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From: Lennie Okano-Kendrick <lokano@okahara.com> <br />Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 2:03 PM <br />To: Charter Commission <br />Subject: Public Testimony - Comm. No 43.1 <br />RE: Comm No. 43.1: Transmitting CA -26, Draft 2, for First Reading; Proposal to amend Section 6-2.2, relating <br />to Qualifications for the Director of the Department of Public Works, to remove the requirement that the <br />Director be a registered professional engineer and add that the required amount of years of administrative <br />experience to be eligible for appointment as Director be related to the powers, duties, and functions of the <br />Department of Public Works; as submitted by Commissioner Adams. <br />Honorable Members of the Hawaii County Charter Commission: <br />I would like to submit written testimony against the proposed CA -26 Draft for amending the County of Hawaii <br />Charter. A registered professional engineer (P.E.) is ethically obligated to protect the health, safety, and <br />welfare of the public, and must always put the public's interest before others, including personal, company, <br />organizational, or political interests. This is the lens a Public Works Director should be looking through when <br />evaluating the critical issues that affect our community well-being whether it be during normal government <br />operations or in crisis times of high emergency. <br />Public Works are infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the Government, for recreational, <br />employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community, and include buildings, transport <br />infrastructure, public spaces, and public services. On a daily basis, Engineers provide the expertise to improve <br />their communities through these types of projects, and earn the privilege to be licensed, registered <br />professionals only after demonstrating minimum educational qualifications, years of pertinent experience, and <br />passing a certified exam. I believe the County of Hawai'i Public Works Director should have these minimum <br />qualifications and experience. With the requirement for P.E. licensure waived, the County of Hawai'i risks <br />other factors influencing the decision-making process at high levels of Our Government. <br />Sincerely, <br />Lennie Okano-Kendrick, P.E. <br />Okahara and Associates, Inc. <br />ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS <br />200 Kohola Street, Hilo, HI 96720 <br />Website: www.okahara.com <br />Email: lokano(&okahara.com <br />1 <br />Comm. No. 43.18 <br />