Two proposed charter amendments aimed at altering the qualifications for key Hawaii County department heads have failed to pass the full County Council. The defeat shelves changes that some officials argued might have helped with recruitment for hard-to-fill leadership roles.
**Bill 64: Public Works Director Qualifications**
Bill 64 sought to ease the qualifications for the director of Public Works by requiring a bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, business, public administration, or a related field, along with at least two years of experience in public works or a related discipline. Currently, the Public Works director is required to be a licensed professional engineer.
The bill also proposed that the deputy director be a licensed professional engineer responsible for overseeing engineering duties. However, the measure fell short on October 8, receiving only four votes in favor—two short of the six required to pass.
Neil Azevedo currently serves as the acting director of Public Works, filling the vacancy left by Hugh Ono, who retired in March. A permanent replacement has yet to be found.
**Councilmember Concerns**
During the Council meeting, differing viewpoints emerged:
– Councilmember Dennis Onishi questioned the practicality of the proposal, stating, “We’re having a hard time finding a director with a license… how are we going to find a deputy at a lower pay with a license?”
– Councilmember Heather Kimball criticized the county’s recruitment efforts for the deputy position, saying, “If the entire intent of this is to respond to the challenges of finding a person to fulfill this position… I do not think substantial efforts have been made to actually find this person.” She added, “I have done some digging and this has not nearly been advertised to the extent that you would expect.”
Kimball also raised concerns about the Council potentially exceeding the time frame set by the County Charter for appointing a new director. She warned, “We are in… the equivalent of a constitutional crisis, a charter crisis, if you will, because we are actively in violation of the charter as it stands. That becomes a legal issue, and we certainly wouldn’t want it to come to that, because that doesn’t present a desirable outcome for anyone.”
Councilmember Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder highlighted engineering oversights under former Public Works Director Ikaika Rodenhurst, a licensed engineer who was sworn in early 2021 and left in 2022. Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder noted, “One piece of very compelling testimony I found very concerning… was from our failed director of Public Works, Mr. Rodenhurst, who also spoke on behalf of the engineering society and spoke to the effect that Bill 64, if passed, would be a public safety concern. I found this paradoxical.”
**Mayor’s Statement**
Mayor Kimo Alameda issued a statement Monday addressing the issue:
“Currently, the County Charter requires the Public Works director to be a registered professional engineer, which unfortunately restricts the pool of applicants. In addition to education, there are other qualifications that should be considered when choosing someone to run a department, such as an individual’s practical experience and leadership abilities.”
“I believe the public deserves a say on whether the existing requirement is truly necessary, and it is disappointing that a majority of the Council members chose not to place this decision before them,” Alameda said. “Still, I hope that this conversation continues and that we can find opportunities to apply a more common-sense approach to our hiring practices.”
**Bill 72: Environmental Management Director Qualifications**
Meanwhile, Bill 72 proposed new qualifications for the director of Environmental Management, including five years of experience in relevant fields. However, it also failed on second reading, receiving only five votes—falling short of the two-thirds majority required.
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With these charter amendment measures stalled, the challenge of filling critical leadership roles in Hawaii County’s departments remains unresolved, leaving officials and residents alike awaiting further discussions and solutions.
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/10/17/hawaii-news/hawaii-island-lawmakers-reject-effort-to-ease-qualifications-for-key-post/
