State Hospital Escape of Mr. Saito

William May, Administrator, Hawaii State Hospital, responding to the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board at the 11/16/17 Neighborhood Board Meeting

Mr. Saito’s escape should never have happened.

An investigation is under way and until that is complete we will not know the details behind how Mr. Saito got to California. We do know that Mr. Saito caught a cab from Kaneohe to a private airstrip where he boarded a charter flight to Maui. He flew from Maui to California. Obviously his trip was well planned and paid for in advance.

There was a delay before the State Hospital recognized that Mr. Saito had not returned to his unit as scheduled. He had on-grounds privileges. He did not check in hourly as required. Seven staff members are under investigation and have been placed on 30 days leave without pay.

Security procedures are under review. Mr. Saito had achieved the privilege of being on the hospital grounds without supervision. He did not check in with staff when he was required to do so. The Board and the public expressed strong concern that the required reporting failures were ignored resulting in an unacceptable delay in notifying the authorities.

The public must understand that the Hawaii State Hospital is not a prison. It is a psychiatric hospital. Their mission is to help their patients become integrated into the community as productive citizens. Patients earn privileges as they show they can be responsible citizens in the hospital. Those privileges include supervised visits to local churches and recreational visits within our community. Patients can earn higher privileges based on their behavior at their current privilege level and on a periodic psychiatric review. Mr. Saito had been at the State Hospital for nearly 40 years and had achieved the second highest level of privilege.

Mr. May asked the Board and the Community to participate in providing ideas for improvement. The community was most concerned about their safety. The press portrayed Mr. Saito as a dangerous person intent on repeating his original horrific crime at the first opportunit. Many people were  frightened.

Mr. May has surveyed his peers at hospitals throughout the western states for information on how they notify both the public and the authorities about patient escapes.

Community suggestions ranged from leg irons and ankle bracelets to a wailing siren or a bullhorn. One citizen complained about the Nextel warning being inadequate because not everyone had a smart phone.

• -Board member Cypher wants to know if the hospital can be moved to Halawa.
• May responded that new facility is projected to be completed by 2021 on the site of the former Goddard building.
• -Accountability, Chair Radke asked how the community can feel safer about the hospital.
  Mr. May respond that there have been fewer escapes in recent years. He added that one escape is one too many. May emphasized that the notification system worked as planned. The breakdown was in not recognizing there was a problem sooner.
• -Gloria asked about federal mandates to allow patients individualized treatment.
  May responded, only patients who show over time that you are a Good Citizen at the facility can gain privileges. Patients have to show a track record of improvement to get privileges.
• -John Long asked about patients he sees in the community.
  Mr. May responded, people you see at the bus stop are not hospital patients.
• -Bob Weback, we need a timely warning when things go wrong.
  Nextel warnings don’t work, I’m not of the generation that sleeps with my phone. Can we get a warning sign that comes on when there is an escape.
• -Nancy, asked when was Mr Saito last evaluated? Specific patient information is private.
• -What happens when he comes back here?
  May: he will be extradited to Hawaii; to OCCC, if he is fit to stand trial, he will. If not, he will be returned to the State Hospital. He could serve an additional 5 years if convicted. When he serves his time for escape and if he is deemed unfit to stand trail for his original crime he will return to the state hospital. 
• -Daniel expressed concern that it took ten hours to get the word out,
  We need more than security fences, at the heart of the situation is a breach of trust. What assurances do we have that this will never happen again.
• May: It did not take ten hours. The notification went out as soon as we knew Mr. Saito had violated the terms of his on-grounds privileges. Can I give you an assurance it won’t happen again, no I can’t.
• -Alice Lee: Why don’t the patients have uniforms. Why don’t they use a bull horn.
  May: the goal of a hospital is to normalize the patients. 
• -Dr Oxford, prof at the college: My concern is safety of students. Girls were crying, their Moms afraid to let them come to school.

The hospital cannot release any information about the patient, not even their name. Only the HPD can do that. Mr. May agrees there must be a better way to get information to the public and is looking for ways to get the word out more quickly.

