Enchanted Lake Residents Association Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, 13 December 2022
PRESENT: Greg Colbert, Gus Gustavson, Connie Jewell, Todd Jewell, Alan Richardson, Cindy Turner, and Don Young
ABSENT: Mike Compton, Duston Dawson, Linda Jenks, Danny Medeiros, Margaret Novack, Fran Tannen, and Melody Spencer (Admin)
CALL TO ORDER – Don Young: The meeting was called to order at 7:10 pm. A quorum was declared.
APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER MINUTES – Connie Jewell: M. Novack emailed the minutes to the Board prior to the meeting. There being no corrections or amendments, a motion to approve the November minutes was made by G. Gustavson and seconded by T. Jewell. The remaining members approved the Report unanimously.
FINANCIAL REPORT – Gus Gustavson: G. Gustavson emailed the Profit and Loss Previous Year (Jul-Nov 21) Comparison versus Year to Date (Jul-Nov 22) report and a Statement report to the Board prior to the meeting.
Finished paying the Extra Liability Insurance in November. The Extra Liability Insurance is the biggest expense factor for the Liability Insurance at $13,500.
The balance in American Savings Bank and QSF had little change. ELRA is within budget with similar expenses to last fiscal year.
The Financial report was approved by acclimation, pending audit.
ADMINISTRATION:
Correspondence Report – Don Young:
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- 7 Dec 22: Councilmember, Esther Kia’aina – Letter sent to Esther Kia’aina and copied Levani Lipton, Chair Kailua Neighborhood Board – Pollution of Kailua’s Waterways and Beaches; Bill Hicks, Chair Kailua Neighborhood; and the ELRA Board of Directors. E. Kia’aina responded almost immediately and thanked Don for his recommendations relating to Ka’elepulu estuary and Kailua Bay that she forwarded it to the DFM (City and County of Honolulu – Department of Facility Maintenance) leaders prior to the Kailua Neighborhood Board – Water Pollution Committee meeting. E. Kia’aina said it is important for ELRA to work collaboratively with the Kailua Neighborhood Board Water Pollution Committee.
- 11 Dec 22: Todd Nobriga, Ameron Kapaa Quarry – Emailed Todd Nobriga of Ameron Kapaa Quarry, and copied the ELRA Board of Directors, requesting Ameron to accept the soil dredged from Ka’elepulu Pond. Oceanit sent T. Nobriga the Soil Analysis Report as requested.
- Ralph Winnie – Email received from Ralph Winnie, a lawyer volunteering free legal advice to ELRA if needed. R. Winnie’s parents own a house on Enchanted Lake. D. Young will respond to him that our Board is pleased to accept his offer.
Kailua Neighborhood Board (NB) Meeting Reports:
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- 1 Dec 22: No report.
- 8 Dec 22 – Water Pollution Committee Report – Cindy Turner: This meeting came about after C. Turner looked at the Kaopa Settlement Basin plans (a privately owned basin near the bluffs, past the Mormon Church that no longer functions as a settlement basin). The city said that they cannot do maintenance there because it is privately owned. However, C. Turner discovered that the city owns about a 20–30-foot piece of land going into the basin that is big enough to add berms or other BMPs that could restore some settlement functionality to the basin. C. Turner discussed her findings with Levani Lipton, Chair Kailua NB – Pollution of Kailua’s Waterways and Beaches. L. Lipton suggested presenting this item as a community because the $1.6 million that Ester Kia’aina put in the budget a year and a half ago for stormwater BMTs for the Ka’elepulu area has now been released. Now that it has been released the head of storm water, Randall Wakumoto, DFM Stormwater wants to use the funds to hire consultants to produce a rain garden solution.Turner said that L. Lipton was able to get Randall Wakumoto, Dawn Szewczyk, head of the Department of Facility Maintenance, and Councilmember, Esther Kia’aina who appropriated the funds to all come to this meeting where C. Turner did a presentation on where the Kaopa settlement basin is and how it functions. She then showed a video of the muddy water running into the hardened channel through the wetland and out to the ocean. C. Turner ended her presentation to the committee by stating that the city does own some land there so they could create some berming, as simple as sandbags. C. Turner said that E. Kia’aina asked R. Wakumoto to look into it and see what they could do.
- Young asked if L. Lipton is presenting a resolution to the Board. C. Turner replied that at this point, Lipton has asked the committee members to propose alternate options for the $1.6 million that would have a significant impact on stormwater quality, rather than spending the funds on a mainland consultant to design a rain garden.
Holiday Boat Parade Report – Don Young: An email was sent to George Lingle to confirm his availability to lead the holiday boat parade on Saturday, 17 December. Upon receipt of confirmation from G. Lingle, C. Turner will send an email to ELRA members notifying them of the date, time, and place to begin the parade.
12-1 Task: Send email to ELRA members – C. Turner,
2023 ELRA Roster Review – Connie Jewell: Novack prepared a draft of the roster prior to the meeting. Dustin Dawson was inadvertently missed and will be added to the roster.
12-2 Task: Update 2023 Roster – C. Jewell, completed.
2023 ELRA Committees Review – Don Young: The following committee assignments were discussed:
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- Annual Meeting Committee:
- Annual Meeting was separated from the Secretary’s duties and approved by all present. C. Turner recommended F. Tannen and L. Jenks.
