City missed $9,000 in Hanauma fees

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

The city lost $9,000 in parking fees at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve because a cash register that broke two weeks ago was not replaced right away.

A temporary register was installed yesterday — the park is closed on Tuesdays — and is ready for use today while officials await a permanent replacement, said Carol Costa, city spokeswoman. The new register, which costs about $1,000, will arrive sometime next week, she said.

Visitors pay $1 to park in the 300-stall lot above the popular snorkeling bay. On average, the city takes in $600 a day at this time of year.

"Nobody needs to lose any money like that in a tight fiscal year," Costa said.

The cash register that broke on Feb. 18 was the last of three originally purchased in July 1985. It had been in use at the parking lot since another register broke in October.

"They really get a lot of wear and tear," Costa said. "We had certainly gotten our mileage out of them."

Costa blamed a lack of communication for the loss of revenue and said Bill Balfour, director of the city's Department of Parks and Recreation, should have been told.

"He was not informed of the problem directly," she said. "Had that occurred, he would have resolved this immediately and there would have been no loss of revenue."

Costa said Balfour was told about the problem Monday by Caroll Takahashi, director of the Budget and Fiscal Services Department, after she noticed the problem during a visit Sunday to the bay.

Robin Bond, president of the Friends of Hanauma Bay, said: "Any money that is lost is money that could be spent on something. We don't want to lose money."

Staff writer Robbie Dingeman contributed to this report. Reach Mike Gordon at 525-8012, or mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.