Chair Radke thanked Mr. May for coming. “We know it pains you to have to deal with this.” Mo thanked the community for being civil.

Progress On State Hospital Modernization Is Outlined For Kaneohe Neighborhood Board

The Hawaii State Hospital was an important topic during our June meeting.

We learned that Gov. David Ige has approved the final environmental impact statement for the hospital’s new patient and campus master plan development. And we learned that the hospital has started the bidding process for the new facility, which will provide housing and treatment for 144 high-risk patients. (For more information, contact Project Engineer Brian Isa at brian.s.isa@hawaii.gov.)

The facility and the master plan are part of a long-term effort to upgrade buildings that are more than 80 years old and over capacity.

Hospital Administrator William May (right) and
consultant Kira Downing of the DTL strategic planning
firm outline plans for the Hawaii State Hospital.

In addition to the high-risk facility, the hospital is working with Avalon Health Care Group to build a skilled nursing facility on 5 acres of hospital property adjacent to Windward Community College. That facility will have 150 beds to serve a mix of elderly, medically complex and non-violent psychiatric patients.  

During the meeting, there were questions about security measures to protect the hospital’s neighbors. Hospital representatives outlined multiple security features planned for the building that serves high-risk patients, including better monitoring stations inside and enhanced fencing outside.

Representatives also said they will send alerts in the event of security issues such as escapes. Residents can receive text and email alerts about hospital issues from the city’s new HNL Info service. HNL Info replaces the Nixle service, which the city had used for several years. To sign up for HNL Info, click here.

During the meeting, Neighborhood Board members also asked for information about the extent to which drugs will be used in providing behavioral care and questioned operating a private business on state land.

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Nursing Facility, Zoning Change And Haiku Stairs On Agenda For Kaneohe Neighborhood Board

The agenda is set for our meeting on Thursday, June 15, and we hope you will join us. Details are below. To review the complete agenda online, click on this link.

Avalon Health Care Group: A representative will present information about a proposed skilled nursing facility to be built on Hawaii State Hospital property. The facility is planned for 5 acres adjacent to Windward Community College. Avalon representatives told our agenda planning meeting that the facility will have 150 beds. They said it will provide skilled nursing care for a mix of elderly, medically complex and non-violent psychiatric patients.  Representatives told our meeting that the facility is expected to create 290 jobs during a 14-month construction period, followed by 168 fulltime staff jobs. The project still must receive state approval. (Corrected from original version, which said federal approval also was required.)

Zone Change: Richard Maruya is scheduled to present information about a zone change he is requesting for property at 44-740 Kaneohe Bay Drive. The Bay Drive Market currently occupies the site. Mr. Maruya  told our agenda planning meeting that he wants to change the zoning from an R-5 residential designation to B-2, which is for businesses serving several neighborhoods.

Haiku Stairs: We are scheduled to consider a resolution about the future of the stairs. The Board of Water Supply, which manages the stairs, is developing an environmental impact statement focused on removing them. Our May meeting included extensive testimony from community members who favor removal and those who favor preserving the stairs for hiking.  In a commentary about the meeting, Neighborhood Board Chairman Mo Radke wrote that he supports a managed access plan as a way to preserve hiking opportunities while relieving the neighborhood near the base of the stairs from persistent disruptions by trespassing hikers.

Other Business: Our agenda always includes time for reports from the Fire and Police Departments, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, elected officials from the state and local levels, community organizations, and our Board committees.

Details: The Board meeting will take place in the cafeteria of Benjamin Parker Elementary School, 45-259 Waikalua Road, starting at 7 p.m. Click on this link to read the full agenda and find more information about agenda topics. Also, the minutes of our May meeting are now available. Click on the highlighted link to read them.

We welcome your comments, in person and online

Please join us for all of our meetings. The agenda always includes time for comments by community members. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

State Hospital Shares Treatment Facility Concepts With Kaneohe Neighborhood Board

We had an informative presentation from the Hawaii State Hospital at our February meeting.

