Mayor Jeremy Harris is losing one of his most senior and key advisers, Randall Fujiki, the fourth department head to leave since July. Harris losing fourth
department chiefA senior adviser to the mayor
says that he will resignBy Gordon Y.K. Pang
gpang@starbulletin.comFujiki, city director of planning and permitting since 2000, announced yesterday that he is resigning effective at the end of the month.
Fujiki, an architect and planner by trade, will become a senior vice president for Construction Management & Development Inc., a private, Honolulu-based international construction management firm.
Fujiki has been with Harris since 1994 when he accepted a position as director of the former Building Department. After a citywide reorganization of departments in 1998, Fujiki switched to director of design and construction.
Harris praised Fujiki for helping to streamline government permitting processes and for being a leader in the city's vision team program.
Fujiki will be replaced temporarily by Loretta Chee, deputy director for planning and permitting and longtime director of the former Department of Land Utilization. Harris spokeswoman Carol Costa said Chee, who has 44 years with the city, was offered Fujiki's job permanently but declined and will retire at the end of the year to spend more time with her family.
Costa said there is no timetable for finding a permanent replacement.
Three other major department heads have left recently. Caroll Takahashi, city director of budget and fiscal services, resigned effective the beginning of July. Her replacement, longtime Deputy Director Ben Dimond, left at the end of July. Ross Sasamura, city director of facility management, also resigned at the end of July.
Deputy Corporation Counsel Chris Diebling has been acting budget director, while Larry Leopardi took over as facility maintenance chief.
Fujiki and Takahashi were both subpoenaed by an investigative grand jury last month and questioned about alleged improprieties involving city contracts and contributions made to the Harris campaign committee.
City & County of Honolulu
