Mayor-elect Harry Kim has tapped another old hand for his Cabinet.
Kim said this week that he chose Frank DeMarco to lead the Department of Public Works.
“I think we’re getting together some very good people with character who will work hard with integrity,” Kim said Thursday. “It’s one very small step in getting people to trust government a little more.”
The theme of trust and values is a recurrent refrain among Kim and his appointees.
DeMarco, a licensed professional engineer, served a short stint as Mayor Billy Kenoi’s Environmental Management director in 2010 and 2011 before suddenly stepping down.
He had been with the county since 2007, working primarily with the DPW’s floodplain management program since February 2008. He returned to DPW and retired in 2014. Before that, he was employed 26 years by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Nominations are subject to confirmation by the County Council.
“If I’m confirmed, I want to return the public’s trust to government, to make us accountable, to make us open,” DeMarco said. “I’m hearing what the people want from their government.”
Another former Kim appointee is returning to the fold, this one to lead Research and Development.
Diane Ley is the executive director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency in Hawaii and the Pacific Basin. Ley previously served as the deputy director of the department. Before that, she was the deputy to the chairperson of the state Board of Agriculture. She also operated a vegetable farm in Volcano and was an administrative assistant with the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.
Ley said she’s looking forward to bringing her experience back to the Big Island.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Ley said. “I’m coming with a working knowledge of the mission. Harry’s values are so much in line with the Hawaii Island community.”
Departments with leadership seats remaining to be filled include Planning, Environmental Management, Civil Defense, Parks and Recreation, Aging, Mass Transit and Information Technology.
“I’ve got people I’m looking at, but so far, I haven’t picked anybody,” Kim said. “I’m trying to find people who really fit. … It is so very important that people are proud of their government.”
Neil Gyotoku, a former acting Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, was named director of Housing and Community Development.
Kim said he’s received about 200 resumes from people interested in working for county government. He’s forwarding them to the appropriate departments, he said.
Kim said he’s focused only on department directors — as he wants them to be able to pick their top staff — and he apologizes for not responding personally to all the letters and resumes.
“A lot of people feel like I’m ignoring them,” he said.
Kim previously announced his corporation counsel — the county’s top civil attorney — as well as director of the Finance Department, deputy managing director for the West Hawaii office, executive assistant and his private secretary.
Joe Kamelamela, who retired unexpectedly as deputy corporation counsel under current Corporation Counsel Molly Stebbins, was named to the top legal post. Kamelamela is a litigation attorney whose most significant cases arguably surrounded the Hokulia development and Mamalahoa bypass.
Collins Tomei, manager of the Hilo branch of Territorial Savings Bank, agreed to lead the Department of Finance, Kim said. Tomei has been working as a private sector banker since 1984.
Roy Takemoto, a former executive assistant for Kim, will return to that position. Since leaving the Kim administration, Takemoto worked as managing partner in Hilo for PBR Hawaii &Associates Inc., an environmental planning and landscape architectural firm. Takemoto also served as the county’s deputy planning director between 2001 and 2004.
Barbara Kossow is returning to her former position as deputy managing director in the West Hawaii office. She served Kim during his last term and was employed at the office during most of Kenoi’s term as well.
Kim selected Irma Sumera as his private secretary. Sumera currently serves on the Pension Board.
Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.