New Treatment Facility: Hospital representatives shared a preliminary site plan for a building that will provide housing and treatment for 144 high-risk patients. The plan shows a main facility with branches that can be monitored from centrally located nurses’ stations. A controlled entryway will handle patient arrivals and departures. Small outdoor recreation yards will separate most of the branches. A secure exterior wall and high security fencing will enclose the facility.

Hospital officials hope to publish a final environmental impact statement for the facility in a couple of months and to submit the plan to the Honolulu City Council mid-year. (The draft environmental impact statement is available by clicking this link.) The goal is to start building in 2018 and finish in 2020.

The facility is expected to cost $160 million. It will replace the Goddard Building, a 69-year-old treatment facility that was torn down in 2016 after going unused for more than two decades.

Security Concerns: Responding to a question from the Board, Hospital Administrator William May said that if community members see someone whom they believe has escaped from the hospital, they should call 911. He said that law enforcement agencies would put an alert on CrimeStoppers and the Nixle emergency notification service.

We Welcome Your Comments, In Person And Online

Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there. Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.  

Notes Of Community Interest From Kaneohe Neighborhood Board’s January Meeting

He`eia Community Development District: We learned that the federal government has designated 1,385 acres in Kaneohe Bay as a National Estuarine Research Reserve. The government’s announcement of the designation says the area “encompasses upland forests and grasslands, wetlands, reefs and seagrass beds, as well as the largest sheltered body of water in the Hawaiian Island chain.” The new designation will protect the area and fund research into ways to conserve its resources. The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology will manage the reserve. The federal government will provide 70 percent of the funding, with the state funding the rest. The new reserve is the 29th in the country and the only one in Hawaii.

The He'eia Fishpond is a key part of the new
He'eia National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Hawaii State Hospital: Administrator William May told us that the state is developing a list of bidder qualifications to build a major new treatment facility. The facility will provide 144 beds for high-risk patients, and is expected to cost $160 million. Mr. May said the state hopes to choose a winning bidder this summer, start building in 2018 and finish in 2020. The new structure will replace the Goddard Building, a 69-year-old treatment facility that was torn down in 2016 after going unused for more than two decades.

New Edition Of Kaneohe History Book: We learned that a second edition has been published of the book Partial History of the Japanese in Kaneohe 1898-1959. The author is Florence Chizuko (Iida) Fanning. Information about the author and the first edition of the book is available by clicking on this link to an archived article from Honolulu MidWeek. To obtain a copy of the new book, call 247-4241 or visit the office of T. Iida Contracting at 45-558 Kamehameha Highway (drive past Kokokahi Gymnastics to reach the entrance).

We Welcome Your Comments, In Person And Online

Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.  

State Hospital Developments Are Reviewed At Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Meeting

We heard an informative report about developments at the Hawaii State Hospital during our December meeting. Details are below. Click on the highlighted links for more information.

Public Input Sought: Neighborhood Board Chairman Mo Radke reminded us that a draft environmental impact statement about the hospital’s development plans is available for review and comment. The deadline for submitting comments is January 9, 2017. The document outlines plans for a new patient care facility that is to be built in the next two to three years. It also details longer term plans for at least three new patient care facilities and a warehouse-operations facility. The development is needed to address crowding and deteriorating facilities and the hospital’s Kaneohe campus.

William May.

Goddard Building Removal: State Hospital Administrator William May told us that removal of 11,000 tons of debris from the demolished Goddard Building was completed on December 15. The demolition makes way for construction of the new patient care facility mentioned above. That project is expected to start in 2018. Built in 1947, the Goddard Building had deteriorated to the point that it had not been used in more than two decades. The Legislature has appropriated $160 million to build its replacement.

Security: Mr. May told us that the hospital has added security features since the escape and recapture of a patient shortly before Halloween. He said security screens have been added to the building where the escape took place and one other. He also said security features have been adjusted to prevent escapes. 

Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Learns About State Hospital Plans, OK’s Legislative Outreach

Our September meeting was informative and eventful. Below are some of the highlights. Watch this blog for more in the next few days.

State Hospital representatives address our

September meeting. They are Mark Fridovich,

adult mental health administrator for the

State Department of Health, and Kira

Downing of DTL.

