HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0045.003 2024-2026From: Maki Moirinoue
Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2025 6:17 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony due Tuesday, 21st by NOON: Three Mayor appointees
Aloha Council Members
I want to thank all of you for the relentless, hard decisions every one of you has to make to decide
how it will impact all of our future. It is most difficult for residents to keep up or have the time and
know how to testify, and I try to do my best.
I write today to express my serious concerns about several of the Mayor's current cabinet
appointments, which I believe require much more scrutiny and due diligence before receiving
approval. It is critical that these leadership positions are filled by individuals with the qualifications,
vision, and integrity needed to serve our County effectively, especially during these challenging times.
Corey Stone — Director of Information Technology (DIT)
VIDEO: Jan. 7th After opening the video, click on Comm. 45 (Michelle Kratel's testimony
attached)
I appreciate that Mayor Alameda wants to find local talent, yet there are significant concerns about
Mr. Stone's qualifications and capacity to lead the DIT. In written testimony, a co-worker detailed
serious allegations about his lack of experience and capability, yet these concerns were met with
silence from Council Members. No questions were asked to address these troubling claims. I urge the
Council to take these concerns seriously, as they directly affect the County's ability to manage critical
IT infrastructure and operations.
Wesley Segawa — Director of Environmental Management (DEM)
VIDEO: Jan. 7th After opening the video, click on Comm. 46
Mr. Segawa has demonstrated a troubling lack of preparedness and vision for addressing the
County's critical environmental challenges, including recycling, waste diversion, and wastewater
management. Despite the existence of numerous studies and plans developed at great expense to
the County, he admitted in the last meeting that he is still seeking feedback. This lack of readiness is
unacceptable for a position of this importance.
Furthermore, Mr. Segawa's potential conflicts of interest, given his company's $4 million contract with
the County, warrant immediate investigation. These conflicts of interest mirror the concerning
precedent set by Zendo Kern. Over the last four years, Kern's clients and the company he built have
reaped substantial financial benefits through his role and the changes he has made within the Hawai'i
County code. Kern's leadership in developing what, due to a gross lack of community process and
collaboration, has become an intentionally vague General Plan, GP2045—while failing to
acknowledge or collaborate with the public to address specific conditions and details many of us
community advocates asked from the beginning —and thus has undermined the residents and the
County's ability to craft a clear future vision in the GP2045. It leaves us vulnerable when the General
Plan should reflect a balance of values, including environmental stewardship, community well-being,
and the local circular economy with commerce. Instead, we were left with ambiguity that failed to
serve the residents and environmental concerns in its very process of restoring Native Hawaiian
i
Ref.Tb:
cultural landscapes and community open space and bringing our people back home with affordable
housing in perpetuity. At the same time, Mr. Kern advocated support for the passing of State Bill
3202 bill to increase urban densification across every island, bypassing community impact and
environmental considerations when each island is unique as it is millions of years older than Hawai'i
Island and, therefore, subject to the aquifer and groundwater contamination are at different rates and
should be treated differently. The State bill that passed would override the County rules. He sent
written and oral testimony on behalf of the Hawaii County Department of Planning.
The Council must ask Mr. Segawa about his stance on public -private partnerships and demand
transparency about how he intends to address the County's pressing environmental challenges while
avoiding similar conflicts of interest and failures in leadership like Zendo Kern. Mayor Roth's
decisions to mitigate conflict of interest by recusing Mr. Kern from hearings with his past clients did
not work, and much irreversible damage has occurred in the last four years. Several contested
hearing cases were dishonored with permits rubber-stamped with offshore investors' interest before
residents, environmental impact, archeological survey, emergency roadway access, public open
spaces, and saving culturally significant spaces to expedite rezoning and development with no
accountability.
Trust and integrity are of much concern as TMT, Hu Honua, and Pohakuloa are on the table.
Hugh Ono — Director of Public Works
VIDEO: Jan. 7th After opening the video click on Comm. 53
Mr. Ono's appointment raises serious concerns due to his advanced age, lack of demonstrated
energy, and apparent reliance on his Deputy Director, Neil Azevedo, to perform the majority of his
duties, as he stated in the last meeting. This office is vital for maintaining public infrastructure, and the
County deserves leadership with the drive, experience, and innovation to deliver results. Selecting
someone simply as a placeholder does a disservice to the County and its employees. We all age,
and our kupunas carry much knowledge, yet it is time for the next generation to have this position
to lead us into our collective future. This is a circular economic opportunity for our local
constituents for someone with a vision to innovate us into the future.
While I understand the challenges in filling these roles, the Council is responsible for ensuring that the
chosen individuals are not just placeholders or favors but are truly the best candidates to serve the
public interest. I encourage the Council to ask tougher questions, hold appointees accountable, and
demand the qualifications, vision, and transparency these roles require.
Our County cannot afford to rubber-stamp these appointments without thorough vetting. I urge the
Council to prioritize the community's long-term needs over expediency and demand the highest
standards from those entrusted with these critical positions.
Mahalo for your time and consideration, as this will shape the next four years.
Maki Morinoue
Holualoa
96725
Maki Morinoue