.    You got to hand it to that County Public Works dame; she really knows how to run a meeting!  Friday's update on the Reconstruction of Puna's Lava Inundated Roads Project probably set a new speed record by clocking in at only seven minutes.  And every question from the audience was answered!  That's a skill they should teach in high schools.

     Of course, there wasn't really all that much to talk about.  Basically, starting at 4-Corners, 4000 feet of rough grading has been done on Highway 137 so far, and at this point the equipment is still on the job site.  The target date for completing this phase is July, but scouts are still being sent out ahead to further investigate the roadway for more surprises.  As was reported last month, the most recent snafu -- generally blamed on the surveyors the County hired -- ended up costing taxpayers a bit under a million dollars and slowed the project down by four months.  With that kind of motivation the contractor shouldn't have any trouble finding something else to jack up the price again.

     After grading, the waterline will be buried in a trench scraped out of the lava, and eventually the paving will be done (to the joy of all the street racers in Puna.)  It will be up to the contractor to decide at which end to start installing the waterline, but since it can't be activated until the road between PGV and Pohoiki is finished, the issue is moot.  Regarding the Upper and Lower Pohoiki Road rehabilitation project, that contract is still under negotiation, so there are still no boots on the pahoehoe.

     And the seven minutes are up.

Ohelo Restaurant in Volcano Village closed permanently a few days ago.  Anyone have additional info?

For about a week now our water pressure has fallen to almiost a dribble for the last stretch before the pump kicks in.  As far as we can tell, the pump is kicking in and out at about the same pressure levels as before according to a guage on the main line.  Once the pump has cycled, the pressure seems fine until late in the cycle.  FWIW, we had a new catchment tank and pump installed last May.  The guy who installed the pump is out of the country, so I can't call him.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated because Frau Chunkster says she's going to make me start washing all the dishes if I don't get it fixed.

Research gardens, fire ant eradication, food production and more have lost federal funding over the last few weeks.

The Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden’s $2 million grant from the USDA Forestry Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is among the funding casualties.

There are almost 7,500 nonprofits in the state, employing approximately 56,000 people, according to the Independent Sector, a national collective of nonprofits.

Federal money represents a significant funding line for Hawaiʻi’s $700 million agricultural industry, which lawmakers continue to promote as important for the islands’ self-sufficiency and sustainability.

https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/02/hawai%...ng-freeze/

The new Hawai‘i County administration is working to address nearly 700 vacancies across almost all departments, which affect the public in multiple ways.

There are fewer hours at transfer stations and public pools; slower response to maintenance of roads, tree trimming, parks and fields; clerk shortages that sometimes result in no one answering phones when the public calls the county for help.
Newly elected Mayor Kimo Alameda described this as bad business.

Since taking his oath to office in December, Alameda has prioritized a plan to get more of these jobs filled by residents. Last month, he started a Human Resources task force to work on recruitment and retention.

While out on the campaign trail last year, Alameda heard the county had 300 vacancies. After taking office, the mayor was “caught off guard” with the true number of job openings.

Alameda attributed some the vacancy issues to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the government shutdown in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.

“We’re all trying to get back on track,” he said.

Alameda has directed Human Resources to focus on hiring positions who directly deal with the public so residents can walk up to a desk and talk to someone in person.

But while there is a lot of recruitment happening, Alameda said few people are applying.

Per county policy, job openings are set for about two weeks. If there are no applicants, Alameda said the county transitions to continuous recruitment.

“We just keep publishing and re-recruiting until such time as we get a qualified applicant or a pool of applicants,” the mayor said.
While most of the vacancies are within Hawai‘i Island police with 196 among sworn and unsworn personnel and in Hawai‘i Fire Department with 76 openings also among sworn and unsworn personnel, Alameda said those departments are covering their areas with overtime hours. This is not ideal due to burnout and the higher cost of overtime pay.

Alameda identified the greatest need in the following departments: the Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Environmental Management and Department of Public Works.

All of the positions open require some kind of higher education or special licensing. Alameda said the county is losing out on potential employees with high school diplomas who could get on-the-job experience.

There are 48 vacancies in the Department of Environmental Management with a vacancy rate of 28% in the wastewater division and 13% in the solid waste division.
Hugh Ono, the new director of Public Works, said the running average of vacancies in his department is 59 with the majority of the positions in the building division, including building inspectors, clerks who review permits, and architect engineers who determine building code compliance.


Hilo transfer station. (Nathaniel Christophel/Big Island Now)

Clayton Honma, the new Parks and Recreation Department director, has about 60 vacancies. Topping his priority list to fill are park caretakers, lifeguards at Kona Community Aquatic Center and community service workers who coordinate services for the department’s many recreational programs.

The Kona pool had to close Jan. 28 and the Honoka’a Swimming Pool has shortened it hours, both due to a staffing shortages. The department is able to cover for shortages elsewhere with part-time employees working extra hours and full-time employees working overtime.

