Mayor shuffles his Cabinet
Wayne Hashiro, the new city managing director, has drawn City Council criticism
Mayor Mufi Hannemann shook up his Cabinet yesterday, choosing a new managing director for the third time since he was elected in November 2004.
Wayne Hashiro, currently the director of the Department of Design and Construction, will take over the city's No. 2 position, which pays $111,384 a year.
He replaces Jeff Coelho, who will become director of the Department of Customer Services. Salvatore Lanzilotti, the current department director, will retire at the end of the month.
Hannemann said that Hashiro's background in construction and as an engineer will serve the city well.
"The managing director's position now will be filled by someone who I believe will be able to speak to the many engineering, technical, design and construction issues that we're facing," Hannemann said.
Hannemann cited Hashiro's decisions early last year to cancel millions of dollars in construction projects started by the previous administration of Mayor Jeremy Harris.
Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz said he and other Council members were not happy that they did not hear about those projects being cut until they read about it in the newspaper.
"Wayne Hashiro cut a lot of projects that had community support without any input or without notifying Council members." Dela Cruz said. "The managing director needs to be communicating with Council members."
Dela Cruz said that when confirmation hearings begin, "I'm definitely going to ask him about it again."
Council Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi said she believes Hashiro will make a good managing director. "I hope Wayne Hashiro knows of the long hours he'll be keeping. I guess that's one of the job requirements," she said.
Kobayashi said that Hashiro is open and honest, traits that should help in the back-and-forth discussion between the administration and Council.
Just over a year ago, Hannemann's first choice for managing director, former teeth- whitening company executive John Reed, withdrew his nomination. Hannemann then tapped former radio executive Coelho, who was initially criticized for not having any experience working in government.
"Yes, it is a difficult job. It is a time-consuming job. It is a job that requires great attention to detail," Coelho said yesterday of being managing director.
Council members praised Coelho's work during the past year but said his new post is a perfect fit.
In other changes:
» Hannemann selected Melvin Kaku to be the new director of the Department of Transportation Services, replacing Ed Hirata, who retired last year. Kaku is a civil engineer and director of environmental planning for the U.S. Navy.
» U.S. Army engineer Richard Schiavoni will succeed Hashiro as Design and Construction director.
» Joan Manke, currently second-in-command at Customers Services, will become the Neighborhood Commission executive secretary replacing Baybee Hufana-Ablan, who will become the second-in-command at the Department of Emergency Services.
» Danilo "Danny" Agsalog will leave that post at Emergency Services to join the Department of Community Services as its senior adviser. Former Board of Education member Hubert Minn will take Manke's place at Customer Services.
Hashiro, Coelho, Kaku, Schiavoni and Manke are all subject to Council confirmation.