Enchanted Lake Residents Association, Board of Directors Zoom Meeting Minutes, Tuesday, August 10, 2021
Conducted via Zoom: Present: D. Young, J. Bean, M. Compton, J. Fernie, S. Harding, L. Jenks, M. Novack, A. Richardson, and C. Turner.
Absent: G. Gustavson, R. Castanha, G. Colbert, D. Medeiros, D. Kroll, and M. Spencer (Administrative Assistant).
The meeting was called to order by D. Young, President, at 7:04 pm. A quorum was declared.
Minutes:
The draft Minutes for July 2021 had been circulated via email prior to the meeting. Following a brief discussion, A. Richardson moved and S. Harding seconded the motion that the July 2021 Minutes be approved. They were approved unanimously.
Finance: G. Gustavson reported via email and restated for tonight’s meeting that there have been no significant expenses in July 2021.
As of July 31, ELRA has received a total of $35,329 in assessments, late fees, and interest on the savings account.
A motion was made by J. Fernie and seconded by M. Novack that the July 2021 Finance Report be accepted. The motion was approved unanimously.
G. Gustavson had provided a proposed Budget for FY 2021-2022 via email prior to the meeting. Last year ELRA had a total income of $49, 793 and expenditures of $37, 303. The proposed budget for this FY projects an income of $43, 250 and expenses of $37, 778. The draft budget projects lake cleanup costs based on last year’s actual expenses. A. Richardson (in the absence of Gustavson) guided the discussion about the proposed budget. There are no major changes from last year’s budget.
The big unknown is dredging. Because ELRA is still awaiting a response from State Officials with regard to the deposition of dredging materials, it is clear that the project will not commence this year.
A motion was made by S. Harding and seconded by M. Novack that the proposed Budget for FY 2021-2022 be approved. The motion was approved unanimously.
Request to Approve a New Dock: A request from a resident of Kukilakila to build a dock that will attach to the Common Area of Kukilakila was discussed. Permission from the Kukilakila Community Association (KCA) has been obtained. Photos of a type of dock that was requested were viewed. It was agreed that the Board could approve the request in concept, pending receipt of more detail, such as proposed dimensions, materials, and timeline.
Administration: D. Young had shared his Communications Log prior to the Meeting.
Report from the Kailua Neighborhood Board (KNB): M. Novack attended the virtual meeting. Consistent with the knowledge that the KNB provides detailed minutes of their meetings, only major topics directly relevant to the Pond are located here.
One topic, the potential for volunteers from the US Marine Base, Hawaii to do work on the Pond or surroundings required additional information.
8-1 TASK: Identify a point of contact on the Marine Base and gather more information about what is possible. **M. Novack**COMPLETE
ELRA Email: G. Colbert was unavailable
Water Sampling Report: D. Young reported that while samples had been taken in June 2021, the laboratory reports were not available yet.
Revised and Updated Lake Rules: J. Bean had indicated through an earlier email that Lake Rules Booklets had been delivered to each assessed member’s house and 20 copies had been delivered to KCA.
Important to the implementation of the revised rules are notification letters that will be used to alert members of certain safety deficiencies in watercraft and/or docks. Various letters were discussed. It was agreed that the most egregious cases would be addressed first. There was considerable discussion about the wording, recognizing these were our neighbors, but that our liability insurance requires that safety be addressed.
Annual Dinner & Elections: R. Castanha has reserved MidPac Country Club for the Annual Meeting on Friday, 22 Oct 2021. As of Aug 10, the price for the customary buffet will be $36.00 per person. That would include two entrees, 2 salads, range of desserts. If we cannot guarantee 50 participants, we will be moved out of the ballroom into a smaller room.
As of this date, there will be five vacancies on the Board. It was agreed that the ELRA Community needs to be made aware of the dinner and elections, to include the invitation to nominate a potential Board Member.
To meet the thirty-day requirement cited in the Bylaws, the announcement for the meeting/invite to dinner/request for nominations must be out NLT 22 Sep. Hopefully sooner.
8-2 TASK: Create a newsletter/email to the membership announcing the date of the meeting, requesting nominations for board membership, and warning that the meeting might not take place due to pandemic. ** C. Turner ** COMPLETE
Committee Reports:
Dredging Committee: S. Harding stated that we are still waiting for the DOH attorneys. It was agreed that something needs to be done quickly, even though it is too late in the year for ELRA to begin dredging this year, as hoped.
8-3 TASK: Email Cathy Betts, State Director of Human Services (DHS), requesting an update concerning what needs to be done to get a decision on the use of Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF). **D. Young** COMPLETE
Membership Committee: D. Young, speaking for M. Compton who was unavailable, discussed the pros and cons of the use of Voluntary Membership for certain households. It was agreed that this could be appropriate in very limited circumstances and tailored to the situation.
