Fifty-three city employees have moved into Kapolei Hale and officials are hoping the three-story building will be fully occupied by mid-February. City workers settle into
new digs at Kapolei HaleThe employees' union is still
pushing for a new shuttle serviceBy Gordon Y.K. Pang
gpang@starbulletin.comThe recent moves end questions over which employees would make the move to the $19.8 million building that opened in February in the second city.
The most recent tenants moved into the second floor over the last two weekends, city Managing Director Ben Lee said yesterday.
Lee said they include: 17 inspectors from the Department of Planning and Permitting; 17 administrative personnel from the Department of Facilities Maintenance, including Director Ross Sasamura and Deputy Director Alvin Au; and 19 people from the Department of Community Services who run the federal Section 8 and rehabilitation loan programs for the city.
They join about 19 employees on the first floor who began operating the satellite city hall, a driver's licensing office and a one-stop permit section when the building first opened, Lee said.
That move will consist of between 65 and 70 administrative, engineering and clerical staff of the Department of Environmental Services, including Director Tim Steinberger and Deputy Director Frank Doyle; 48 administrative and clerical staff of the Parks and Recreation Department, including Director Bill Balfour and Deputy Director "Skippah" Diaz; and 18 real property assessors from the Department of Budget and Fiscal Services.
A majority of issues raised by relocated employees have been addressed, according to both Lee and Guy Tajiri, field services officer for the Hawaii Government Employees Association.
There are still some outstanding issues. For instance, the union is seeking a shuttle service from Honolulu for employees, Tajiri said.
The biggest resistance to relocation came from Environmental Services employees. About 20 will stay in Honolulu because of medical hardship or because it was shown that it made more sense to keep them where they are now.
Mayor Jeremy Harris unveiled plans for the civic center in October 1996 and said he hoped it to be occupied by early 2000. But construction was delayed when cement in the courtyard began to crack.
Discussion over who should move began more than a year ago, but Lee brushed off criticism that negotiations with the HGEA also contributed to the delay in moves.
City & County of Honolulu
