforts:
1. Will assist with sponsoring and coordinating community information meetings with DOH regarding TMDL report and work in Ko'olaupoko.

1. Attended East West Center Conference on Climate: November 6, 7 and 8
1. Participated in Fresh Water breakout group and forum reporting out committee. (See conference report summary).
2. Attended Hawaii Water Quality Conference 2000, 11/28, 11/29, and 12/1. (Sponsored by Hawaii Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.)
1. Significant message: TMDL monitoring efforts over the next 12-15 years will encourage and require increased community support and involvement, especially with regard to monitoring.
2. Opinions shared: Volunteers can and will play an important role in that process.
3. Alternative methods including but not limited to remote monitoring may change monitoring efforts and activities.

1. Met with Executive Director Maile Bay to discuss VWQMP program philosophy.
2. Preparing plan and budget assumptions for January meeting.
3. Have initiated discussions with John Kline of USGS, and National Water Monitoring Council (NWMC) regarding a State WMC in Hawaii.
4. Also in discussions with Geoff Dates, Program Director of The River Network, regarding comprehensive volunteer water monitoring training programs on a regional and statewide level.
5. Working to raise the value and importance of Volunteer Monitoring at State DOH level.
6. Developing a PPP (Practices, Polices & Procedures) manual for VWQMP. Heckman suggested picking up information from the Strategic Plan for this.
7. MAJOR PROGRAM FOCUS AREAS: Community Education and Outreach; Integrated/Coordinated Institutional Water Monitoring Plan.

1. In response to the request of Chris Winn, provided a letter of support for this grant application to EPA for his monitoring program for Kane'ohe Bay that he briefed the Council on at our November meeting.

2. Drafted a "Conflict Letter" and circulated the final version of the letter to the parties (bcc: to KBAC on Dec. 11) requesting an amendment to the Consent Decree to broaden the section to allow Councilmembers to recuse themselves in the event of a conflict of interest for a contract. Bay will follow up in ten days; after parties have received the letter.

3. Attended the panel on TMDLs at the Water Quality Monitoring Conference at East West Center.   Presentation by Ed Laws on their monitoring program in Waimanalo and Earthjustice on its lawsuit against the State was most interesting. 

4. Finalized the contract with the vendor for the Technical Program report, provided research material, met regularly with the principles to answer questions.

5. Met with and toured Dr. Maqs Alam's labs at the University of Hawaii with our Technical Report consultant Don Bremner and Ramsay.  Dr. Alam’s report will be completed by June 6, 2001.

6. Circulated and received input for KBAC on the draft Strategic Plan.  See memo to KBAC sent December 10. Approved the draft as a subcommittee of the four members present; tabled the issue regarding KBAC being a long-term entity to be discussed at the January meeting.

7. Met with CSF accountant, Acting Chair, CSF agent, and CSF Executive Director to work out resolution of the concern with the 5% fee for CSF.  Will discuss possible resolution at meeting then call CSF accountant for further discussions.

8. Ramsay and I met with Gary Gill, Deputy Director; June Harringon-Lum, DOH Environmental Planning, Denis Lau, Chief, DOH Clean Water Branch; Gene Akazawa, DOH staff member; Sean Casey, Executive Director, Youth for Environmental Services (YES); Maqs Alam, and three of Maqs' graduate students to scope out a possible protocol for the stream monitoring program for KBAC.  Discussed working together on an inventory of Ko'olaupoko streams, allowing Dr. Alam to also participate, using a set protocol including a program to train trainers, and using the draft protocol that YES is working on.  Agreed to exchange information on Ko'olaupoko streams that are being assessed and meet again in January to network on sharing actions and plans.

9. Drafted the initial outline for the Master Plan (to be distributed); please review and advise on any gaps or other items that should be placed within the outline.

10. Approached by the City asking for the support of KBAC for a grant proposal for the Ala Wai watershed due next year.  The City is asking that I attend the ""kick off" meeting to be arranged.  They appear to be looking for political support of its effort.  I asked to be kept informed.

11. Met with Ramsay regarding VWQM program projects and budget costs needed for the Master Plan and ask him to prepare presentation of it for KBAC for January meeting.

12. Prepared article for Agriculture and Environmental Quality newsletter (attached), see back issue at:  www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/wq/newsletter_main.asp   Minor amendments were made by Harris and Heckman.

13. Completed one additional interview with a Councilmember.  Still need to meet with Jeff Harris and Chris Winn.  Give me a call.

14. Began research on other possible funding sources for KBAC projects.

1. Spring meeting minutes - Harris moved, seconded by Wong, to accept the Spring meeting minutes. The members present formed a sub-committee to approve the minutes. The excused members will be sent a fax vote.

2. November 8, 2000 minutes – Wong moved, seconded by Derrickson, to accept the November 8, 2000 minutes. The members present formed a sub-committee to approve the minutes. The excused members will be sent a fax vote.

3. Annual Report – The Annual Report will be reviewed at the January 2001 meeting.

G. Comprehensive Planning Services of Hawaii – Consultants Donald A. Bremner and Charles A. Prentiss gave a presentation on the "Preliminary Draft – Final Technical Program Report". Handouts were given along with a proposed schedule for the final technical report and Council members were given until December 28^th to forward comments to the consultants.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 pm.