I imagine more than a few people will be rejoicing at the news that Ian Costa has tendered his resignation to the Planning Commission — a development that was brought to my attention in the comments section of today’s earlier post.
Just the other day, a friend was wondering whether Ian, a holdover from the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste, would be out now that Mayor Bernard Carvalho has appointed enough Planning Commissioners to wield the ax. So perhaps the man who has been described to me by more than one person as “thuggish” saw the writing on the wall.Or maybe Ian decided his job would be untenable with JoAnn Yukimura back on the County Council.
The question now is whether they've found another job for Ian in the county, or if he'll end up at Grove Farm....
Interestingly, Bernard suggested the Commission appoint Deputy County Attorney Mike Dahilig, who was assigned to planning, land use and public works issues, as interim planning director, rather than Imai Aiu, the deputy planning director.
According to Mike's bio on the UH Board of Regents website — he started as a student Regent and was appointed to the at-large position in 2009 — he “has completed coursework for Manoa’s master’s in urban and regional planning.” His JD is in environmental law.
Still, he's only 11 years out of school — high school, that is. (He's a Punahou grad.) And it does not appear he has ever actually worked as a planner. Or a manager.
Mike's appointment is intriguing in light of the role that he played in the "Wala`au with Dickie" episode. It seems to confirm reports I heard that Bernard was the one pushing hard for the ag TVR bill.
And now, if the Commission goes along with approving his appointment, Mike will be in charge of implementing that ordinance.
Should be interesting.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
35 comments:
It will be interesting if the Council has to approve the appointment of Dahilig to the Director position.
Is Imai leaving too? Something seems fishy. I wonder whose next?
Punahou! Just like the President. Maybe he'll be just as effective.
Ian resigned? I'm doing my happy dance!
Maybe he'll be just as effective.
November 18, 2010 8:50 PM
don't jump the gun, probably an ax man to clean up the department, with no actual management or planning experience (as you indicated).
Will the Planning Commission be advertising for the new director's position or will the interim be permanent?
If I were Mayor I would want someone with respected experience - this island is too valuable to place in the hands of inexperience.
unless the Mayor just needs a puppet
which directors and staff were appoint under Bryan?
let's make a list to see which will be crossed off in the next two weeks.
this is the testing of the mettle, who is appointed will speak volumes about if this is his first full and last term or not.
Maybe having someone without the "experience" would be better than having someone jaded yet so connected, their hands always being tied (see Mayor, Ian, et al.)...can't be any worse!
We need experience, not someone who was connected to Bernard's campaign... hopefully he knows we need a real planner
anyone know what the break point was?
The Charter, Section 14-04 states, "The planning director shall be appointed and may be removed by the commission. He shall have a college degree in either planning, engineering, or architecture, or he shall have had a minimum of five years of training and experience in a responsible planning position, at least three years of which shall have been in an administrative capacity in charge of major planning activities."
unless the Mayor just needs a puppet...
Uh, but the Mayor IS THE PUPPET!
The selected planning director should be a certified planner with actual working experience - that way ethical obligations to the profession would outweight the political puppetry.
November 19, 2010 10:15 AM
so how is the interim appointment satisfy those requirements?
what Joan has researched shows that he has not worked long enough or managed anyone?
Is this a qualified appointment?
dee crowel anyone?
i rarely enjoy the comments page, but yesterday's "the rest of the story part 2" Anon commenter at 12:10 pm broke this story 28:28 before the local paper. kudos!
dee crowel anyone? no, we're moving forward, not backward, only in comparison to Ian was Dee a good planning director. Tom Shigemoto was the last good director, but he ain't coming back.
Oh, the Coconut Wireless has it that Peter Nakamura will be named the deputy since he will not be reappointed as Clerk. Gotta take care of Peter since he was holding hands with this administration all along.
November 20, 2010 8:27 AM
that sounds like a good bet.
Maybe the interim will become permanent after he's in long enough to claim work experience. Sound right?
"The selected planning director should be a certified planner with actual working experience - that way ethical obligations to the profession would outweight the political puppetry."
Perhaps you're right, perhaps policy decisions should be based upon facts and objective criteria, and maybe our elected officials should vote on issues based upon what is right for the people instead of the monied interests that fund their campaigns, and . . . Nah!
