A city employee said the city is retaliating against him for complaining about violations of procurement laws and personnel practices. Worker alleges
city Transportation
Department violationsHis lawsuit claims that the city
broke laws on procurementBy Debra Barayuga
dbarayuga@starbulletin.comMilton Migita, an administrative services officer with the Department of Transportation Services, filed suit yesterday in Circuit Court against the city and Transportation Director Cheryl Soon.
According to the complaint, Soon placed him on leave Thursday, issued a letter of reprimand and barred him from the department's offices.
In his suit, Migita alleged he complained repeatedly about questionable procurement practices, personnel actions and the city's failure to take action about an employee who made violent threats.
Because of his complaints, he said he received substandard work evaluations and was not allowed military leave shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He also alleged Soon struck him on the head twice, while another witness was present, during a meeting in 1998.
The procurement violations he cites include the after-the-fact purchase of equipment for Mayor Jeremy Harris' vision program; disguising certain city expenses that would be considered over budget -- such as Honolulu City Lights -- by charging them to other accounts; purchase of services and equipment such as tripod stands, a power train lift and fuel adapters without proper purchase orders or approval; and absence of documentation approving the purchase of a $20,000 van.
He also alleged excessive overtime abuse, questioned the parceling of purchases to avoid procurement requirements, the city's payment of telephone expenses for a consultant who is not a city employee and payment for an architect's contract in August 1998 which was not approved until January 1999.
City Corporation Counsel David Arakawa said in a statement that Migita's complaints appear to have little merit, are several years old and are likely in retaliation for disciplinary actions taken against him recently.
"The law prohibits comment on specifics because this is an employee-related matter, but the city has acted in the best interest of the safety and well-being of city employees and the public," Arakawa said.
City & County of Honolulu
