Hawaiian Shores Community -- Back Story on the Water Upgrades

WATCHDOG © 2011

Ignorance can be bliss sometimes, one supposes. When ignorance begins to pose as a source of authority with a 'nothing-but-the-facts' indulgence in opinion and commentary -- while decrying those who have actual knowledge and experience -- it exposes a certain nescience that should embarrass.

A small effort, no expense excepting in time spent, and a bit of rational contemplation would create considerable edification in authentic fact regarding our water system upgrade and the history leading up to present and why courses were taken that were adjudged necessary for the sake of the water consumers and Membership as a whole. If a member were to go to the office and look over Minutes of meetings from as far back as the first of 2006 they will find the Treasurer/Chair of the Water Committee in 2006 requested of the General Manager [the title for the current Dir. of Opts & Mgt] to contact whoever necessary to have an 'assessment' done on our water system. For months thereafter, at each meeting, the Treasurer would inquire and the report would be given...at the time either no one was interested or the price they would charge was in the tens of thousands and finally, perplexed, the Treasurer in 2007 and the Board of the same year agreed to let RCAC conduct the 'assessment' and provide us with their report; an assessment done at NO CHARGE to the Membership in any way! In fact, to review the Assessment please feel free to contact the Business Office. The Assessment pointed up many disturbing things but most importantly it supported the 1989 PER that was done for HSCA which basically suggested our water system would no longer provide 'capacity'. As of July 2007 when the report was given to the Board of Directors, it was known by the Board, the agency under whose authority the Water System ultimately falls, it became obvious it was time to begin proactive plans to address what already exists -- insufficient capacity if all homes built to date were occupied full time -- and which at the time was building [pun intended] to absolute incapacity. Due to the recession building has slowed down to a crawl which gives any Board a bit of time to get things done to meet the inevitable -- increased demand for water from a system that may not be able to competently meet the community's needs.

Because Boards of the past were keenly unaware of the level of accountability they bore where the Water System was concerned, the Board of 2008 decided to have 4 monthly meetings to educate them on their responsibilities. Part of that was to understand the Assessment that was delivered in July 2007 and how to correct the most pressing issue that grew from that report. As fate would have it, in October of 2007 the Board was made aware of the 'condition' of the existing Water Tank. As options were discussed and considered which led right into the newly seated 2008 Board it was obvious more than just 'learning' was necessary of the Board if we were to address all the issues which were being manifest by an aging Water System. 

The 2008 and 2009 Boards of Directors made deliberate decisions with full discussions in the presence of members who attended the various meetings. In 2009 the Board of Directors felt the Water System was so important we decided to conduct quarterly board meetings which were confined to discussion of the Water System only. Each meeting was not only noticed on the Marquee but also on the Website. The picture above is one of the graphics developed with the text used on the website to direct members to the meetings. It has been modified for presentation here to emphasize the MEMBERS WELCOME portion of the notice. From time to time there were members but mostly it was the same folks who have been attending meetings all along and fully understand the reasons for everything the various boards have decided to do.

Ultimately, the Board of Directors is responsible for the maintenance and management of the assets of this organization. If they'd done nothing and the water system failed they would be held in derision by the membership. While some maintain an uninformed disgust for the decisions by former Boards, the Boards of Directors were vigilant in maintaining a healthy safe water system while ever working towards the fateful upgrade.

It is interesting to date to read the musings of those who indulge their pessimism on other sites often erupting in rabid foaming of the orifice and to date, never attended the quarterly meetings during 2008-mid 2010! Yes, they know not of what they speak from first hand personal investment. One must only read the official record of the meetings from the inception of the whole Water System discussion commencing in 2006 and running to the end of 2010 to see the 'thinking' and deliberation of the various Boards of Directors on this issue.

It is obvious the whole NEW BOARD of 2011 has opted to follow through on the work all the boards before them laid down and put into place as they solicit engineering firms through ads in papers both on Big Island and on Oah'u [ a little investigation will clue the reader as the 'cost' one would pay for these ads]; letters sent to the various engineering firms and from the link on the official website all relative to the RFP [Request for Proposal] process to secure a firm to conduct a PER [preliminary engineers report] the point the 2010 Board of Directors had already come to as a process. In June 2011 the Board put installation of water meters as a priority for the staff challenging a minimum of 10 meters a day be installed for the month of July. Meters: Some members of the 2011 Board -- while also serving on the 2010 Board -- wanted to know when they could expect the meters to be installed. There has been NO CESSATION of plans going forward. Instead, what has happened has been a thorough review of the process, wisely done, and a determination to move forward with the plans as determined for all the former years. In other words, the 2008-2010 Boards of Directors have all done the ground work and made the decisions necessary to set the upgrade in motion, plans and decisions which the current Board has built upon at the very place any Board would have to start at with all the ground work laid in place. 

There will always be people who are not happy with meters, with costs, with change from the flat rate consumer fee schedules that have always existed. The Watchdog was one of those. The Watchdog , personally, was never in favor of installing meters and changing from a flat rate water fee, however, the Watchdog was only one member of the Board and as the chair had to maintain a different persona supporting the majority of the Board's decisions whether or not they were in concert with the Watchdog's personal preference. Having said that, the Watchdog fully understands the rationale of meter installation and thus fully supported the process as a 'member' of the Board. There were very demonstrative and opinionated individuals who served on the 2008-2010 Boards of Directors none of which were led by a ring in the nose to follow any 'one' individual. It was a beautiful committee of individualistic thinking yet working with a single vision, what is best for the Membership as a whole. That means, the whole Membership, despite the few who are currently not thrilled with decisions.

The Watchdog is content with the years of service with everyone who served on each of the Boards. The intermingling of ideologies, the problem solving and the decisions arrived to were all done with integrity. No one will ever be able to take away the great memories and the time served in the think tank no matter the nay sayer rhetoric that is most unbecoming. The current Board is right on task with the next step in the process as it was laid out. The Watchdog believes such forward movement is all the evidence necessary of intelligent contemplation of a very heavy responsibility done by all 3 previous Boards.