HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0043.18 - Testimony - CA-26 - Qualifications for the Director DPWFrom: Lennie Okano-Kendrick <lokano@okahara.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 2:03 PM
To: Charter Commission
Subject: Public Testimony - Comm. No 43.1
RE: Comm No. 43.1: Transmitting CA -26, Draft 2, for First Reading; Proposal to amend Section 6-2.2, relating
to Qualifications for the Director of the Department of Public Works, to remove the requirement that the
Director be a registered professional engineer and add that the required amount of years of administrative
experience to be eligible for appointment as Director be related to the powers, duties, and functions of the
Department of Public Works; as submitted by Commissioner Adams.
Honorable Members of the Hawaii County Charter Commission:
I would like to submit written testimony against the proposed CA -26 Draft for amending the County of Hawaii
Charter. A registered professional engineer (P.E.) is ethically obligated to protect the health, safety, and
welfare of the public, and must always put the public's interest before others, including personal, company,
organizational, or political interests. This is the lens a Public Works Director should be looking through when
evaluating the critical issues that affect our community well-being whether it be during normal government
operations or in crisis times of high emergency.
Public Works are infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the Government, for recreational,
employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community, and include buildings, transport
infrastructure, public spaces, and public services. On a daily basis, Engineers provide the expertise to improve
their communities through these types of projects, and earn the privilege to be licensed, registered
professionals only after demonstrating minimum educational qualifications, years of pertinent experience, and
passing a certified exam. I believe the County of Hawai'i Public Works Director should have these minimum
qualifications and experience. With the requirement for P.E. licensure waived, the County of Hawai'i risks
other factors influencing the decision-making process at high levels of Our Government.
Sincerely,
Lennie Okano-Kendrick, P.E.
Okahara and Associates, Inc.
ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS
200 Kohola Street, Hilo, HI 96720
Website: www.okahara.com
Email: lokano(&okahara.com
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Comm. No. 43.18