- Possible 2023 Annual Meeting Venues were discussed. G. Colbert’s neighbor and Cecilia Stewart (ELRA member) are members of Mid-Pac and F. Tannen is a member of the Kaneohe Yacht Club. Board members agreed that Mid-Pac would be their first choice due to its proximity to Enchanted Lake.
12-3 Task: Obtain venue for ELRA at Mid-Pac – C. Jewell, completed.
12-4 Task: Upon successful completion of 12-4 Task, contact Mid-Pac for any Saturday availability in October – C. Jewell, completed.
- Elections Committee: Novack volunteered to be an advisor.
- Audit Committee: ELRA Bylaws require three Board members for the Audit committee.
Jewell will chair, and G. Colbert offered to assist him. D. Young volunteered D. Medeiros to assist on this committee. G. Gustavson and A. Richardson will provide T. Jewell with a copy of the General Ledger and Financial Reports for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2022, and such supporting information as may be required.
12-5 Task: Provide T. Jewell with a copy of the General Ledger and Financial Reports for fiscal year ended 30 June 2022, and such supporting information as may be required
– G. Gustavson/A. Richardson. - Operations Committee: Colbert volunteered to help M. Compton with clean-up operations.
- Annual Meeting Committee:
Committee assignments will be completed at the January meeting when additional Board members are present.
2023 Kailua Neighborhood Board Sign Up List Review – Don Young: Volunteers are still needed to cover open meetings. A. Richardson volunteered for July and T. Jewell switched from June to August due to a scheduling conflict. That still left openings for June, September, and November. D. Young will add this as an Agenda Item for January’s meeting when more Board members are present.
2023 Goals and Objectives Review – Don Young/All: Prior to the meeting D. Young emailed the 2022 Goals and Objectives to the Board. D. Young stated that annually at the December meeting the Goal and Objectives are reviewed and updated for the next year. Goals and Objectives were drafted for finalization at the January 2023 Board meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Dredging Committee – Greg Colbert: G. Colbert led a 25-minute discussion about dredging disposal options:
a. Build islands on the lake to hold dredging material, like the one in Hawaii Kai. Questions were asked about maintenance, appearance, location, etc. This option would require further information and a special meeting for all ELRA members to attend. Note: A 404 permit would need to be obtained.
b. Upland disposal:
Sod farm use in Waimanalo – farmers are interested but have concerns about possible harmful contaminants in the water. Presently water testing is being conducted through December by scientists through a UH extension service with results available sometime in January. G. Colbert also pointed out the unlikelihood of finding one farmer that would be willing to accept such a large volume of dredging material. C. Turner mentioned that maybe there is a farmer with enough space to stockpile all of it and sell it off to other farmers. Ultimately, the biggest question is whether the farmers have the authority to spread the dredging material on land that is leased to them by the State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). If the result of the testing is positive and the farmers are on private land, this would be the preferred method of disposal. Note: A 404 permit would need to be obtained.
Nānākuli PVT Landfill – this option is expensive due to mobilization, trucking and dump fees which results in little funding remaining to pay for dredging. C. Turner pointed out that the lake’s dredge materials can be used as cap soil and there is a possibility that the Nānākuli dumpage fee could be waived.
This discussion will be continued at a future meeting.
Environmental Committee – Linda Jenks: We experienced a bizarre influx of foam onto the lake at the end of November, not clear what the source of the foam was, but likely sea foam.
Per Bob Bourke, “Foam on the surface is typically the result of lipids being released from dead cells (often algae or diatoms but could be other critters as well) and then foamed through wave action or O2 bubbles rising to the surface from algae in the afternoons when the water becomes saturated with oxygen from photosynthesis.”There were also a lot of microplastics noted in the foam itself. M. Compton was able to take some samples and freeze them, for a possible presentation to the city at a later time for evidence of pollution coming from the storm drains and flowing out of our coastal waters.
I have included some of the pictures obtained [see Appendix A: Environmental Report Pictures]
Operations Committee – Mike Compton:
Security – Absent, no report.
Lake Clean-up – Clean-up has been postponed.
12-6 Task: Send email to ELRA members – C. Turner, completed
Membership Committee – Danny Medeiros: Absent, no report.
AJOURNMENT: D. Young adjourned the meeting at 9:00 pm.
MINUTES SUBMITTED BY: Connie Jewell
NEXT MEETING:
- Board of Directors Meeting: 10 January 2023 at 7:00 pm.
- Kailua Neighborhood Board Meeting: 2 February 2023 at 7:00 pm.
2022 ACTION ITEMS:
1-3 Task: Board member to visit ELRA Members who are in arrears in their assessments – G. Colbert.
2-1 Task: Contact local mountain and motor bike clubs to seek cooperation concerning trails. Consider writing letter to private owner making them aware of the impact of the trails on down slope homes and lake – To be addressed in the future.
8-2 Task: Determine status of funding for the Syphon Project and write in support of the Project – yet to be determined.
8-3 Task: Oversee the possible reconditioning of existing ELRA Rafts/Barges – G. Colbert
8-8 Task: Follow-up with Kamehameha Schools regarding their payment of Maintenance Fees – G. Colbert
9-3 Task: Explore the possibility of an alternative dredging company – C. Turner
12-5 Task: Provide T. Jewell with a copy of the General Ledger and Financial Reports for fiscal year ending 30 June 2022, and such supporting information as may be required – G. Gustavson/A. Richardson.