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\ /'►p <br />As this concerns a personal matter, Vice Chair Yoshiyama asked <br />Mr. Takahashi whether he would like the matter discussed in an open meeting <br />or closed meeting. Mr. Takahashi requested an open meeting. <br />Vice Chair Yoshiyama noted that the Board was supposed to have <br />completed an assessment of the job that the HR director had done in the <br />calendar year, and the Board failed to do that. If there is any action the Board <br />wants to take after hearing from Mr. Takahashi and guests, the Board can take <br />up the matter then. <br />Mayor Kenoi stated that he came by to 1) personally thank the Merit <br />Appeals Board who performs a public service to the community. He appreciates <br />what the members of the Board do and wanted to individually honor the <br />members, who sometimes handle very complex matters. 2) They have been <br />engaged in very complex collective bargaining negotiations with multiple <br />employee representatives, as well as other employer groups, even counties and <br />the State, and having Ron Takahashi as their Director of Human Resources is an <br />incredible asset. He feels comfortable and confident that Hawaii County's <br />interests are protected: 1) that the interests of Hawaii County's employees are <br />protected; and 2) the interests of the community are protected. That is well <br />served by Mr. Takahashi's leadership. <br />Mayor Kenoi also praised Mr. Takahashi's choice for his deputy, <br />Ms. Sharon Toriano, whom he stated is an incredible asset in a myriad of ways <br />to the administration, to County government, and to the community. <br />Mr. Takahashi not only has Mayor Kenoi's trust -- complete, unequivocal <br />trust -- to make good decisions for this County, but he has the respect of <br />everybody else in the State; and as everyone knows, people determine one's <br />integrity by their word, that they're saying what they mean and that they mean <br />what they say. Mr. Takahashi has served that role. <br />As a leader, the goal is to get good information so that you can make <br />good decisions. Mr. Takahashi is on point in giving factual information to the <br />Mayor. Other jurisdictions respect Mr. Takahashi's positions as well, which the <br />Mayor takes as the highest compliment. <br />As they continue to move forward, the Mayor knows they'll have their <br />challenges on the issues they collectively face, but he couldn't ask for a better <br />human resources director, and he wanted to put that on the record. The Mayor <br />RIA <br />