Laserfiche WebLink
made and created in the past, which areI mean, all of us are aware of them. <br />They haven't been dealt with, and yet we continue to make problems. I'd say <br />the stricter approach we can take on this right now. If we need to liberalize at <br />some other point, I'd rather err on the side of health and safety, and that's my <br />position." <br />Although Mr. Jacobson —this is my commentary on that. Although Mr. <br />Jacobson says he is not intending to impugn engineers, his statements do just <br />that. The Code of Ethics of the National Society of Professional Engineers <br />states: "Engineering is an important and learned profession. As members of <br />this profession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of <br />honesty and integrity. Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality <br />of life for all people. Accordingly, the services provided by engineers require <br />honesty, impartiality, fairness, equity, and must be dedicated to the protection <br />of the public's health, safety, and welfare. Engineers must perform under a <br />standard of professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest <br />principles of ethical conduct." Mr. Jacobson stated that engineers do not take <br />an oath to protect public health and safety, which is a misleading statement. <br />According to Chapter 436B, Professional and Vocational Licensing Law of the <br />State of Hawaii, the licensing of professionals, including engineers, is meant <br />to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. It is fine for Mr. Jacobson to <br />state that he is trying to uphold the constitution and that his reasons for voting <br />for something are to protect public health, safety, and welfare. But it's not <br />okay to make false statements regarding the engineers' duty to protect public <br />health, safety, and welfare. Engineers do not just take an oath to protect public <br />health, safety, and welfare, they are obligated by the laws of the State of <br />Hawaii and their Code of Ethics. In addition, engineers are held personally <br />responsible and liable for their work. Again, I do not believe that as an <br />engineer, I was treated in a courteous, fair, and impartial manner by Mr. <br />Jacobson, and that it's not fair, impartial, or courteous for him to state that he <br />is not impugning somebody's ethics or code of conduct, and then go on to do <br />just that. <br />I believe that some of the amendments Mr. Jacobson voted for will jeopardize <br />the public health, safety, and welfare. My testimony and that of other <br />engineers was meant to assist the Council in making informed decisions. Mr. <br />Jacobson's statements maligning engineers were not in the public's best <br />interest. <br />At another meeting, Mr. Jacobson blamed flooding of the Hawaiian Acres <br />subdivision on work the engineers have done above here for the past 70 or 80 <br />years. When hearing testimony regarding folks not being able to receive loans <br />because of the Chapter 27 amendments, Mr. Jacobson implied that he was not <br />sympathetic, as he had not been able to obtain a loan, and stated that the shoe <br />was on the other foot and the people who had made the decisions to flood other <br />people were now getting to enjoy the benefits of their actions. Mr. Jacobson <br />also referred to bad engineering and bad design in his comments. <br />23 <br />