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The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Kokua Line columnNov 02, 2012 (The Honolulu Star-Advertiser - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Question: I wish I had been reminded that as of Oct. 15 the Windward site for driver's license renewal is not at Windward City Shopping Center. I walked in, and there was a large sign saying there was a change of location for driver's licenses to the satellite city hall at Temple Valley Shopping Center. Why Answer: The city Department of Customer Services determined that it would be more convenient for people to renew their driver's licenses at Koolau Center (formerly named Temple Valley Shopping Center) at 47-388 Hui Iwa St. But it's meant to be only a temporary change. It was in response to customer inquiries that the department began monitoring service demands at all five of its full-service driver's license locations, said Customer Services Director Gail Haraguchi. The review showed that the demand for driver's licensing service "would be better served in the near term through the temporary relocation," she said. Staff have been temporarily transferred from Windward City to meet customer needs and "to reduce waiting times at the previously underserved Hawaii Kai" satellite city hall, Haraguchi said. She said the four full-service locations at Kalihi-Kapalama (1199 Dillingham Blvd.), Kapolei (1000 Uluohia St.), Koolau and Wahiawa (330 N. Cane St.) are open 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. The Waianae location (85-670 Farrington Highway) is open for full driver's license services from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Driver's license renewals and duplicates can still be processed at the satellite city halls at Fort Street Mall, Hawaii Kai (6600 Kalanianaole Highway) and Pearlridge Center. For more information, go to the city's website at www1.honolulu.gov/csd/vehicle/dllocations.htm. Question: No one at the city clerk's office could explain why my Oahu ballot allows me to vote for OHA trustees from the Big Island, Kauai, Molokai and Maui but not for Oahu, although I am allowed to vote for an "at large" candidate. It seems to me that the Big Island trustee should be elected by voters on the Big Island. Ditto for Kauai, Molokai and Maui. Can you clarify this for me Answer: State law -- Section 13D-4 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes -- calls for Office of Hawaiian Affairs elections to be statewide, with qualified voters allowed to vote for every seat up for election, regardless of the island on which the candidate resides. As to why there are no candidates for Oahu this year, it was just a matter of the Oahu trustee seat not being up for election this year, said Rex Quidilla, spokesman for the state Office of Elections. Oahu trustee Peter Apo was elected to a four-year term in 2010. One resident trustee each is elected for Hawaii island, Maui, Molokai, Kauai and Oahu, while four trustees are elected at-large, with no residency requirement. Five seats are up for election this year. PODS POLICIY In response to the Oct. 25 "Kokua Line" item about storage containers left on streets, PODS Moving & Storage Hawaii says it has strict policies and will not place a container on a public street without verifying the customer has obtained a valid street usage permit. PODS containers cited in the complaint regarding containers placed on Kalakaua Avenue did have permits, according to city officials, while the unnamed containers placed on a Kaneohe Street did not have permits. Adam Silva, account manager of PODS Hawaii, said the containers placed illegally on the Kaneohe Street were not PODS. "We at PODS Hawaii strongly believe in being good citizens of our island home and do our very best to run our business in an ethical and positive manner," he said. He noted the company donates containers to many charitable organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Kidney Foundation, United Cerebral Palsy and Operation Christmas Child. Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email [email protected]. ___ (c)2012 The Honolulu Star-Advertiser Visit The Honolulu Star-Advertiser at www.staradvertiser.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |