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Four short weeks until the city budget is due, but city officials have plenty of other big projects ahead: A rail groundbreaking and the mess at Waimanalo Gulch are at the forefront. Plus, the new City Council is finally up and running. Civil Beat is tracking all of it, and reporting from the inside.

Still No Trip to the Landfill for Mayor Carlisle

3:36 p.m.
Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle said he has no plans to visit Waimanalo Gulch in the wake of a landfill spill that two weeks ago sent contaminated stormwater, medical waste and other debris into the Pacific Ocean.

Carlisle was on a business trip when the landfill spill happened, and returned 10 days ago: Friday, Jan. 21. He had planned to visit the site over the weekend but didn’t.

“I’m not really sure yet because it’s becoming less relevant,” Carlisle told Civil Beat in response to a question about when he planned to tour the site. “There’s no real point for me to go there. It’s more important for Tim (Steinberger, director of Honolulu’s Environmental Services Department) to be there and see what’s going on.”

After his conversation with Civil Beat, Carlisle’s press secretary called to clarify the mayor’s comments. She said it’s not that the mayor thought it wasn’t “important,” but that the situation was being well-handled by Steinberger.

Asked if Steingberger had any new reports from the site this afternoon, Carlisle laughed.

“Yes,” the mayor said. “But none that I can disclose at this time.”

Carlisle, Cayetano at Odds Over Rail

2:57 p.m.
Former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano spoke at length about his opposition to rail before a small crowd at Honolulu Hale this afternoon. He was joined by other groups in opposition, including the League of Women Voters, The Outdoor Circle and Life of the Land.

Cayetano said he believes the rail route is imperfect, the EIS process has been rushed and that the current plan should be halted. He also called transit-oriented development “a myth.”

Asked what he thought should be done to help thousands of local workers expecting to secure jobs connected to the rail project, Cayetano said it was a non-issue.

“I don’t see this is a jobs kind of thing,” Cayetano told Civil Beat. “If the concern was only jobs, then we should go out and build schools and do things like that.”

Cayetano, who endorsed Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle during his campaign for mayor, criticized the mayor for supporting rail.

“Peter needs to open his mind,” Cayetano said. “This is not a high-profile, slam-dunk criminal prosecution, you know? You’re mayor, you got to look at everything.”

Carlisle responded by calling his own press conference. He brushed off the former governor’s barbs.

“Gov. Cayetano and I have these arguments regularly and we walk away smiling,” Carlisle said. “When Ben is an advocate, and he decides he is going to advocate, he puts his whole heart and soul into it, and I hope that I can respond accordingly. No, I’m not going to worry about such comments.”

Carlisle reiterated his confidence in securing federal funds for rail, and said there was bipartisan support for such a “necessary infrastructure” project.

He also said he is confident in the city’s ability to handle lawsuits against the project at little cost to the taxpayer.

“Litigation can be expensive. I don’t know if it will be in this case or not. But we have people who are already working for the City and County, willing to do it, so we’re not going to go out and get outside counsel.”

At least one lawsuit has been filed against the City and County over the rail project.

Legislators Turn Out For Landfill Hearing

9:31 a.m.
A pair of state lawmakers crossed Punchbowl to testify before the City Council this morning. Sen. and Rep. Chris Lee asked the City Council to consider “all options” as the discussion continues on a possible new site for a landfill.

“I’m here on behalf of my district,” said Ryan, who represents Waimanalo and Kailua. “We’re very concerned that Bellows is being considered as a landfill site… It’s not about being NIMBY because obviously our community has shared that burden.”

In 2003, a landfill site-selection committee named Kailua high on the list of possible sites for a new landfill.

Council Joins Conversation on Landfill Site Selection

6:16 a.m.
The Honolulu City Council this morning is holding a joint hearing — led by Zoning Committee Chairman Ikaika Anderson and Public Works and Sustainability Chairman Stanley Chang — to discuss a newly appointed advisory committee on landfill site-selection.

