Qualifications in charter for the following positions are as follows:
"The Managing Director shall have had five years of experience in an administrative capacity, either in public or private business or both."
"The Director of Finance shall have had a minimum of five years of experience in a public or private financial position, at least three years of which shall have been in an administrative capacity."
"The Planning Director shall have had five years of experience in the field of planning, three of which shall have been in an administrative capacity."
Assuming the candidate met the time requirement as written now, a manager of a fast-food restaurant could qualify for the managing director's position; a bank teller promoted to a supervisor could qualify as finance director and a permit clerk promoted to a supervisor could qualify for planning director.
The mayor should be able to appoint qualified individuals to head the various departments without council approval. Instead of acceptance or rejection by council of an appointee by the mayor, why not tighten up the qualification requirements? College degree in an appropriate major would be nice. How about work experience commensurate with position sought?
With an appropriate qualification requirement established with assistance of council, there would be some satisfaction of knowing a qualified person is in the job. Human resources could determine if the potential appointee met the qualification requirement with no appeal of the HR finding. Prior experience in the appointed position wouldn't be qualifying.
Ken Taira
Haiku
