Ask the Mayor: Status of Haiku Fire Station

The mayor answers questions from the public in this series.

By Mayor Alan Arakawa

Q: I have a permanent disability that allows me to have a handicap parking placard. However, I have two cars registered in my name because my wife and I use both vehicles. When I tried at the Kahului DMVL and at the Pukalani Satellite DMVL office to get a second handicap placard for the other car, I was told that due to fraud, they can only issue one handicap placard. Can you help look into this? It’s a major inconvenience when the placard is in one car and my wife or I forget to take it out before taking the other vehicle. Is this really the law, or are people just not wanting to do their job?

DMV photo.

A: The law states that only one removable windshield placard may be issued to a person with a disability that is expected to last at least six years. This parking permit is good for six years and is issued at no cost.

If a person’s disability is expected to last one to six months, it is possible to obtain a temporary removable windshield placard for a fee of $12, and a second placard for an additional $12 fee.

Since your disability is permanent, you may want to apply for a special license plate and use the removable windshield placard in the other car. The license plate costs $5.50 and is only issued to someone whose disability is expected to last at least six years; vehicle must be registered in the disabled individual’s name. The disability parking permit program is coordinated by the state Dept. of Health’s Disability and Communication Access Board, and administered by the county’s Finance Department through the Division of Motor Vehicles and Licensing. For more information on disability parking permits, visit http://health.hawaii.gov/dcab/parking.

Q: As I am reading today’s Maui News, there is an article titled “$115.8M would fund range of county projects” on the front page. I am wondering if in that $115.8 million there will be money to fix the Pukalani fields bathrooms that were set on fire a few years ago? Pukalani is a great park with a running trail and playground for my kids. However, that bathroom is a complete eyesore along with the port-a-potties. There are so many folks who use the park; it would be nice to have the bathrooms fixed. I would love to have a response as to when they will be fixed. Thanks for your time.

A: The Parks department has been going through the process of obtaining insurance funds to have the fire-damaged Pukalani Park restrooms repaired. Parks planners have recently entered into the design contract and are hoping to get started on the repairs to the restrooms in a few months. This is indeed a wonderful park and it will be even better for the community once the restrooms are open and working again.

Q: What is the status of the Haiku Fire Station? Thank you.

File photo.

A: The Haiku Fire Station is currently in the design phase, which is expected to conclude by the end of 2015 pending approvals of final subdivision and land entitlements. The amount budgeted for the design phase was $1.047 million. Once design is complete, the Council will need to approve funding for construction. According to the project’s draft environmental assessment (EA), the proposed fire station is intended to “improve fire protection services throughout the Haiku area by providing a facility in a rural area of Maui where there is currently none available.” The EA also states that the proposed new fire station is being implemented by the County of Maui to meet long-term fire protection needs of the growing rural community in the Haiku area.

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email: [email protected], phone: 270-7855 or mail: 200 S. High Street, 9th Floor, Wailuku, Hawaii 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.