HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0334.028 2024-2026Steven Ikaika Rodenhurst
PO Box 201
Kurtistown, HI 96760
(808)203-7450
Ikaika.rodenhurst@gmail.com
August 29, 2025
Dr. Holeka Inaba, Council Chair
Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Council Vice Chair
Jenn Kagiqada, GOEAC Chair
Matt Kaneali' i-Kleinfelder, GOEAC Vice Chair
Heather Kimball
Ashley Kierkiewicz
Michelle Galimba
Rebecca Villegas
James Hustace
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RE: Testimony in Opposition to Bill 64
GOEAC Meeting - September 2, 2025
Executive Summary
The Director of Public Works oversees critical infrastructure systems that directly affect
public health, safety, and environmental sustainability. Requiring this position to be
filled by a licensed engineer ensures that decisions are made by individuals with verified
technical expertise, ethical accountability, and a commitment to public welfare. In
Hawaii, this requirement also reflects cultural traditions of placing trained stewards —
such as the kahuna kilo wai, kahuna kilo honua, and kahuna kuhikuhipu'uone—in roles
of environmental and structural oversight.
Policy Rationale
1. Technical Competence
• Licensed engineers undergo rigorous education, supervised experience,
and national examinations.
• Their training includes hydrology, structural design, environmental
systems, and risk mitigation —disciplines essential to public works.
2.. Legal and Ethical Accountability
• Engineers are bound by a professional code of ethics and are legally
responsible for the safety and integrity of their work.
• This accountability protects the County from liability and ensures decisions
are made in the public interest. 33 Q
Comm. Np
Ref. To:
Ref. Date SEP - 2
3. Public safety and Fiscal Responsibility
Infrastructure failures due to poor planning or oversight can result in
environmental damage, public health crises, and costly repairs.
Licensed engineers are trained to anticipate long-term impacts and design
resilient systems.
Cultural Alignment with Hawaiian Values
In ancient Hawaii, technical and environmental expertise was entrusted to trained
specialists:
• Kahuna Kilo Wai: Experts in water flow and watershed management, advising on
lo'i placement and stream protection.
• Kahuna Kilo Honua: Observers of land conditions, guiding agriculture and
settlement based on soil and terrain.
Kahuna Kuhikuhipu'uone: Master planners and architects, designing structures
in harmony with the land and spiritual principles.
These roles were earned through years of training and service, not political
appointment. They reflect a cultural precedent for placing knowledgeable stewards in
positions of environmental and structural responsibility.
Requiring a licensed engineer for Director of Public Works is a modern continuation of
this tradition —ensuring that those who shape our built environment are qualified and
accountable and respectful of the land.
Risks of Non -Engineering Leadership
Appointing individuals without engineering credentials may lead to decisions
based on short-term political considerations rather than long-term sustainability.
Lack of technical oversight can result in:
• Inadequate environmental review
• Deferred maintenance due to misjudged priorities
• Infrastructure that fails to meet safety standards
Recommendation
The Hawaii County Council is urged to:
• Affirm the requirement that the Director of Public Works be a licensed
professional engineer.
• Recognize this requirement as a safeguard for public safety, environmental
stewardship, and fiscal responsibility.
• Honor Hawaiian cultural values by entrusting infrastructure leadership to trained
,and accountable experts.
Conclusion
The Director of Public Works is not merely an administrative role —it is a position of
profound responsibility. Requiring a licensed engineer ensures that this responsibility is
met with competence, integrity, and ethical oversight.