Adopt-a-Park

There’s been barking and threatening behavior at the Moanalua off-leash dog park, but it’s not from the dogs.

For the past several years, park user Tom Hinson has led volunteer efforts to clean up the little fenced area below the freeway. He coordinated efforts to put down mulch in perpetually muddy areas, clean a murky pond on the site, monitor trash receptacles and set out fly traps. He signed papers for the city’s Adopt-a-Park volunteer program. He also became something of a greeter and monitor at the site, welcoming new people and letting them know the rules.

But Hinson’s energetic advocacy for the park rubbed some people the wrong way. Though most were grateful for his efforts, some didn’t like being told what to do.

The city apparently didn’t like being told what to do, either.

Last month the city abruptly announced that the Moanalua dog park Adopt-a-Park volunteer program would be terminated Jan. 23, listing these reasons:

“We have advised you on several occasions that any removal of limbs and branches from the hillside of Moanalua Dog Park is under the jurisdiction of the State and not the Department of Parks and Recreation. Yet you continue to call other city offices, politicians, MD’s (managing director’s) office regarding the status of your complaints. This is not helpful and it wastes city resources.

“We have recommended for you to deal with ‘issues’ within the dog park with Mike Medeiros, Maintenance Supervisor. We have addressed issues such as ‘off leash signs’, mulch, benches, watering in a timely matter. Again, negative email comments are inappropriate when you don’t have your way.”

That notification was signed by Clinton Jamile, coordinator for the city’s Adopt-a-Park program in the department of Parks and Recreation.

That sent dog park users and volunteers howling.

“The issue is concerning one particular volunteer who had exhibited harassment-like behavior toward multiple employees at the City and County of Honolulu,” said Nathan Serota, public information officer for the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Last week the Moanalua Gardens Community Association held its first monthly meeting since all this went down. Hinson was there to speak. About 15 of his volunteers were there to support him. They wore their gray-and-white dog park volunteer shirts. Some brought their dogs.

As it turned out, the meeting was a peaceful affair, with Hinson being thanked for all his hard work and a new volunteer coordinator introduced to the group. The Adopt-a-Park program is no longer canceled, but Hinson was basically fired by the city from a volunteer position.

This comes at the same time other city decisions about public areas are being questioned, including Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s refusal to work with the World Surf League to accommodate a schedule change, and paints a picture of a city government run by “discretion.” It also speaks to how one person’s zealous pursuit, even of something positive, can be seen as vexatious by a government that doesn’t like to be told what to do.

-- Lee Cataluna, February 16, 2018