Message from our Director By: Jade Butay Aloha HDOT ‘Ohana: The competence and wisdom of our employees were truly evident in March as they overcame some new challenges. Many of you are aware that a landslide occurred in Kauai on March 11 that completely blocked Kuhio Highway on Hanalei Hill leading to Hanalei Bridge. What you may not know is that the highway was already closed since March 9 when there was a smaller landslide.Thanks to Highways Kaua’i District Engineer Larry Dill who assessed the dangerous slope created by the March 9 landslide, serious injuries were avoided on March 11when over 15,000 cubic yards of debris fell on the road. For the latest infor-mation on Hanalei Hill, visit https://hidot.hawaii.gov/2021-hanalei-hill-landslide/. We also continue to have a lot of excitement with the Hawai’i Information Portal’s rollout of the State’s Time and Leave system to the HDOT. Not to show my age, but I remember when we used ed to submit leave requests and timesheets using typewriters and carbon Like anything b paper!! Lik thi new, sometimes it takes time and patience to get used to. I hope you see the benefits in leave accounting and reporting of payable time electronically. For refreshers on how to report your time or take leave, go to http://ags.hawaii.gov/hip/for-employees/. Remember, if you have questions on the system, you can submit them to our Personnel Office through this LINK. In our last newsletter, I mentioned the federal COVID-19 relief package. Please excuse the error where $6.1 billion was given as the figure to the State. This was a typo (or maybe wishful thinking). We are looking at $1.6 billion to the State and an additional $444 million to the counties. Our Airports Division will be using these Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) funds to provide continued support for the operational costs of reducing health hazards at our airports and will use additional CRRSA concessions grant funds to provide aid, such as economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees, to airport concessionaries and other service providers. Looking back at recent world events, the situation with the Ever Given in the Suez Canal highlighted the importance of shipping in our economy. We all know that our commercial harbors are critical in making sure we have the daily goods we need to survive in our islands. This shows the importance of our Department to the State. As always, I am signing off with a thank you to all of you—regardless of what division you are in—for your continued dedication to the people of Hawai’i! Jade Butay Director
PAGE 3
