Comm No 0043.56 - Testimony - CA-26 - Qualifications for the Director DPW

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• Licensure for engineers in government has become increasingly significant. Many federal, state, and municipal agencies require that certain governmental engineering positions, particularly those considered higher level and responsible positions, be filled only by licensed professional engineers. NSPE considers the practice of engineering by licensed professional engineers of such importance that it has an official position statement on this matter. Reference NSPE Position Statement No. 07-02 "Recognition of the Engineering Function within Government". It states, in part, "NSPE recommends that government officials having the authority for hiring or appointment, recognize the importance of the engineering function within the government departments and agencies through the selection of fully qualified licensed professional engineers to positions having responsibility for making engineering decisions and exercising engineering judgment." As the 20th century opened, anyone could work as an engineer without proof of competency. But industrial processes and public works projects were becoming increasingly complex and began to result in engineering disasters that caused widespread damage and fatalities. In one of the iconic examples, in 1919 a poorly -engineered 2 -million -gallon molasses storage tank failed in Boston, killing 21 people and injuring 150. In order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, states began following the lead of Wyoming, which had enacted the first engineering licensure law in 1907. Now every state regulates the practice of engineering to ensure public safety by granting only Professional Engineers (PEs) the authority to sign and seal engineering plans and offer their services to the public. Weakening the qualifications of the head of a local public works agency goes against the very system of engineering licensure that has been laboriously set up over the past century to protect public health and safety. The adverse risks of an unlicensed engineer or a non -engineer misunderstanding or over -ruling the engineering judgement of local DPW engineering staffs, have been well-documented by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and presents an unacceptable risk for Hawaii County. That is why we, the Hawaii Society of Professional Engineers, OPPOSE the proposed amendment CA -26 to the Hawaii County Charter. Mahalo for hearing our testimony. Sincerely, Michael Lum, P.E. President, Hawaii Society of Professional Engineers