LIHU‘E — Less than three months after assuming the chairmanship of the county Planning Commission, James Nishida Jr. on Wednesday resigned from his position. “My decision to step down as chair is primarily due to family matters and work schedule,”
LIHU‘E — Less than three months after assuming the chairmanship of the county Planning Commission, James Nishida Jr. on Wednesday resigned from his position.
“My decision to step down as chair is primarily due to family matters and work schedule,” Nishida said in his letter of resignation.
Nishida in January had replaced Commissioner Caven Raco as chair, who is still a member of the commission. Commission chairs usually serve for one year, from January to December.
With the vacancy, Commissioner Herman Texeira nominated himself and was unanimously chosen as the new chair.
“I would like to be more proactive,” he said. “It’s not just working on the agenda. There are other matters that I would like to work on.”
Because Texeira became the new chair, he had to resign from the commission’s Subdivision Committee. Commissioner Hartwell Blake took his place, joining Commissioner Camilla Matsumoto and Jan Kimura, who chairs the three-person committee.
Wayne Katayama was chosen as the new commissioner, filling the vacancy left when Commissioner Paula Morikami took a job at the county’s Boards and Commissions office.
“She has a lot of background on public service,” Texeira said of Morikami, adding that the former commissioner has served as a county councilwoman.
Katayama will represent the agricultural sector of the commission, according to Texeira.
The commission usually meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, at 9 a.m. in Meeting Room 2A/2B of the Mo‘ikeha Building in Lihu‘e.
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