Operations Committee (Security): M. Compton was unavailable.
The challenge ELRA faces in keeping the Pond clear of debris was again raised. It was agreed to, again, look for an individual or group that was willing to clean the lake on an agreed to schedule.
8-4 TASK: Advertise on Next Door for a person or company that can clean the Pond on an agreed to schedule. **M. Novack**
Environment Committee: L. Jenks, speaking for D. Kroll, stated that while the pond was quite low, it was looking good. Fish activity was healthy.
Next Meeting Date: The next Board meeting will take place by Zoom on Tuesday, Sep 14, 2021 at 7pm. The next KNB meeting will be Sep 2, 2021. M. Compton is scheduled to attend.
Adjournment: S. Harding moved adjournment, which was seconded by L. Jenks. The affirmative vote was unanimous. The meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm.
Respectfully submitted, M.Novack
KAILUA NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD REPORT FOR August 5, 2021
The KNB was called to order via WEBEX at 7:00 pm. I left the meeting at 10:15 pm and there were still several items remaining on the agenda, including discussion about a proposed resolution related to the Keopu Flood Control Basin.** This would have been the only item of direct interest to ELRA.
It appeared from the reaction of Board Members that some of the input to questions posed to governmental agencies was out of date or overcome by subsequent events. Many of the presentations and follow-on comments/complaints were duplicative, leading to a plodding, overly-lengthy meeting.
While there was nothing else that directly affects ELRA, I have included some highlights, possibly of interest.
The Meeting began with the selection of officers to fill the Secretary and Treasurer positions. At this time, no one was selected as Treasurer.
The long-continued board vacancy for Enchanted Lakes (District 2) was filled by Amber Granite. She was nominated by her Aunt, Donna Wong. The Board is now full-up at 19 members.
Honolulu Police: Crimes were unremarkable except for a large increase in car break-ins. The forty-five (45) break-ins were mostly attributable to one individual, who is now in custody.
Board of Water Supply: The water-related issues that have been affecting the traffic from Kalapawai Store to Lanikai will continue at least through August. This drew many complaints from the attendees, particularly relating to the start of school and the lack of accessibility to the Lanikai School.
Marine Corps Base Hawaii: After fielding numerous complaints about the noise related to the current increase in op-tempo, it was announced that Marines were looking for suggestions relating to volunteer work done to commemorate the week of 9/11.
Mayor Blangiardi: Great dissatisfaction surrounding the Wendy’s on Kailua Road. Sounds like a truly miserable situation for the residents in proximity to the new food site.
**Email discussion with Levani Lipton indicates that the Resolution passed unanimously.
“The Kailua Neighborhood Board requests a presentation on the inspection report on the status of the Keopu Flood Control Basin and plans to restore functionality of the Keopu Flood Control Basin. (Pollution of Kailua Waterways and Beaches Subcommittee motion.)
WHEREAS: The Keopu flood control detention basin was designed and named a “Silt Control” basin in association with the construction of homes on the adjacent hillside above Kaelepulu Pond in Enchanted Lake; and The Keopu Silt Control basin structure is owned and operated as part of the City of Honolulu’s storm drain system; and The City’s NPDES storm water permit requires that the Keopu Silt Control basin shall be inspected and maintained; and The berm internal to the Keopu silt control basin has been eroded in at least two locations for two decades and no longer serves to detain water sufficiently to result in the deposition of carried sediment loads; and The Keopu Silt Control Basin has received highly significant sediment flows from multiple housing developments and storm drain projects over the past several decades; and Any sediments or other pollutants leaving the Keopu Silt Control Basin are carried in a concrete lined channel directly into the Kaelepulu Wetland, and Kaelepulu Pond, and from these water bodies into the Kaelepulu Stream to Kailua Bay; and Deposition of hundreds of tons of sediments into the Kaelepulu Wetland at the end of the City’s concrete culvert threatens the habitat of three species of native Hawaiian waterbirds on the Federal Endangered Species List; and Sediment laden waters from the Keopu Basin adversely impact water quality far exceeding State Water Quality Standards in the Kaelepulu Pond, the Kaelepulu Stream, and pour out into the recreational beach and coral reefs of Kailua Bay,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The City’s Department of Facilities Management (DFM) is requested to present to the Kailua Neighborhood Board an updated inspection report of the silt control and flood prevention features of the Keopu Silt Control Basin. Furthermore, that the DFM come up with a plan to restore the silt retention capacity of the basin and then allocate adequate funding for the implementation of this plan.”