HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0019.032 2016-2018 P/G►Z G- COMM. l e/
COUNTY CLERK '
COUNTY OF HAWAII
RECEIVED
Law Offices Of Time .f5/3"M B r�
Date 't 111
STEVEN D. STRAUSS
Post Office Box 11517 Telephone: (808)969-6684
Hilo,Hawaii 96721 Facsimile: (808)930-3882
Steven D.Strauss e-mail:stevenstrausslawyer@gmail.com
Licensed in California&Hawai`i
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January 4, 2017
Dru Kanuha
Committee Chair
Re: Joseph Kamelamela nomination to Hawai'i County
Corporation Counsel
Dear Mr. Kanuha:
I offer my public testimony to express my concerns about the transition process to a
new Corporation Counsel. I voluntarily terminated my service as a Deputy Corporation
Counsel on October 5, 2016. As of the date of my departure, I had confidence in the
competence, integrity and dedication of each of my fellow Deputies. I was surprised to
learn that before taking office, the new administration had decided to purge the Office of
the Corporation Counsel of a number of Deputies without performance review.
In my opinion, the Corporation Counsel should be the premier law firm in the County of
Hawaii. At the time of my departure, our office had vacancies it had been unable to fill
because of salary requirements of qualified candidates, especially skilled and
experienced litigators.
I am concerned that forcing out experienced Deputies does not serve the best interests
of the people of the County. I was dismayed to learn that whom Deputies or their
family members supported in the recent election may have played a role in the
termination decisions. I was particularly concerned that a Deputy I personally trained in
private practice over several years was let go without any performance review.
Once the nominee's confirmation appeared in jeopardy, the nominee reversed course
and asked certain deputies who were told they would be terminated to now continue. I
suggest that the Committee inquire about how the decisions to let Deputies go was
made and why, if these same Deputies were not good enough to serve in the present
Comm. No. l'1. 3 Z
Ref. To: a mtvg,
Ref. Date JAN 04 217
January 4, 2017
Dru Kanuha
Committee Chair
Page 2
administration, they suddenly became qualified when the nominee's confirmation
appeared in doubt.
Please understand that I have litigated a number of cases against Joe Kamelamela over
the years, and I am not making any representations about his skills or integrity as a
lawyer. Instead, I am limiting my testimony to the process which, again in my opinion,
affects the integrity of the Office of Corporation Counsel and the County which its
Deputies serve.
Thank you for your consideration.
truly ,
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