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Committee forwards Wesley Sagawa for Hawaii County public works director after extended Q&A
Summary
The committee voted to forward Mayor Alameda’s nomination of Wesley Sagawa as director of Public Works with a favorable recommendation after questioning on permitting reforms, maintenance prioritization, and potential conflicts; roll call recorded seven ayes, one no and one absence.
Hawaii County’s committee on Government Operations and External Affairs on Dec. 2 voted to forward the mayor’s nominee for director of Public Works, Wesley Sagawa (also spelled in some material as Seagawa/Segawa), to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
Mayor Kimo Alameda introduced Sagawa and credited him with improving performance while serving at the Department of Environmental Management, saying the administration had hired “over 40” positions and seen better project estimates. “We did find a director for the department of public works, and he is right here on my right side,” Alameda said.
Sagawa, who described himself as transitioning from DEM to DPW, told council members he is still in an assessment phase and outlined early priorities: streamlining the permitting process (including evaluating the EPIC permitting system), addressing repair and maintenance backlogs, and improving customer service. “I think I'm in the assessment phase ... I need to collect data, set up a plan and a strategy and start to execute that,” Sagawa said.
Council members asked detailed questions about Sagawa’s methodology for prioritizing repairs and maintenance, how DPW could support affordable housing (permitting, concessions within standards) and how his department would coordinate with others. Council member Kirkowitz pressed for a concrete vision and said he wanted Sagawa to return in a few months with a more detailed plan.
Council member Villegas raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest tied to the nominee’s private-sector company receiving public contracts in the past and asked how procurement and ethics compliance would be handled; Sagawa said he had followed Board of Ethics guidance and that procurement laws require disclosures, and that where legally required he would seek the Board of Ethics’ opinion.
After discussion the committee moved to forward the nomination with a favorable recommendation. The roll call recorded seven votes in favor, one no (Council member Villegas) and one absence (Connelly Kleinfelder). The nomination now goes to full council for confirmation by Jan. 16, 2026.
The committee's questions focused on operational priorities rather than a formal objection to the nomination; the committee asked for follow-up reports on permitting, staffing, and plans to address deferred maintenance.
