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From: Nimr Tamimi <nimr.tamimi@epinc.pro> <br />Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2019 11:48 AM <br />To: Charter Commission <br />Subject: CA 26 written testimony <br />Aloha Charter Commission Members: <br />I oppose CA -26, the proposal to amend Section 6-2.2 relating to Qualifications for the Director of the Department of <br />Public Works. It is vital that the Director's qualifications continue to include the requirement to be a "registered <br />professional engineer", more accurately, a "licensed professional engineer (P.E.)" because: <br />1. The Director frequently makes engineering decisions as part of their duties and responsibilities, in fact has the <br />power to over -rule engineering decisions made by his or her subordinates; many of these decisions potentially <br />affect the safety, health, and well-being of the public; <br />2. The adverse risks of an unlicensed engineer, or a non -engineer, over -ruling the engineering judgement of local <br />DPW engineering staffs, have been well-documented by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), <br />and is an unacceptable risk for Hawaii County; <br />3. Licensed P.E.'s are bound by the NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers, which first cannon states that "Engineers, in <br />the fulfillment of their fundamental duties, shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public". <br />The very concept of engineering licensure was developed over a century ago after a series of engineering disasters <br />causing much damage and fatalities occurred, due to inexperienced persons making critical engineering decisions. <br />Degrading the nationwide system of licensed engineers in responsible charge of matters of vital engineering decisions <br />goes against the need to "hold paramount" the safety of the public." <br />If you are not able to stop this, we would like to ask you to postpone your vote and to include discussion with the local <br />engineering community to help craft and amendment that would make sense for the County of Hawaii and for the <br />Engineering Community. <br />NimrY.Tamimi, P.E. <br />1 <br />Comm. No. 43.37 <br />