HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0400.003 2024-2026P /Council
Bill 12
COUNT Y CLERK (,omgoo
COUNTY OF HAWAI;
Via Email: counciltestimonyCcbco.hawaii.hi.us
September 15, 2025 2075 SEP 15 PH Z 16
Honorable Chairman Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba and Members of the Hawai'i County Council
Dear Chairman Inaba and County Council Members,
Thank you for the opportunity to present this testimony on Bill No. 72, AN ORDINANCE TO INITIATE AN
AMENDMENTTO ARTICLE VI, CHAPTER 10, SECTION 6-10.3, OF THE CHARTER OF THE COUNTY OF
HAWAI'I (2024 EDITION), RELATING TO THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.
I am Writing to oppose the proposed Charter Amendment. I am a licensed professional engineer with over
40 years of experience. I have been involved with the design and construction of many county
infrastructure projects and have interfaced with the Director of Environmental Management on numerous
projects. I am very familiar with the roles and functions of the Director of Environmental Management and
can testify with certainty that it is critical that the Director of Environmental Management be a registered
professional engineer or a person with a degree in a related technical field who has been through rigorous
training and has demonstrated knowledge of fundamental scientific principles. The role of the Director of
Environmental Management requires critical decision -making on very technical issues that require
scientific study and training. I have dealt with a Director of Environmental Management in the past who
had a law degree with no technical training or knowledge and that person was unable to make decisions
regarding technological issues. The staff was too afraid to make decisions or recommendations and so
opportunities for technological advancements and cost savings for the taxpayers were lost. I request that
you amend Bill 72 to require a bachelor's of science degree (BS degree) in engineering or environmental
science as well as technical training in environmental issues. Experience in public administration,
business administration or a related field is not sufficient to provide the necessary knowledge and skills
required to run the Department of Environmental Management.
The County Council should strive to provide the best possible governance to the citizens of the County of
Hawaii. That includes assuring that employees such as the Director of Environmental Management are
highly qualified to make the crucial decisions on infrastructure projects that provide for the best possible
outcomes regarding public health, safety and welfare. Whywould you want to water down such a critical
position to allow non -technical persons to make the final decisions on highly technical matters? From
what I read it appears that the complaint is mainly that the Mayor is having difficulty finding a candidate
that he likes. Just because something is difficult doesn't mean we should lower our standards. The people
of the County of Hawaii deserve better.
Sincerely,
Nancy E Burns, P.E.
Comm. ��
Ref. To:
Ref. Date 2025