LIHUE — Once outgoing member Nadine Nakamura steps away from the County Council in about two weeks, the rest of the commission will have one month to choose her replacement. Last week, Council Vice Chair Nakamura announced she will be
LIHUE — Once outgoing member Nadine Nakamura steps away from the County Council in about two weeks, the rest of the commission will have one month to choose her replacement.
Last week, Council Vice Chair Nakamura announced she will be leaving her council seat to replace county Managing Director Gary Heu, who retires Aug. 31.
Nakamura’s first day in the administrative position will be Nov. 1.
Once she leaves, the rest of the six remaining Kauai County Council members will have until Nov. 30 to vote on her replacement. Any of the council members can nominate appointees before then, but the replacement will have to be approved by a majority of the council.
“Ultimately, the details will be worked out by the body, the council, as a whole,” County Clerk Ricky Watanabe said about the legal process behind replacing Nakamura, who is leaving with just over one year left on her two-year term.
The Kauai County Charter states that the successor will fill out the remaining term. In this case, the appointed seat would be up for election again in November 2014.
With less than a month left at her current post, Nakamura’s work is not finished.
The council is set to resume its discussion on Bill 2491 related to pesticides and genetically modified organisms at 9 a.m. today in the Historic County Building.
Along with Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura, Nakamura co-introduced significant amendments to the bill.
After being introduced in June, a final decision on Bill 2491 could be reached today.