It comes after last week’s joint hearing on the landfill “crisis,” when some City Council members and a member of the public expressed concerns about the make-up of the group tasked with recommending a new landfill site to the mayor.

Discussion at the 9 a.m. hearing is likely to include questions about whether someone who lives near the landfill is permitted to be on the committee in charge of finding an alternate site. Also on the agenda is the question of which sites are preliminarily identified for a possible new landfill, and how much space remains in Waimanalo Gulch.

There continues to be pressure to close Waimanalo Gulch, where tensions are high in the wake of a landfill spill earlier this month. But the landfill is only running out of permitted space, with years — maybe even a decade or more — of actual space available for garbage.

Check out for the joint Zoning and Public Works and Sustainability hearing.

Read more about the landfill site-selection committee in Dump DéJà Vu: The group’s duty is to complete an exercise that a similar task force finished less than a decade ago. Some of those who sat on the 2003 task force say it doesn’t make sense to have another committee repeat the work they recently conducted.

Catch Up on Inside Honolulu, January 2011

Jan. 25, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle appointments more city leaders; State and city agencies announce safe chromium levels in Honolulu drinking water; Lawmaker considered banning elephants in Hawaii.

Jan. 24, 2011: Until EPA intervened, landfill operator Joe Whelan was putting debris from spill back into closed dump.

Jan. 21, 2011: Waimanalo Gulch to stay closed until next week; Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle among mayors meeting with President Obama today.

Jan. 20, 2011: Mayor Peter Carlisle reports a positive meeting with congressional transit leader; City eyes Bellows, Waimanalo North for new landfill site.

Jan. 19, 2011: Advisory committee to meet on landfill site selection; Tom Berg is officially a City Council member; Sen. Dan Inouye reiterates his support for rail; Read the Record of Decision.

Jan. 18, 2011: City officials celebrate after FTA issues Record of Decision on rail; Sen. Dan Inouye wants an office at Honolulu Hale; City still working to clean up medical waste from landfill flood.

Jan. 14, 2011: Deputy prosecutor sworn in; City confronts myriad trash issues; Ikaika Anderson creating task force to consider sweeping overhaul to property tax structure; City workers hit the Furlough Friday halfway point.

Jan. 13, 2011: City opens emergency shelter on Leeward Coast; Heavy rains continue to hamper city business; City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia is in Washington, D.C., to discuss APEC.

Jan. 12, 2011: City Transportation hearing a one-sided affair; Council members concerned about camping fees; Customer Services director nominee Gail Haraguchi breezes through committee; Hawaii could get a preseason NFL game; Former Mayor Mufi Hannemann says air travel is key for economic recovery.

Jan. 11, 2011: First Zoning Committee of the new year gets updates on pending amendments to Honolulu’s Land Use Ordinance.

Jan. 10, 2011: Mayor Peter Carlisle gives kudos to Kauai; Committees move forward with two director nominations; Statewide fireworks ban unlikely; City officials worry about fireworks hoarders.

Jan. 7, 2011: City transportation director preps to take up IMG report in Transportation Committee meeting next week; Mayor Peter Carlisle stays quiet on illegal rental to President Barack Obama; Carlisle plans business trip to Hollywood, jokes about wanting a cameo in Hawaii 5-0.

Jan. 6, 2011: Emergency official cites threat of “huge mudslide” in Kaneohe highway closure; City eyes user fees, but in what form? Mayor tells Pacific Club crowd about inevitable cuts during “financial crisis,” calls city challenges “exciting.”

Jan. 5, 2011: Council vice chair to host hearing on IMG report; Rail division moves down permitting check list; A new year means a new website for Honolulu.

Jan. 4, 2011: Carlisle’s drinking buddies may be lonely this month; Honolulu’s first mayor inaugurated 102 years ago today; Tom Berg isn’t happy with his Council committee assignments.

Jan. 3, 2011: City Council to explore user fees as revenue generator; Nestor Garcia talks rail, APEC, city values in celebratory inaugural address.