Recently, Hunter Bishop and I sat down in his new office in Puainako Town Centre to discuss his new role for the County: deputy Environmental Management director. Recall that, when I first learned about Hunter taking the post, I wrote a commentary questioning why this veteran reporter was taking on arguably one of the most important roles in the County, being that solid waste is one of the key challenges.
But after about an hour spent discussing Hunter’s “special projects” mission, I am convinced that Hunter has the interest and strategic mind necessary to tackle one of the key questions that has been put off since 1993: what to do with Hilo’s trash. Remember that the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill is unlined and has beeen ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency (enforced by the State Department of Health) to be remedied. Mayoral administrations and County council members have been putting off a remedy for the last 18 years.
Hear how Hunter believes he will take on his new role as environmental management deputy director.
Here is what Hunter has to say on the need for Environmental Management to improve its public face. Does the County need a hotline for taxpayers to call when they spot an illegal dumping site? Hear our conversation about, among other things, the challenge of multiple departments being involved with just even a simple mattress left on the side of the road.
An assessment of whether to site a new landfill or to truck East Hawaii rubbish to Pu’uanahulu in South Kohala is among Hunter’s projects. Hear him speak about that.
Since 2008 when Hunter joined the County as the executive assistant to Mayor Billy Kenoi, he has been involved in cabinet meetings pertaining to the Department of Environmental Management.
“I’m interested in the challenge,” Hunter said.
Hunter’s special projects will involve everything from public awareness about trash to how to deal with the future of rubbish on Hawaii Island.
As deputy, he will be paid a little more than he was as the mayor’s executive assistant. But he certainly doesn’t have a better view, comparing his new office to the old. Hunter vacated the Hawaii County Building and a view of Hilo Bay from his office desk to inhabit a cubicle and stare at little more than his computer screen tucked in a cubicle in the Environmental Management office is located next door to Checker’s Auto Parts. Indeed, he may be up for the challenge the Solid Waste Division alone will offer. Then there is the Wastewater Division, which is in need of addressing some key health challenges in shoreline areas such as Kona on the west side and Kapoho on the east side.
Prior to his roles in the County, Hunter worked for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald for 16.5 years as a reporter and as a news editor for a few years. He worked as Mauian magazine editor prior to that, having relocated to the islands from Southern Calfornia, where he had worked in newspapering since 1977. He grew up in New Jersey.
March 8th, 2011 at 8:49 am
Thanks for the audio, Tiff.
New horizons for BIC?
The ‘special projects’ approach is good (and not necessarily new) engagement of a Deputy Director.
Agreed that options before the County as alternatives to the Hilo landfill are: a new landfill in Hilo or trucking to Kona landfill. These are addressed in the County’s current (state-mandated) Integrated Resource and Solid Waste Management Plan. (Note: unlined landfills are no longer allowed.)
Of course, either and both of these options (new landfill in Hilo, trucking to Kona landfill) are lower cost when conservation is the top priority. Stay on the zero-waste path and keep reducing the amount of discards — another good, but not new, idea that is proven to work. I would encourage Hunter to look at some examples of other municipalities reducing the need for landfilling anywhere through reduction in discards.