State Hospital Master Plan: Hospital representatives told us they are approaching another key point in their work to build a new facility for high-risk patients.
Kira Downing of the strategic planning firm DTL said a draft environmental impact statement for the project should be ready for review by mid-October. She said the public will then have 60 days to comment. The new facility will have 144 beds and security features such as metal detectors and 15-foot-high fences. It will be built on the site of the Goddard Building, which is being demolished.

Hospital officials plan to award a contract to build the new facility by mid-2017 and to complete it by 2020. Additional information about the project is available from Brian Isa of the state Department of Accounting and General Services at brian.s.isa@hawaii.gov.

The hospital has been one of our top priorities for several years, as it is one of Kaneohe’s largest employers and has a significant impact on Windward Community College next door. You can learn more about our work on hospital issues by entering Hawaii State Hospital in the search bar at the top left of this page.

Victims’ Rights Resolution: We approved a resolution expressing support for stronger victims’ rights laws, and authorizing a work group to track and testify on legislation affection Kaneohe in 2017. The resolution passed with 10 votes in favor and two abstentions. Our vice-chairman, Bill Sager, developed the resolution. The 2016 Legislature considered a victims’ rights bill but did not pass it. Supporters have said they will seek passage in the 2017 session.

Vacant Seats: Two seats are currently open on the Board. They represent Sub-District 8, Kapunahala; and Sub-District 12, Pikoiloa.The Board is authorized to fill vacancies by appointment. Community members may indicate their interest by contacting Board Chairman Mo Radke or by attending a Board meeting. A map of the district is available online, as is a street index that is organized by sub-district (search for District 30 in the index, then find the sub-district).

Comments Welcome: Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly. Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

State Hospital Master Plan And Victims’ Rights Top Agenda For Kaneohe Neighborhood Board

The agenda for our September 15 meeting is set, and we hope you will join us. Details are below. To review the complete agenda online, click on this link.

State Hospital Master Plan: Kira Downing of DTL, a strategic planning and communications firm, will provide a briefing about progress on the hospital’s updated master plan. Work has been under way since February on demolishing one of the hospital’s main buildings. The plan calls for that facility, the Goddard Building, to be torn down by this fall. After that, construction is to begin on a building to serve high-risk patients. The hospital has been one of our top priorities for several years, as it is one of Kaneohe’s largest employers and has a significant impact on Windward Community College next door. You can learn more about our work on hospital issues by entering Hawaii State Hospital in the search bar at the top left of this page.

Victims’ Rights Resolution: Our vice-chairman, Bill Sager, will present a resolution supporting legislation to strengthen crime victims’ rights in Hawaii. He told our August meeting that the legislation, modeled on “Marsy’s Law,” would provide crime victims with standing in any legal action against anyone who harmed them, including being notified when the criminal was released from jail. The 2016 Legislature considered a bill on the issue but did not pass it. Supporters have said they will seek passage in the 2017 session.

Other Business: Our agenda always includes time for reports from the Fire and Police Departments, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, elected officials from the state and local levels, community organizations, and our Board committees.

Vacant Seats: Two seats are currently open on the Board. They represent Sub-District 8, Kapunahala; and Sub-District 12, Pikoiloa. The Board is authorized to fill vacancies by appointment. Community members may indicate their interest by contacting Board Chairman Mo Radke or by attending a Board meeting. A map of the district is available online, as is a street index that is organized by sub-district (search for District 30 in the index, then find the sub-district).

Details: The Board meeting will take place in the cafeteria of Benjamin Parker Elementary School, 45-259 Waikalua Road, starting at 7 p.m. 

Click on the highlighted links above to read the full agenda and find more information about agenda topics. The minutes of our August meeting also are now available. Click on the highlighted link to read them.

We welcome your comments, in person and online

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Receives Comments On School Expansion, Hospital Conditions & More

Update: Complete minutes of our July meeting are available by clicking on this link or by pasting the following address into your browser: http://www.honolulu.gov/rep/site/nco/nb30/16/30_2016_07Min.pdf

We received comments on a wide range of issues at our July meeting. Here are some highlights.

