Mayor’s second
nominee bows out

Another member of Mayor Mufi Hannemann's Cabinet is leaving city government before being confirmed.

Kevin Yoshino, Hannemann's choice to be director of the Department of Customer Services, said yesterday he is about to become a father for the first time and will not be able to meet the demands of his new job.

Yoshino will be replaced by Salvatore Lanzilotti, who was former Mayor Jeremy Harris' director of emergency services.

Hannemann also appointed longtime city employee Ann Niino as customer services deputy director. Niino served for the past five years as a parks permitting officer and prior to that as an information specialist with the Department of Customer Services.

Last week, Hannemann's pick to be managing director, John Reed, backed out after allegations in a lawsuit that Reed made racially derogatory remarks to employees while he was chief executive officer of the teeth-whitening company BriteSmile. Reed denied making those comments and initially planned to stay on, but he later withdrew his nomination after speaking with his family.

Earlier in the week, Hannemann appointed the 13th member to the Charter Review Commission after the nomination of the person appointed by Harris expired.

Hannemann chose James Pacopac, legislative liaison with Pacific Resources Partnership, a joint program of the Carpenters Union and private construction contractors.

The Council and Harris each named six members to the commission. The 13th member is chosen by the mayor and confirmed by the Council.

Harris had nominated former Department of Land Utilization Director John Whalen to the 13th spot on the commission that will consider whether changes to the City Charter are needed. Harris even called the Council back into special session last month to vote on his nominee, but the Council sent the nomination back to committee.

Because the Council did not confirm the nominee before Hannemann took office, Hannemann got a chance to make an appointment to the commission.

Hannemann also named as executive assistant Joyce Oliveira, currently a senior aide to Councilman Romy Cachola and former aide to Hannemann ally Donna Mercado Kim, a former city councilwoman and now a state senator.

Oliveira will be Hannemann's liaison with the City Council. Hannemann said he would not appoint a chief of staff, so Oliveira will hold the highest appointed position in his office. City officials did not have information on her salary available.

Hannemann also named businessman Paul Yonamine as his senior adviser. Yonamine, who is already volunteering to help Hannemann with a review of the city's finances and operations, will be paid $1 a year in the position.