• County manager must be non-political • D’Attilio a humble hero • Clean up after your horse • Contradictions County manager must be non-political Mahalo to the Charter Review Commission’s Special Committee on County Governance as well as to all
• County manager must be non-political
• D’Attilio a humble hero
• Clean up after your horse
• Contradictions
County manager must be non-political
Mahalo to the Charter Review Commission’s Special Committee on County Governance as well as to all the various business associations and committees that hosted the June 15 informational presentation on the county manager form of government.
The concept of having a well qualified, competent, non-political, experienced county manager who could work to implement policies set by the administration and manage our county is an appealing one.
However, I do not support the suggested appointment of this county manager by our current, dysfunctional County Council.
If we are to have a county manager, this person needs to be able to work with the mayor, council and department heads, as well as have enough job security to be able to function.
At a minimum, this person should only be able to be removed from the position by a majority vote by council and with the mayor’s concurrence.
For the county manager form of government to have a chance to succeed on Kaua‘i, I suggest the following type of hiring procedure: 1) The county develops a clear job description, list of skills, education and relevant county management experience/requirements that the ideal candidate must possess; 2) The job is posted and resumes/applications are received by the county’s personnel office; 3) A task force made up of the mayor, two to three key county department heads and two representatives from council shortlist, interview and recommend the appropriate well qualified candidate. The candidate’s appointment can then be blessed by a majority of the council.
Again, this county manager should be a non-political position/appointment. There is no point in pursuing this form of government if it is going to be a political appointee who will just add another layer of management, add cost to the taxpayers, cause conflict between council and the administration and not possess the proper skills needed to get the job done well.
I look forward to seeing how this concept and proposed implementation plan develop.
Jean Camp, Anahola
D’Attilio a humble hero
As we have heard over the years, Kaua‘i’s No. 1 rescue helicopter pilot Ken D’Attilio has again given much and risked his life to help an injured young lady in a very remote and dangerous location.
On the afternoon of June 23 I witnessed first hand his skilled experience and calm in a very scary rescue landing in Hanakoa Valley along Na Pali Coast Trail of a college student in great pain and stranded in an isolated location.
Ten helicopters failed to notice Judith Landcaster’s flagging to attract their attention until a sharp-eyed D’Attilio saved her from a very difficult and unequipped night in Hanakoa Valley.
With a helicopter full of visitors, Ken landed very skillfully at the heliport under extremely windy conditions to access the emergency and promised to return as soon as he could. True to his word, we were all surprised at how quickly he returned with four rescue specialists, who all risked their lives to land at the only landing site for many miles under very adverse conditions.
D’Attilio’s professionalism and skill, along with the rescue specialists, deserve a big mahalo from Kaua‘i. Yes, injured visitor Hayley Diamond was very thankful, but it could have been any of us or our family or friends.
Thank the Lord for men like Ken and the rescue crew for being there to risk their lives for us all. I cannot imagine the outcome if angels like them were not ready at a moment’s notice.
Visiting California college student Hayley Diamond, who slipped off an extremely dangerous part of the trail, and her mother Sherley were real troopers and always will smile thinking of Ken and crew.
On a side note, Landcaster, a visitor from Colorado, should be called a hero too for helping Hayley almost a mile to the heliport and helping flag the helicopter. She spent over four hours aiding Hayley and her mother, and would not leave until Hayley was picked up. She interrupted her long-planned hike, and not worrying about herself was just able to make it out of the trail by dark.
To all the background support workers and the rescue specialists — thank you. As to D’Attilio, I pray the angels keep flying at your shoulders to watch out for you, as you watch out for us. Mahalo.
Bill Troutman, Kilauea
Clean up after your horse
My husband and I walk the beaches every day during our annual three-month stay on Kaua‘i.
This year we have noticed an increased amount of horse “droppings” as we walk barefoot through the sand on Lumaha‘i Beach and the beaches behind the Hanalei Colony Resort.
There is nothing more picturesque than seeing a horse and rider on the beach, but please, be responsible and clean up after your horse.
Virginia Kelleher, Ha‘ena
Contradictions
I’m sure that most of Kaua‘i agrees with the premise that our County Council should be transparent and hold open meetings.
The reason I’m sure about it is because we said so quite clearly in a ballot measure last fall. But I can’t help pointing out a common contradiction seen in commentaries in The Garden Island and other newspapers.
It seems a little illogical to criticize our government for a perceived “lack of jobs” in one breath, only to decry “development and growth” in the next. Am I the only one who sees these to complaints as contradictory?
Sometimes it seems as though folks would like to see more jobs created, but don’t want to see any growth on our island. How is this possible? I certainly don’t know.
Fred Barrick, Lihu‘e
