LIHU‘E — After reading about the long-time vacancy in The Garden Island, Donald Fujimoto, a civil engineer formerly with the Kaua‘i firm of Aqua Engineers Inc., decided to apply for the position of county engineer. Yesterday, he was named head
LIHU‘E — After reading about the long-time vacancy in The Garden Island, Donald Fujimoto, a civil engineer formerly with the Kaua‘i firm of Aqua Engineers Inc., decided to apply for the position of county engineer.
Yesterday, he was named head of the largest department in county government, the Department of Public Works, by Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste.
During a meeting with news reporters in his office at the Lihu‘e Civic Center, Baptiste said Fujimoto’s appointment becomes effective Friday, April 1. He will fill a position that has been vacant since the last County Engineer, Cesar Portugal, left that position for a civil-service slot in DPW more than two years ago.
Baptiste praised the work done by Deputy County Engineer Ladye Martin, a lawyer by trade and former deputy county attorney.
Martin, who led DPW in her role as the second administrative leader of the agency has, for one thing, sought more federal funding to improve county roads and bridges, Baptiste said.
She will continue to serve in her current capacity.
The appointment of Fujimoto brings the leadership of DPW back up to full strength, Baptiste indicated.
Finding a new county engineer also opens the way for improved planning and implementation of projects by the county agency, Baptiste indicated.
Baptiste recently told The Garden Island that he has had difficulty finding a replacement for Portugal, partly because the salary for the position, $75,000, was not competitive with what engineers routinely can make in the private sector.
Baptiste said Fujimoto, 51, made more as a civil engineer in the private sector, and will take a pay cut to take the county post.
The county charter states the county engineer must be an engineer licensed in Hawai‘i, but puts no such provision on the position of deputy county engineer.
In September 2003, Aqua Engineers won a $435-million, 50-year federal privatization contract to operate and expand the Schofield Barracks wastewater treatment plant in central O‘ahu.
Fujimoto had talked with county officials when the county engineer’s position became open in recent years, but never applied for the job, Baptiste said.
But Fujimoto formally applied for the job recently, sending in a resume, after reading a story in The Garden Island last month in which Baptiste and Gary Heu, Baptiste’s administrative assistant, announced they had yet to find a suitable candidate for the county engineer’s job.
The less-than-competitive salary and the politics of the position were cited by Baptiste as reasons for low interest in the county engineer’s job.
After being interviewed by Baptiste and Heu, Fujimoto accepted the job offer last week, the mayor said.
“He said he feels it was his time in life to give back (to the island community),” Baptiste said.
Fujimoto has spent more than 23 years in the construction industry, “providing infrastructure for Kaua‘i’s growth,” Baptiste said.
Fujimoto previously worked as general manager of Briant Construction Inc., an engineer for such companies as Shioi Construction, Koga Engineering, Rego’s Trucking Ltd., Grove Farm Properties and Roger Taniguchi Inc., Baptiste said in a news release.
“Donald’s management experience, coupled with a background in engineering, will be an asset to the Department of Public Works and the County of Kaua‘i as he assumes this post,” Baptiste said.
Fujimoto has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration, county officials said. Fujimoto is licensed as a general contractor and as a civil engineer.
Martin, meanwhile, will work side-by-side with her new boss, Baptiste said.
Martin has helped process the paperwork for the vertical expansion of the Kekaha Landfill, and has played a key role in completing the repairs to the roof of the Kilauea Neighbor-hood Center gym.
She also has convinced administration officials to look into federal program that could bring more matching federal funds to improve county roads and bridges. “We are going to keep her,” Baptiste said.
Fujimoto is a 1972 Kaua‘i High School graduate, and is the twin brother of Dr. Ron Fujimoto of Kaua‘i.
Fujimoto’s other brother is Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer for The Garden Island.
Lester Chang, staff writer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@pulitzer.net.