St. Mark Lutheran School Expansion: We learned about the school’s plans to build a preschool facility on its campus. The facility would include three preschool classrooms, library, technology center, meeting rooms and administrative offices. The building would replace the current administrative offices, kindergarten room, and computer room. A resident told us he was unhappy with the school’s enforcement of parking on the resident’s private lane and about alleged poor tree trimming of trees that are leaning with the prevailing trade winds. 

The Goddard Building -- Work is
under way to replace it and ease
overcrowding at the State Hospital.

Hawaii State Hospital Conditions: Board Vice-Chairman Bill Sager reported on a recent meeting of the hospital’s Citizens Advisory Board. He said that serious overcrowding continues to be the major challenge for the hospital, which treats 220 patients in space designed for 160. Classrooms, offices, conference rooms and even the library are used to provide bed space. Currently, the hospital’s Goddard Building is in being demolished to make way for a modern facility that will alleviate the overcrowding.  Completion of the new facility will take about five years.

Despite the crowding, assaults have been cut in half over the past three years. Hospital Adminstrator William May credits the implementation of the Imua Program, in which staff members know each patient by name and go out of their way to understand how each patient is doing.  If something is bothering a patient, staff try to resolve the problem before it escalates. They also document the situation for all other staff, so there is continuity in treatment. 

Homelessness: We discussed this topic at some length. Our vice-chairman, Bill Sager, reported attending the first meeting of the Windward Homeless Coalition. K.C. Connors reported that William, a homeless man she has been trying to help, has died.  William was a 72-year-old gentleman who was trying to make do on Social Security but lost his home after his wife died. He had been living in an electric wheelchair at the bus stop by Windward Mall.

We discussed the governor’s report that homelessness was down significantly on the Windward side.  K.C. Connors was the only one who volunteered to participate in the 2016 Point-In-Time homeless count, and the decline is the result of inadequate documentation.  One of the primary goals of the Coalition is to develop accurate data in the future.

Traffic Calming For Anoi Road: Senator Jill Tokuda and a representative from the Mayor’s Office told us that planning is under way to build traffic circles to slow traffic on Anoi Road and Luluku Road. Numerous motorists use those roads to jump from the Likelike Highway to the Kamehameha Highway without going through congested traffic where the highways intersect. The plan is to build one traffic circle at Anoi and Uhilehua Street, and another at Luluku and Apapane Street.

Illegal Rental Housing: A resident brought up concerns over illegal short-term vacation rentals in her neighborhood. She expressed frustration over a lack of enforcement due to the City only having only one investigator to issue citations. Others testified on the impact of transient rentals on the price and availability of rental housing. We discussed how to enforce laws related to transient rentals. Board Chairman Mo Radke suggested forming a permitted interaction group to investigate and recommend solutions.

Let us hear from you. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

Kaneohe Neighborhood Board’s April Meeting Agenda Available Online

The agenda for the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board’s April 21 business meeting is now available online. 

Among the scheduled topics are:

> A Board discussion of concerns about construction at 46-107 Lilipuna Road. A community member told the Board’s agenda planning meeting that construction is continuing on the property in spite of a stop-work order from the city. The community member said that there will be a public hearing soon and that he wanted to see if the board was interested being involved.

> A presentation by Stacy Evensen, state director of Marsy’s Law for Hawaii. The Marsy’s Law organization seeks a constitutional amendment securing permanent enforceable rights for crime victims.

> A Board discussion of a proposal that the City and County of Honolulu include complete streets planning in the repaving of Kamehameha Highway. Dan Alexander of the Hawaii Bicycling League, will give a presentation, followed by discussion and decision making.

> Introduction of a draft letter to the Governor from the Board, concerning the location of the long-term care facility at the Hawaii State Hospital. That will be followed by decision making.

> A Board discussion of a new location and date for the Board’s monthly agenda planning meeting, with decision making.

The Neighborhood Board agenda also will include reports by the Honolulu Police and Fire Departments, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, elected officials and community organizations.

