HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0043.39 - Testimony - CA-26 - Qualifications for the Director DPWFrom: Josh Lopez <josh.lopez@epinc.pro>
Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2019 11:59 AM
To: Charter Commission
Cc: Nimr Tamimi
Subject: CA -26 Letter of Opposition
To whom it may concern,
I oppose CA -26, the proposal to amend Section 6-2.2 relating to Qualifications for the Director of the
Department of Public Works. It is vital that the Director's qualifications continue to include the requirement to
be a "registered professional engineer", more accurately, a "licensed professional engineer (P.E.)" because:
The Director frequently makes engineering decisions as part of their duties and responsibilities, in fact has the
power to over -rule engineering decisions made by his or her subordinates; many of these decisions potentially
affect the safety, health, and well-being of the public;
The adverse risks of an unlicensed engineer, or a non -engineer, over -ruling the engineering judgement of local
DPW engineering staffs, have been well-documented by the National Society of Professional
Engineers (NSPE), and is an unacceptable risk for Hawaii County;
Licensed P.E.'s are bound by the NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers, which first cannon states that
"Engineers, in the fulfillment of their fundamental duties, shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of
the public".
The very concept of engineering licensure was developed over a century ago after a series of engineering
disasters, causing much damage and fatalities, occurred, due to inexperienced persons making
critical engineering decisions. Degrading the nationwide system of licensed engineers in responsible charge of
matters of vital engineering decisions goes against the need to "hold paramount" the safety of the public."
Regards,
Josh S. Lopez
Engineering Partners
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Comm. No. 43.39