complaining to the city

this is a good opportunity to let readers know how to report a missing, misspelled or mangled sign or other city-related problems:

Go to the department's "Information and Complaints" Web page — www.co.honolulu.hi.us/csd/publiccom — and click on "Report a Problem." Fill out an online form to report problems about traffic signals, street lights, road conditions, street signs, curbs or gutters, sewers or storm drains, sidewalks, refuse/bulky-item pickups, fire hydrants, public restrooms, parks or beaches, playgrounds/equipment or "other."

Or do one of the following:

» E-mail the complaint to complaints@honolulu.gov.

» Fax the complaint to 768-3751.

» Call in the complaint to the department at 768-4381.

» Stop by in person at the Complaints Office at Room 302-B at City Hall.

"Our complaints officer will then direct the problem to the appropriate agency for action," said Gail Haraguchi, acting director of the Customer Services Department.

The procedure outlined can be used for all city-related complaints, said Gail Haraguchi, acting director of the Department of Customer Services.

The exceptions, she said, involve potholes and abandoned vehicles, which have their own hot lines.

Call the pothole hot line directly at 768-7777 or the abandoned-vehicle hot line at 733-2530. Both numbers are also listed on the city Web page.