HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0334.044 2024-2026I P Courid I
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September 17, 2025
205 OCT -2 PM 2- 29
Via Email: counciltestimonv@hawaiicounty.eov_
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. 64'�AN ORDINANCE TO INITIATE AN
AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, CHAPTER 2, SECTION 6-2.2, OF THE CHARTER OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
(2024 EDITION), RELATING TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I am writing once again 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 Department of Public Works including the
Director of Public Works on numerous projects. Based on my experience, I can testifywith certainty that
it is critical that the Director of Public Works be a registered professional engineer who has been through
rigorous training and has demonstrated a knowledge of fundamental engineering principles.
I attended the committee hearing on 9/16/25 and was astonished to hear how little the County Council
members knew about the actual duties and functions of the Director of Public Works. Your questions to
the Acting Director revolved around plan stamping and managing consultants. There is a lot more to it
than that. The County Code allows the Public Works Director to grant variances to code requirements. In
order to determine whether a specific variance request would function to protect public health and
safety, the director needs to have some technical understanding of design standards and code -related
issues. An attorney, public administrator, or business major would not have the technical expertise to
make these critical decisions. Even though some council members did not seem to be aware of the duties
and functions of the Public Works Director they approved of the proposed charter amendment. That was
very disappointing to witness. Before you proceed much further, please reach out to me and my
colleagues so that you can gain perspective from those of us who have vast amounts of experience in the
design and construction of infrastructure projects. Please review the County Code to see what impact the
changes you are proposing would have to public health, safety and welfare if the Director of Public Works
has no technical knowledge regarding public works projects and code compliance.
The County Council should strive to provide the best possible governance to the citizens of the County of
Hawaii. That includes ensuring that employees such as the Director of Public Works are highly qualified to
make the crucial decisions that provide for the best possible outcomes regarding public health, safety and
welfare. Please ensure that the qualifications for the Director of Public Works include an engineering
license. Not only is it imperative that the Public Works Director is qualified to make critical technical
decisions to safeguard public -health and safety, but the Director should also be knowledgeable about
technological innovations in the industry and how to apply those innovations to the best advantage for
public welfare.
Sincerely,
Nancy E Burns, P.E. Comm.
Ref. To:W-1
Ref. Date OCT — 8 2025