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Council presses DFM to prioritize stream maintenance after storms; $1M amendment debated
Summary
Council members pushed the Department of Facility Maintenance to increase stream maintenance and equipment after recent flooding; the department declined several small adds and warned some work may need CIP funding, while members urged staffing and a long‑reach excavator to avoid repeat damage.
Council members used the March 30 budget hearing to press the Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM) on stream cleaning and disaster recovery following recent storms, with several elected officials urging the administration to preserve or add funding for maintenance and equipment.
DFM Director Gene Albano told the committee the department respectfully declines some proposed additions (including a $25,000 cattle gate and a $1,000,000 add for Ala Wai watershed maintenance) and said the city is still assessing storm damage and whether repairs will be operating or capital (CIP) projects. "We anticipate that the administration will be adjusting budgets, whether it's operating or CIP to address any of the damages that have occurred in the streams," Albano said.
Several council members argued the city needs more boots and equipment on the ground. Committee Vice Chair Nishimoto and Council Member Tupala urged the administration to use added funds to hire staff or buy equipment; Tupala emphasized the value of long‑reach excavators during the recent response and said having proper equipment was the difference‑maker in the field.
DFM said staffing to clean streams is roughly 100–200 crew members across multiple yards and that a redundancy strategy ("plus‑one") for heavy equipment would help prolong service life and provide spare capacity.
Next steps: the committee incorporated CD1 amendments and will revisit budget allocations in follow‑up sessions; administration briefings on storm recovery and potential use of the fiscal stability (rainy day) fund were promised for the next meeting.
