Question: Regarding bulky waste, how do other cities handle it? Do you have to make an appointment? Do you have to pay a fee? Has the city looked into this?
Answer: A city audit of Oahu’s bulky-item collection service listed 30 comparison U.S. cities that also picked up their residents’ bulky waste. The service was free in 37% of those cities and free for a limited number of items in another 27% — so 64% of the comparison cities collected at least some bulky items at no additional charge, according to the audit, which was released in August 2017. Another 37% charged fees for bulky pickup, it said. (The total exceeds 100% due to rounding.)
As for collection schedules, 10 cities required customers to make an appointment; six had monthly service; six picked up bulky items one to four times a year; three picked up weekly; three picked up every other week; and one (Boston) picked up bulky items every day, it said. One city fell into the unspecified category of “other.”
You can read the audit on the city auditor’s website, at 808ne.ws/audit.
Appendix A lists the comparison cities and describes their collection methods, schedules, limits (if any), fees (if any), enforcement of violations, alternative collection services and whether “white goods” such as appliances are considered bulky items. Appendix B summarizes the scheduling and fee information.
Parks and Rec update
The city Department of Parks and Recreation indefinitely suspended online registration for its free fall classes Tuesday, after again facing the technical problems that overwhelmed aging software Monday. No one was able to register Monday, and access was sporadic Tuesday until the site was taken offline.
“We absolutely apologize to the public for not completely resolving this problem. We appreciate the public’s patience while we resolve this issue,” Nate Serota, a department spokesman, said Tuesday afternoon.
“Currently, we have suspended the online registration until further notice. We will be determining what the best course of action will be and what to do about some class registrants who were able to access the site. Public access was sporadic Tuesday morning, so some people were able to register while others were not,” he said.
To answer readers’ question: The online registration was only for free classes. Registration for classes requiring a payment is not affected by the technical problems, Serota said. Registration for paid classes must be done in person at the park facility where the class will be held. That process begins next week, on the following schedule, he said:
>> District I (Hawaii Kai to McCully) and District II (Makiki to Aiea): 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 19 and 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 20-21.
>> District III (Pearlridge to Waianae to Wahiawa), District IV (Waialua to Waimanalo) and District V (Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park): 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 21 and 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 22-23.
These dates also are the walk-in period for any spaces left in free classes at those locations. Given the trouble with online registration, service for such walk-ins may be expanded, although details have yet to be announced. Serota promised more information, which we will publish when it becomes available.
Mahalo
Many thanks to the person who found my wallet near the bus stop in front of First Hawaiian Bank’s University branch on July 5. They turned the wallet in at FHB because they saw my debit card. I must have dropped my wallet after using the ATM. Everything was intact. Mahalo to University FHB for trying to contact me and keeping it safe until I picked it up. Very grateful to all of you. — K.U.
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.
