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heard the Council was weak anywhere in my document or . . . <br /> BETHEA: You did not. <br /> SMITH: We. . .my prior concern is with the increased <br /> professionalization in the County administration and ways <br /> to accomplish that. And it seems to be the way to do that <br /> happens to be. . .happens to also involve a =removing of some <br /> of the mayor' s powers . . . the direct powers over . . .or <br /> pretend that there ' s another avenue or curtailing <br /> those powers in away by setting up and establishing with- <br /> in the Charter minimum qualifications for major depart- <br /> ments and requirements for recruiting of those departments <br /> that they insure that the best qualified people, wherever <br /> they might come from are in those positions. <br /> BETHEA: Well, let me ask you this then. If you set <br /> up the minimum qualifications , haven' t you accomplished <br /> the same person... .same purpose if the mayor nominates and <br /> the Council approves? I mean, don ' t you solve the <br /> problem by. . . <br /> SMITH: I said that was an alternative route, that' s <br /> right. I said that was an alternative route. <br /> CUSHNIE: Thank you. In following your line of talk <br /> about the professionalism, I noticed on page 5 you <br /> mentioned in the first complete paragraph, highly <br /> professionals , County civil service. Is this similar to <br /> the civil service that we have now? Fifth line. <br /> SMITH: Yeah. The. . .civil service isn' t what I <br /> should. . .did not have and should have. The County has a <br /> civil service. I 'm referring here only to the high. . . the <br /> highest levels of the region. . . the County agency. The <br /> County has a professional civil service (inaudible) . And <br /> what I mean there is the. . . is the major . . . is the heads of <br /> County departments . <br /> CUSHNIE: Okay. Rather than our formalized civil <br /> service (inaudible) . <br /> Going back to page 2, if-I may continue, you mentioned that <br /> our . . . it is unusual. . . it is unusual for a County the size <br /> of Hawaii County in terms of population to warrant a paid <br /> mayor ; and then you went on to explain that. Do you feel <br /> that our geographical size, however , lends some unusual <br /> variables to our needs? <br /> SMITH: Well now I said have, not warrant. <br /> CUSHNIE: I changed the wording, yes . <br /> 173 <br />