While the lack of staff hasn’t severely impacted park maintenance yet, Honma said, it is a stressor for employees with Hilo-based workers required to travel to West Hawai‘i to fill in for the vacancies in Kona.

Honma said part of the reason recruitment has been difficult is because job openings are only part-time positions with an unattractive pay scale. Community service workers, both part-time and full time, have a posted salary between approximately $1,742 and $3,093 per month.

Part of the recruitment plan, Honma said, is filling positions in Kona’s building maintenance with workers who can cover carpentry, plumbing and electric.

“Shout out to employees who are filling the gaps,” Honma said. “They’re keeping our parks safe.”
Wesley Segawa, the new director of the Department of Environmental Management, said there are a lot of personnel working on temporary assignments to fill these positions.


Kona Community Aquatic Center has shortened hours due to staffing shortages. Submitted photo

Open positions range from solid waste drivers to engineers. Segawa said drivers also operate equipment at the landfill so it can maximize its capacity.

These positions are difficult to fill because candidates must have a commercial driver’s license, or CDL, and experience operating heavy machinery, like dozers.

When Segawa took over the department, the Human Resources positions also were not filled. Robin Bauman was recently hired as the business manager to oversee recruitment.

On Friday, Bauman said the department was looking to recruit wastewater treatment plant operators, clerks, accountants and more.

“With HR staff, we’ll be able to get through the recruitments a little faster,” she said.

Despite the lack of personnel, Segawa said the department has been able to keep its transfer stations open with current staff working extra hours.

“The staff is feeling the pressure and burnout being asked to cover things,” Segawa said. “The guys on the ground are keeping this running so our community doesn’t feel it.”

On Super Bowl Sunday, the department’s deputy director, Craig Kawaguchi, went to nearly all the transfer stations in East Hawai‘i to thank the employees for working and passed out candy.

Salaries within the Public Works Department range from $40,000 a year to $100,000 a year.

Ono said almost all of the positions in the Public Works department require some form of higher education, with the salaries being offered an issue for attracting applicants.

“We’re really not successful at recruiting at the minimum pay level,” Ono said.

Some positions have a demanding workload, including the clerks who do the initial intake of building permit applications: about 5,000 to 6,000 per year.

“Without the staff, we don’t have the efficiency to process the permits as we should,” Ono said.
Alameda said he’s seeing a combination of people retiring and others quitting their county job to work in the private sector because it pays more. The county is competing with the hotel industry and other private sector jobs.

Alameda said he also has to work with unions to negotiate some of the government salaries.

Alameda said the county now is looking into paid internships for some of the vacancies.

See below he full list of vacancies by department as of Jan 27. Click here to see all county jobs, salaries and how to apply.

• Aging – Filled positions: 13; Vacancies: 7
  
• Animal Control – Filled positions: 26; Vacancies: 21
  
• Civil Defense – Filled positions: 11; Vacancies: 2
  
• Corporation Counsel – Filled positions: 8; Vacancies: 7
  
• County Clerk/Council – Filled positions: 20; Vacancies: 9
  
• Environmental Management – Filled positions: 185; Vacancies: 43
  
• Finance – Filled positions: 137; Vacancies: 18
  
• Housing – Filled positions: 55; Vacancies: 10
  
• Human Resources – Filled positions: 27; Vacancies: 9
  
• Information Technology – Filled positions: 26; Vacancies: 12
  
• Liquor Control – Filled positions: 14; Vacancies: 4
  
• Mass Transit – Filled positions: 18; Vacancies: 7
  
• Office of the Mayor – Filled positions: 3; Zero vacancies
  
• Parks and Recreation – Filled positions: 384; Vacancies: 57
  
• Planning – Filled positions: 57; Vacancies: 17
  
• Prosecuting Attorney – Filled positions: 67; Vacancies: 21
  
• Public Works – Filled positions: 357; Vacancies: 65
  
• Research and Development – Filled positions: 14; Vacancies: 5
  
• Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity and Resilience – Filled positions: 2; Vacancies: 3
  
• Water Supply – Filled positions: 147; Vacancies: 44
  
• Hawai‘i Island police – Vacancies: 196
  
• Hawai‘i Fire Department – Vacancies: 76
  

I'm sorry if this post does not belong here, but trying to get as much feedback as possible in a short time.

I know it's a late request for information, but does anyone know if there is something going on in front of the state building today at noon ?

I've read there are gatherings in Kailua-Kona and in Waimea, but have seen nothing about Hilo.

I know it's a late request for information, but does anyone know if there is something going on in front of the state building today at noon ?

I've read there are gatherings in Kailua-Kona and in Waimea, but have seen nothing about Hilo.

They finally got the permits. Opening soon, no date listed though.

Hope they are able to do the food and service aspect well.

Take 4

What a wonderful way to introduce our Big Island Youth to the wonders of and great things engineering can and has accomplished:

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