Click on the highlighted text above to read the full agenda and find more information about agenda topics. The minutes of the Board’s March meeting also are now available. Click on the highlighted link to read them.

We welcome your comments, in person and online

The Board meeting will take place in the cafeteria of Benjamin Parker Elementary School, 45-259 Waikalua Road, starting at 7 p.m. 

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Supports Funding New State Hospital Unit For High-Risk Patients

The Hawaii State Hospital, noisy mopeds, roadway design and meeting times all drew attention as the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board held its monthly meeting on March 17.

State Hospital: The Board voted to send a letter to legislators urging them to fund construction of a new forensic unit for high-risk patients.

Governor David Ige had proposed spending $160 million on the project, which would build a 144-bed facility on the hospital campus in Kaneohe. However, a Governor’s Office representative told the Board that the state budget approved by the House does not include the money.

And the Board learned that State Representative Ken Ito supports a resolution, HCR 81, that would study relocating the forensic unit to a new correctional facility that is being planned for Oahu. Board Vice Chairman Bill Sager said the study could delay construction of a forensic facility by 10 years.

The Senate is working on its own state budget, so the fate of the facility in this legislative session remains undecided.

The Goddard Building

The Board has stated previously that it strongly supports the new forensic facility, which would replace the Goddard Building on the hospital campus. The support is based on concerns about security and treatment capacity. Demolition of the Goddard Building began in late February.

However, the Board opposes construction of a long-term care facility on the Great Lawn southeast of the Windward Community College campus. Instead, the Board passed a resolution on February 18 asking the State Department of Health to meet with Windward Community College to discuss the possibility of a  land exchange. The exchange would position the care facility next to the Windward Community Mental Health Center northeast of the campus.

Within a week, Governor Ige held a meeting in his office and decided the project is too far advanced and must proceed as planned. 
However, the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board stills believes that the Great Lawn is an important architectural feature of Windward Community College and the view plane of the great lawn should be preserved.  At its next meeting, Board members will consider a letter to the Governor asking that the long-term care facility be designed to minimize its impact on the view plane of the Great Lawn.

Noisy Mopeds: Board members heard a presentation from Manoa resident Bill Kern, who urged them to support a resolution to reduce excessive moped noise. The Legislature is considering a measure that would require mopeds on Oahu to have regular safety inspections, which would identify vehicles with mufflers that are modified or removed to improve performance.

Mo Radke

Board Chairman Mo Radke noted later: “As the board started to discuss the topic, it was clear that the community does not appreciate the fact that people buzz their illegally configured mopeds through our peaceful neighborhoods at indiscriminate times during the day and night.  

"Relating to the resolution discussion, which included community members, there was a lot of discussion on the effectiveness and enforcement practices, not to mention the considerable administrative burden placed on an already overburdened registration system that would now have to add in thousands of mopeds into the mix.”

Eventually, there was no motion to adopt, and the resolution died. 

Chairman Radke adds: “My personal opinion is that when any person restricts the liberties of another through thoughtless and careless acts of selfishness - revving a modified engine at 2am - police should have the tools to perform an inspection and ticket an offender.  

"Decibel meters are simple to use and easily calibrated.  Police should be outfitted with this device and used based on the judgement of the officer.  The resolution seemed to be another unenforceable regulation which puts additional burden on law-abiding moped operators based on poor behavior of others.”

Roadway Design: The Board voted to support complete streets planning for the future repaving of Kamehameha Highway from Windward City Shopping Center to Windward Mall. The City and County of Honolulu would conduct the planning.

Complete streets seeks to provide roadways that are “safe and convenient for all people whether traveling by foot, bicycle, transit, or automobile, and regardless of age or ability.”  The strategy is required by state law and City ordinance.

Meeting Times: The Board voted to change the date and location of its monthly planning meetings on a trial basis. The trial will start the final week of April and run for three months.

The Board currently holds its planning meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at the Kaneohe Community and Senior Center, 45-613 Puohala Street. Under the trial program, the planning meetings  will take place the fourth week of the month in a meeting room at the Kaneohe District Park, 45-660 Keaahala Road. The meeting time will remain unchanged at 7 p.m.

