Hawaii County director appointments raise questions

HILO, Hawaii – The confirmation of Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd as Environmental Management Director is generating some controversy.

The appointment was made by Mayor Billy Kenoi, but needs the approval of the Hawaii County Council.

The Environmental Management Director is in charge of managing the solid waste, wastewater, and recycling programs of the county, according to the county charter. However, the charter’s section on job qualifications has Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille’s attention. Wille wrote in a recent newsletter to constituents:

Margaret Wille

“One of the concerns with this appointment is that Ms. Leithead Todd does not meet the qualifications for this position specified in our County Charter (our County’s Constitution). Specifically in the Charter that position requires a degree in engineering, which Ms. Leithead-Todd does not have. This job qualification was added to the Charter by the voters in 2010.”

The section of the Hawaii County Charter reads:

Section 6-10.3. Director.
The director of environmental management shall be appointed by the mayor, confirmed by the council, and may be removed by the mayor. The director shall have had a minimum of five years of administrative experience in a related field and an engineering degree or a degree in a related field.

Leithead-Todd, who has a law degree, is no stranger to the position. In 2007-2008,she held the OEM director job. Still, Wille’s concerns are echoed by Kona resident Cheryl King, who wrote in an email to Big Island Video News:

Cheryl King

“In my opinion, this is a job she was not qualified for then and is not qualified for now. The county and the Mayor do not owe her a job. We have a solid waste management crisis that needs to be dealt with. We cannot afford, both financially and otherwise, to overlook strong, qualified candidates in favor of a political appointee who is not trained to understand the technical aspects of the job.”

Leithead-Todd tried to address these concerns on Facebook, in the group called “Opala in Paradise”, which was started to organize rubbish cleanups in communities around the island.

Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd

“Lono Tyson who was the former DEM director and an engineer recommended the amendment to the charter to add a degree in engineering or a degree in a related field. since a significant part of the job at DEM is compliance with federal, state and county codes, managing and drafting contracts, applying for permits, compliance with EPA mandates, managing personnel and compliance with union contracts, I believe that a law degree is a related degree that applies to managing the department. apparently Lono, the author of the Charter language agrees as he has written a letter of support for my appointment citing my experience, qualifications and law degree as making me suited fir the position.”

The confirmation of Duane Kanuha as Planning Director is also generating concern from Wille. Kanuha is taking over the position vacated by Todd. He, too, was once director of the same department.

Margaret Wille

“Mr. Duane Kanuha has a background as a Land Use Planning Commissioner, as a previous County of Hawaii Planning Director, and as the representative of various developer organizations including being connected to Surety Corporation’s Mahukona development in North Kohala. One question I have is with regard to his approach to the Community Development Plans and the role of the Action Committees. The previous Planning Director, Bobby-Jean Leithead-Todd, took a restrictive stand on the CDPs and the role of the Action Committees – which restrictive stand was rebuked by Circuit Court Judge Ibarra, in the Missler vs. County of Hawai‘i et al. case.”

The Hawaii County Council meets in Hilo on Wednesday (July 10)…

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