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Facilities Maintenance proposes small budget increase, presses staffing and equipment needs for storm and stream response
Summary
Gene Albano, director of Facilities Maintenance, told the Committee on Budget the department’s FY27 proposal is $135.8 million, a modest increase; he emphasized 220 vacancies, new facilities to maintain (including 22 North School Street and a Blood Bank building), and a planned stormwater planning study to prioritize aging infrastructure.
Gene Albano, director and chief engineer of the Department of Facilities Maintenance, presented the department’s proposed FY27 operating budget of $135.8 million to the Committee on Budget on March 11, saying the plan represents a modest 0.64% increase and focuses on reducing vacancies and maintaining new city facilities.
Why it matters: DFM handles road maintenance, stream clearing, public building upkeep and storm-response equipment. The department’s staffing and equipment posture affects the city’s ability to respond to storms and keep transportation links open.
Albano said DFM recorded roughly 220 vacancies (as of March 1) and asked for staff and current-expense allocations tied to two new facilities: 22 North School Street (proposed ADRC headquarters) and a Blood Bank building that will require utilities and maintenance. He told members the department has reestablished a multi-year equipment and operator-training program intended to create promotion pathways and provide redundancy for major equipment.
Members pressed Albano about equipment redundancy and waterway capacity. Albano described an "N+1" redundancy goal for major machines, said a second crane and additional excavators are being put into service across the island, and described plans to certify additional crane operators. Program Administrator Randall Wakamoto said a stormwater planning study funded by the Climate Resiliency Fund was in procurement and will help prioritize aging infrastructure should a stormwater utility fee be considered.
Albano confirmed that a prior one-time revenue recovery related to damaged streetlights would not recur in FY27, explaining part of the revenue decline shown in slides. He also said the department maintains pump and vacuum assets for flood response and that some emergency-response equipment was funded in earlier budgets.
What’s next: The committee requested updates on vacancy-fill progress and the status of the stormwater planning contract; no formal actions were taken at the session.
Sources: Presentation and Q&A with Gene Albano, Director and Chief Engineer, Department of Facilities Maintenance; Program Administrator Randall Wakamoto; Committee on Budget, Honolulu City Council (March 11, 2026).
