Question: Several months ago the solar system on the roof of the Aina Haina Public Library was heavily damaged by a windstorm. When will the system be reinstalled and who is responsible for replacement costs — the state or the contractor?
Answer: The roof and approximately 90 of 288 photovoltaic panels at the library were damaged in a windstorm in March.
It will be next March before the PV system, installed in 2011 at a cost of $605,000, is targeted to be repaired and operating again.
Initially, the state will foot the bill — as yet undetermined — but plans to seek recompensation from the contractor, RK Construction Co. LLC, said Keith Fujio, special assistant to the state librarian.
The Department of Accounting and General Services, which handles the library system’s construction contracts, has put the request to renovate the library’s PV system out to bid. The deadline for contractors to submit a bid is Aug. 29.
The scheduled work is then to be completed no later than next March, Fujio said.
Until the bids come in, it’s not certain what the cost of repairs will be.
An investigation into why the PV system did not stand up to the wind showed that "a large number of tee clamps and the PV holding structures had cracked," he said.
However, "we haven’t come to a final conclusion" as to exactly why they cracked, Fujio said. "It could have been due to contractor defect; it could have been because of manufacturer defect. We’re not at this time ready to make the call. That part of the investigation is continuing."
According to the terms of the PV contract, the contractor is responsible for all repair costs, he said.
DAGS reached out to RK Construction through phone calls and letters and initially got no response, Fujio said. "They finally got a face-to-face meeting and was told by the principals of the company that their plans were to no longer be in business and that they would be moving their operations."
We checked the business registration website for the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and found the company still listed, with an annual registration filing recorded on Aug. 3.
We called and left a message at the new number given for the company’s agent but did not receive a call back.
At this point, DAGS is going forward with bids for the repair and renovation project, and will pursue a claim against the company afterward, ultimately through the state Department of Attorney General.
"We didn’t want to wait to pursue these remedies," Fujio said.
Question: We have a gray garbage bin that has a broken wheel caused by the rubbish truck. It’s been out there for more than three weeks. We were told to leave it out there, and it would be taken care of in six weeks. It really looks tacky out there on its side so the wind doesn’t take it away. Can you help?
Answer: A "huge backlog" has resulted in trash cart repairs at the Honolulu base yard currently taking six to eight weeks, instead of the normal two weeks, said Markus Owens, spokesman for the city Department of Environmental Services.
"We should be catching up soon," he said Thursday.
Residents with any questions or problems related to refuse, recycling and bulky collections are advised to call the Refuse Division at 768-3200.
Callers will be given options to be connected to the person who can best assist them with their issue, such as carts needing repair or replacement, missed collections, instructions on what goes into the three carts, etc., Owens said.
In your case, because you have already called and are still waiting for a repair, you are advised to call again and select the phone option to speak to a refuse inspector.
"They can investigate and assist further," Owens said.
Mahalo
To Robert of Island Yogurt in Kailua for jump-starting my car at Costco last month. Over a dozen cars passed me by until he stopped to help. — Naomi S.
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
