Posted at 5:01 p.m., Friday, January 4, 2008
New Honolulu city cabinet members named
Advertiser Staff
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced several changes to his Cabinet.The mayor promoted deputy construction director Craig Nishimura to head the Department of Facility Maintenance.
He will replace Laverne Higa, who requested to return to her civil service position in the Department of Design and Construction, Hannemann said. Higa will also become the mayor's liaison to Honolulu's Okinawan community.
Hannemann said Higa had done an outstanding job overseeing her department.
"She's had the unenviable task of catching up with many years of deferred road maintenance, as well as keeping up with the repair of aging public facilities," he said.
Nishimura's old position will be filled by Russell Takara, the senior army program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Pacific Ocean Division.
Hannemann also appointed Mark Oto his deputy director for budget and finance. Oto has served as senior advisor to the Department of Community Services, and was formerly chief of staff for state House Speaker Calvin Say.
Oto will be replaced by Ernest Martin, who directs the Office of Special Projects of the Department of Community Services.
Hannemann also switched deputies in the departments of Parks and Recreation and Enterprise Services. Parks deputy Dana Takahara-Dias will move to Enterprise Services; and enterprise deputy Gail Haraguchi will move to the parks job.
