HONOLULU — Kurt Lager, a nearly 19-year city lifeguard veteran, was named acting director of Honolulu’s Ocean Safety Department on Tuesday morning.
Following a closed-door ceremony inside Honolulu Hale that drew friends, family and work colleagues, Lager now leads the new public safety sector’s 271 lifeguards and eight rescue ski teams, which staff 42 lifeguard towers on beaches around O‘ahu.
The action follows Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s signing in late May of city Resolution 103, which formally created a stand-alone Ocean Safety Department, as well as his signing of the Council’s Resolution 50.
The latter measure calls for a voter-approved charter amendment on the Nov. 5 general ballot to create an oversight body, the Ocean Safety Commission.
If adopted by voters, the new commission — much like the city’s police and fire commissions — may choose the next director for water safety.
After city Clerk Glen Takahashi administered the oath of office, Lager, a 44-year-old San Diego native, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he’ll lead the approximately $24 million department “until such time as a vote in November goes through for a commission or not.”
“And either a commission will hire a chief or, if the vote is not passed, the mayor will appoint a director,” he said.
As far as priorities, Lager said his department’s focus will be on its new $2.5 million project in Kailua — a 10,000-square-foot lot that will become a single-story center for lifeguard equipment storage and Ocean Safety operations — which broke ground May 30.
“We’re excited to be building that,” he said, adding that his agency will also work on its ongoing lifeguard tower replacement program around O‘ahu. “We have a new tower going in at Kalama Beach Park.”
The city is focusing “on new positions that we need for the department, administratively, and to continue the expansion and growth,” he said.
Lager’s own annual salary as acting director will be $194,208, according to the Mayor’s Office.
Meanwhile, Lager also reflected on the recent loss of a fellow lifeguard.
Tamayo Perry, 49, died June 23 after being bitten more than once by a shark while surfing during a work break from his city lifeguard shift, in waters off Malaekahana State Recreation Area near Laie.
“We lost a really amazing waterman and lifeguard,” said Lager. “Many of our lifeguards, especially on the North Shore, were close with him.”
Perry, he added, “was just an amazing person to have around. His character and motivation and his faith was really inspiring for all of our guys,” Lager said.
But as the city named Ocean Safety’s new leader, the fate of Honolulu’s former top lifeguard remains unclear.
Chief John Titchen — a critic of the mayor’s initial plan to create the stand-alone Ocean Safety Department without an oversight panel — led the city’s Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division for 5-1/2 years, until he was abruptly suspended earlier this year.
Titchen was first placed on unpaid administrative leave, effective April 23, pending investigation of an unexplained personnel matter, the Star-Advertiser previously confirmed.
Titchen was then placed on paid leave, and to this day remains “on leave with pay,” according to city Managing Director Mike Formby.
But Formby said he did not want to discuss the matter any further. “We’re not answering any questions about John Titchen today,” he said after the ceremony. “We’re here for Kurt Lager and his (being named) acting director.”
On Tuesday afternoon Titchen confirmed he is still on paid leave but also declined further comment on his ongoing suspension.
