BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
City will fix street lights when called
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Q. There was a street light out for weeks on Pakanu Street across from the Manoa Chinese Cemetery, making it unsafe for evening walkers. Does the city have regular maintenance to see which lights are out or do they depend on citizens to tell them?
A. In response to your complaint, the city Department of Facilities Maintenance repaired that street light on April 13.
The city encourages people to report burnt-out street lights. Charles Woodward, chief of the city's public building and electrical maintenance division, said that gives his staff a chance to get lights replaced or repairs made in a timely manner.
Woodward said the city does have a night crew that checks and replaces burnt-out street lights that are under the jurisdiction of the city but it generally takes at least four to six weeks to check all the lights that the city watches over. His staff can't repair lights that are privately owned or those under state jurisdiction. But he said his people will notify those responsible when reports are made to them about someone else's lights.
On O'ahu, the public may call 564-6113, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to report street lights out.
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Q. There's a house in our neighborhood in the Punchbowl area that seems to have an unending supply of bulky garbage out curbside. Judging from the quantity and type of items, the people who live there are conducting some kind of salvage business and then calling the city to pick up what they can't use. It's unsightly and the large pile tends to attract pests. What can be done?
A. The city informed the owner of the properties about the complaint, indicating that it appears that his tenants are leaving bulky items in front of those properties as part of their business.
Workers from the city Department of Environmental Services informed the property owner that the tenants must dispose of the bulky items from their business themselves instead of placing the items curbside for the city crews.
The property owner said he would follow up on the matter and get back to the city supervisor. You are free to follow up if the problem persists.
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Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate the various layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start? If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:
• Write to:
The Bureaucracy Buster
The Honolulu Advertiser
605 Kapi'olani Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813
• E-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com
• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.
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