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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0038.003 2020-2022 PIFPVKTC, GO .3 From: Sylvia Dolena Sent: Friday, January 01, 2021 11:13 PM To: Chung, Aaron; David, Maile; Kanealii-Kleinfelder, Matt; Kierkiewicz, Ashley; Kimball, Heather; Lee Loy, Sue; Inaba, Holeka; Richards, Tim; Villegas, Rebecca; IyTeti y Subject: OPPOSE Ikaika Rodenhurst for Director of Public Works coUNTY ,OF HAWAV31 RECEIVED Time- Aloha Council Members and Chair Maile David, Date JAN 0 1 2021 I truly appreciate the process of transparency and publicin testimony. I acknowledge that it must be challenging many times with conflicting opinions and testimony and I trust that all of you as the Council for the next two auspicious years will do your due diligence to represent your constituency. Regarding the appointment of Ikaika Rodenhurst, there are too many situations that could cause conflict of interest_ For any County agency director,there must be a level of integrity and transparency that is above any conflict of interest. For Mr. Rodenhur st there could be many conflicts of interest regarding his donors to his campaign. There is also the issue of his lack of experience. Both of these situations would eliminate his nomination. FACTS First, he does not appear to have administrative experience in government or private business. The County Charter requires that the director have "...a minimum of five years of experience in an administrative capacity." (section 6-2.2) Second, the Public Works Director is responsible for seeing that individuals and businesses comply with regulations aimed at preventing hazardous construction, preventing flooding and erosion, and protecting the environment. However, at times people find the regulations onerous and seek to circumvent them. Enforcing these regulations may put Mr. Rodenhurst in the uncomfortable position of making life more difficult for many businesses and individuals who made large donations to his campaign for County Council. It appears Mr. Rodenhurst did not attract any financial support or endorsements from organizations concerned about protecting the environment—while his opponent was endorsed by: • Sierra Club (`explore, enjoy, and protect the planet")* • Pono Hawai'i Initiative ("empowering people-driven political leadership to achieve economic, social, and environmental justice")* • 350 Hawai'i ("doing what we can to fight climate change in our piece of the world. And maybe more.")* Here are some of the people and businesses that donated to Mr. Rodenhurst: Comm. N Ref. To: O 1 Refs Foote JAN 5 2021 OUT-OF-STATE $1,500 —donors associated with Kona Development Partners...........California $1,000 — Hawaij Operating Engineers Stabilization Fund..................California $1,000 —an Operating.Engineers PAC .........................................California $500—American Resort Development Association PAC................Washington, DC O'AHU $2,500 --employees at Rodenhurst's company, Bowers and Kubota...Honolulu $2,500 — Hawai'i Carpenters Political Action Fund...........................Honolulu $2,000— Hawai'i Laborers PAC..._............... .............................Honolulu $2,000— International Longshore and Workers Union.......................Honolulu $2,000— Plumbers and Pipefitters PAC.........................................Honolulu $1,500— International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC............Honolulu $1,000—an AFL-CIO committee..................................................Honolulu $500—employee of Mark Development.......................................Honolulu HILO $4,000—people associated with Puna Rock Company........................Hilo $2,500— Hawai'i Island Contractors Association Political Fund.............Hilo $2,000—Green Point Nurseries..................................................... Hilo $1,178 —employee of Takamine Construction...................................Hilo $500 —Garden Exchange......... ........ ........... ........... Hilo .$500—employee of Okahara engineering company.........................Hilo Please consider other nominees for Director. Mahalo for your service, Sylvia Dolena 2