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HAWAII COUNTY CHARTER COMMISSIONPage 24 of 41
<br />SUMADA: Sure.
<br />RAY: As far as this Department of Permitting or what that might look like, that would be real helpful.
<br />And then a question on the Wastewater, is the Water Department supportive or are they even aware of
<br />it?
<br />SUMADA: I mentioned it to Mr. Pavao last week in passing. I think you should inquire with him about
<br />his specific feelings about it.
<br />RAY: Okay.
<br />SUMADA: I think, from my perspective, it’s a good thing. And there’s a logic that I think Mr.
<br />Wurdeman will present, you know. Have you spoken to him yet?
<br />RAY: No.
<br />SUMADA: Okay. Regarding the control, establishment of fees, as far as producing and distributing
<br />water as a resource, and then monitoring, controlling, and the processing of sewage as it passes through
<br />residence or commercial facilities, and then the processing of that wastewater and using it as a
<br />commodity, as a effluent that can be sold, basically. And I think it’s probably in -, the best location
<br />would be in the west side, where water is a premium, and it can be sold at a profit. So instead of just
<br />processing it and flushing it down some sump and/or at an outfall, you know, into the ocean, you can use
<br />it as a commodity. So the combining of that, those functions and having a commission that oversees that
<br />and/or monitors that, I think is a good thing. But I think you should probably talk with Mr. Pavao on
<br />how his feelings are.
<br />RAY: Yeah, we will. Sure. Okay. Other questions for Jiro?
<br />BESS: Yeah, there was one issue that was brought up earlier, and that is the qualifications of the Chief
<br />Engineer, whether or not he needed to be an engineer. What are your thoughts?
<br />SUMADA: Well, I guess, personally, I’m a little biased, since I’m not a licensed civil engineer. To me, I
<br />think even if you were to ask or inquire with the former Chief, Donna Kiyosaki, she’d tell you that you
<br />don’t need to be a licensed engineer to be the Chief. The majority, if not all of the work we do, relates to
<br />management, dealing with people, primarily -, well, not primarily, but both with the public, with the
<br />customers, and also with staff, and the ability of that individual to communicate and motivate different
<br />people is actually more important than I think their technical ability. I think by training, we engineers
<br />are very logical, methodical, systematic, and that is a good thing and a bad thing. We like to establish
<br />rules to make our lives very simple, however, I think as all of you know, very few things are black and
<br />white, and that if you don’t have a means of allowing flexibility, then it becomes very difficult. And in
<br />any case, for myself, I think in the time that Donna Kiyosaki has left, which was in September, and for
<br />whatever reason I’ve been in charge or left with that responsibility, I don’t think the Public Works
<br />Department has failed or short-changed the public in the services that we provide. So I don’t know if
<br />that was the Mayor’s intention, to see whether I could tread water well or not, but -.
<br />SANTANGELO: With rocks in your pockets.
<br />SUMADA: Yeah. It’s -, for me, personally, I feel you don’t need to be a licensed engineer but, again, I
<br />think my point of view is somewhat biased. I think if you are a licensed engineer, there is an advantage,
<br />and that is that some of the division chiefs that I work with, maintain a certain level of respect, and
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