The Board will hold one more planning meeting under the current schedule, on Tuesday, April 5, at the Community and Senior Center. The first planning meeting under the new schedule will be held the fourth week of April, with the day of the week still to be determined.

The timing and location of the Board’s monthly business meeting will not change.

We welcome your comments, in person and online

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

Kaneohe Neighborhood Board Supports Windward Community College In Dispute Over State Hospital

The Bishop Building is at the center of a dispute that could affect the future of Windward Community College and the Hawaii State Hospital.

The Kaneohe Neighborhood Board has voted to support Windward Community College in a disagreement over the location of a proposed mental health facility next to its campus.

The Board approved a resolution calling on the State Department of Health to negotiate a land exchange that would move the proposed facility to a larger parcel nearby. The land exchange would protect the historic Bishop Building, which the college would like to use for a charter school but is to be torn down to make way for the new facility.

The vote during the Board's February 18 meeting was 9-2, with two abstentions.

The vote came after a statement by Gov. David Ige’s chief of staff, Mike McCartney, supporting the Hospital’s plan and noting that the work needs to be done to fix problems related to serious overcrowding.

Proposed Facility Would Give Geriatric Care 

The proposed facility would provide psychiatric and nursing care for up to 50 State Hospital patients needing geriatric services. The patients would be discharged from the Hospital and transferred to the new facility, which would be financed, built and operated by privately owned Avalon Health Care Group. The transfers would free up beds to serve an expanding population of potentially violent patients.

Hospital Administrator William J. May told the Board that the Hospital is 90 patients over its 170-patient capacity and growing. Mr. May said a land swap would set back development of the long-term care facility by five to six years.

College Chancellor Defends Land Swap

College Chancellor Doug Dykstra told the Board that the Hospital can’t begin work on a key part of the project because it lacks state permission to demolish the Bishop Building. He also said past claims by the Health Department that it was ready to start work on the long-term care facility have not proved true. And he noted that the land swap would not affect plans to build a separate, expanded Hospital facility to handle potentially violent patients.

Mahealani Cypher

The resolution, which was introduced by Board Vice Chair Bill Sager, says the Health Department did not consider the possibility of a land exchange, which the college has offered on four occasions in the past five years.

Neighborhood Board member Mahealani Cypher said she believed that a land swap would raise costs for the State Hospital but that the costs could have been averted if the Hospital officials had talked with community members sooner. She said relocating the long-term care facility elsewhere was a better solution.

Learn More

More information about the issue is available from the sources listed below. Click on the highlighted text to access the information:

The text of the resolution.

The hospital’s 2015 Master Plan Update.

A report from the Board’s Hawaii State Hospital Master Plan Review Permitted Interaction Group.

Posts on this blog from January 26, 2016, October 19, 2015, September 19, 2015, and July 31, 2015.

Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below or contact Board members directly using our Member Directory. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

February Meeting Agenda Available Online

The agenda for the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board’s February 18 business meeting is now available online. Among the scheduled topics are:

> The proposed merger of NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric Company. A representative of Earthjustice has asked to present a resolution opposing the merger.

> A disagreement between Windward Community College and the Hawaii State Hospital over the hospital’s plan to build a long-term care facility next to the college. A Neighborhood Board member has presented a resolution recommending that the hospital negotiate with the college over a proposed land exchange to resolve the dispute.

> A proposal to change the location and date of the Neighborhood Board’s monthly planning meeting.

> Community member concerns about sewer odors on Waikalua Road; roadwork equipment blocking access to Keaalau Neighborhood Park; road work on Kamehameha Highway; and the Clean Water Natural Land Fund.

Click on the highlighted text above to read the agenda and find more information about agenda topics. The minutes of the Board’s January meeting also are now available. Click on the highlighted link to read them.

The Neighborhood Board meeting will take place in the cafeteria of Benjamin Parker Elementary School, 45-259 Waikalua Road, starting at 7 p.m. 

Please join us for all of our meetings. Every meeting includes time for residents to share concerns and information with the Board. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly.

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