HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0334.038 2024-2026GOEAi✓
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Antoinette L Nakatani am.5N
PO Box 119
Hilo, Hawaii 96721
Cell: 808-938-2799
September 12, 2025
County of Hawai'i
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Hawaii County Clerk's Office
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25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1402
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Hilo, Hawaii 96720
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counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov
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Subject: Opposition to Bill 64 -Testimony from Antoinette L. Nakatani to '' f
Honorable Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Hawaii County Council,
I am writing to submit my strong opposition to Bill 64, which proposes to remove the
requirement that the Director of Public Works be a licensed professional engineer (PE).
The Department of Public Works is responsible for the most critical infrastructure that protects
public health and safety: our roads, bridges, traffic, structures and drainage. These are not
merely administrative functions; they are complex engineering systems whose failure can have
catastrophic consequences.
A licensed PE is bound by a strict code of ethics to "hold paramount the health, safety, and
welfare of the public." This legal and ethical obligation is non-negotiable. It ensures that the
individual overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in public infrastructure projects has the
proven technical expertise to evaluate designs, understand risks, and approve plans that are
notjust cost-effective, but fundamentally safe.
Removing the PE requirement introduces an unacceptable risk. It opens the door for decisions
to be influenced by political expediency, cost-cutting pressures, or personal connections, rather
than being grounded in proven engineering principles. The director must be able to
independently validate the work of staff and contractors, a task for which a PE license is the
baseline qualification.
The safety of our communities, our roads and infrastructure is too important to compromise. I
urge you to protect the integrity of this vital position and vote NO on Bill 64.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Me Ka Ha'aha'a,
Antoinette L Nakatani
Council District 2
Comm. . cis
Ref. To:
Ref. Datel 6 2025