The specter of privatization will not affect current Kaua’i County workers. That was the message from Mayor Maryanne Kusaka’s top assistant, Wally Rezentes Sr., during recent county budget talks with the County Council. Councilman Kaipo Asing took exception to the
The specter of privatization will not affect current Kaua’i County workers.
That was the message from Mayor Maryanne Kusaka’s top assistant, Wally Rezentes Sr., during recent county budget talks with the County Council.
Councilman Kaipo Asing took exception to the administration’s style of revealing possible privatization of county services. The mayor notified the council officially in her supplemental budget that the Legislature’s recent authorization of privatization would speed the same on Kaua’i.
“We have already begun to formulate a plan to complement county work crews who provide janitorial services at six beach parks,” the mayor had stated.
There have been complaints about the condition of beach park restrooms, and new equipment in the bathrooms has been vandalized.
“It’s a slap in the face” to the United Public Workers union, Asing said. “This is a cold way to do it.”
But Rezentes said Asing’s concern was unfounded.
“We’re not touching layoffs here. This isn’t managed competition. We’re testing a program under privatization. This does not affect anyone on the (county) payroll at all,” Rezentes said.
“Everybody wants the restrooms to be clean,” Councilman Jimmy Tokioka said.
Rezentes told the council the administration was not ready to meet with unions because no privatization plan had been completed.
“We’re meeting with the governor” this week to discuss collective bargaining, privatization and related issues, he said.
Kusaka has said she hopes to privatize janitorial services for the new police station-prosecutor’s building, transportation base yard and dispatch center currently being built.
Beth Tokioka, county spokeswoman, said there is more privatization on the horizon and that Kusaka would discuss it publicly in the near future.
Gilbert Nobrega, United Public Workers division director, was unavailable for comment.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net