Which campaign didn't include the magic words, will work for the good of Kauai? It's all campaign promises, different story after the election
let's hope our new governor appoints qualified individuals that will represent the best interests of the land and the people...instead of satisfying politically owed favors.
Chatter is Ian will go to Parks under Lenny Rapozo. This move should further p.o. Parks folks. Instead of 1 boss who gets paid for being absent, they will have 2. No wonder no one wants to answer the phones in Parks.
Mike Dahlig is young and ambitous; he will do what he is told. Peter Nakamura? That sounds wild but if he's in the Planning Dept. is in Bernard's bag. Bernard's transparency applies to his motives as well.
Whatever happened to Bernard's PRE-CAMPAIGN report card? It's gone MISSING. And will he keep AA Heu who started the rumor of Waldorf Wilson being the suspect responsible for recent deaths of haole women? Turns out Wilson was not even on the island.
Sigh, it's the START of 4 years Bernard is betting the public will not even remember. Meanwhile, HE WILL be hard to forget. Bernard will contine to work on name recognition. He's on facebook, twitter, AND local TV. Our county funds are paying for his publicity. Who said he's just a big dummy?
"under Lenny Rapozo."
IF Lenny stays in parks...might be an AA opening upstairs...
Ian is a nice guy. Those who describe him as "thuggish" must be malihinis who think of locals as "mokes".
Anon wrote: And will he keep AA Heu who started the rumor of Waldorf Wilson being the suspect responsible for recent deaths of haole women?
Just to clarify, it was Gary Heu's wife who circulated an email saying Wally Wilson was back on island. It did not suggest he was a suspect in the recent deaths of haole women.
"Ian is a nice guy."
Almost anyone who has meet with him will tell you, he is one Mr. Aloha.
This distressing email was sent to me by my piano teacher whose
husband plays a big part with the county (assistant to the mayor).
Please pass this information on to anyone you can think of.
Karen
_________________________
Remember those 2 murders and one almost murder on the westside a
while back? Gary told me this evening that the guy that KPD thought
did them but could not prove that did them is out of jail and
apparently back on island - his name is Waldorf Wilson and if you
search Sex Offenders in Hawaii you will find a picture of him.
Apparently he rides a bike - targets middle-aged caucasian women and
is currently thought to be living in Puhi. Look up his picture.
Keep an eye out for him. Don't go camping alone on secluded
beaches. He attacked one woman that was gardening in her yard I
think. Not trying to be paranoid but Gary thought it was important
enough to tell me tonight to 'be careful'......just sayin'.
For everyone who has asked - I hope this link works!
http://sexoffenders.ehawaii.gov/sexoffender/details,A0116377.html
This is original email that was forwarded. Did Gary's wife just make it up? Was he/she just trying to scare women on Kauai?
And as far as racism, the old time Japanese democrats and Senator Inouye all backed Bernard so I can't see him eliminating the Japanese from his administration.
Posted the previous comment about racism but I realized that I had just read yesterday's comments to Garden Island and thought I read it here.
As I reported previously, the email was based on a report of a Wilson sighting that police later determined to be unfounded.
The thuggish and do whatever they want planning inspectors gotta go next. Hope dahilig brings rule of law to planning. Disagree with everyone who complains he's not a planner. Right now its more important that the PD knows law.
"Right now its more important that the PD knows law"
What you say? All planning dept and director as well as PC decisions should be based on the rules and laws... it's not that we need the director to be a lawyer, but to know and utilize existing laws is what should be as well as shoulda been. The county lawyers (Mike included) have been advising Ian, so what will change? Ian is a nice guy, but as planning director failed mightily to follow laws and rules. That was evidenced by the many lawsuits filed against the planning dept, PC and director.
I don't care what race or color our county appointments are, just that they follow the laws of the land, not make up their own. I guess we'll see by the person they choose, if experience or politics matters.
What has to change is the "let 'em build whatever they want" on ag land attitude. Otherwise, why waste time with planning laws?
On Kauai..... Planning Deptartment = Oxymoron....all anyone has to do is drive around the Island.
Post a Comment