Mayor Peter Carlisle’s nominee to the city’s No. 2 post goes before a City Council committee for vetting today, while two other Cabinet appointees — holdovers from the previous administration — sailed through their respective hearings yesterday.

Doug Chin, Carlisle’s nominee for managing director, faces the Council’s Executive Matters and Legal Affairs Committee this afternoon.

Chin is among five Cabinet appointments being vetted in committee this week, and the only nominee new to Council members.

The four others are holdovers from Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s administration being asked to stay on permanently by Carlisle. Other Hannemann appointees were asked to stay on as temporary appointments until Jan. 31, at which time a decision will be made on permanently filling the posts.

The appointment of Noel Ono as director of human resources also is being heard today. Gordon Bruce, who was asked to stay on as director of information technology, faces Council members Friday.

Meanwhile, David Tanoue, reappointed as planning and permitting director, and Tim Steinberger, reappointed as environmental services director, sailed through their committee hearings.

Both were approved by 5-0 votes. Their nominations now go before the full Council at the next regular meeting Nov. 22.

About three dozen people, including Carlisle, testified yesterday in support of Tanoue’s appointment.

"David has my absolute, unqualified confidence and support," Carlisle said.

Tanoue outlined the department’s success under his leadership in being able to take advantage of new technologies and streamline many of the processes involved with planning and permitting.

The strong show of support was in contrast to Monday, when about a dozen residents opposed Tanoue’s appointment, objecting to the city’s handling of a proposed development for the Koolauloa area north of Brigham Young University-Hawaii.

Opponents criticized the lack of transparency to the process, noting that when the project was unveiled last month, members of the area’s Planning Advisory Committee said Tanoue informed them the plan was moving forward only after he had met with BYUH officials and other interested parties.

Tanoue said members of his staff routinely attended advisory committee meetings to solicit community input and report back to him. He said he meets regularly with interested parties on all projects, and noted that such meetings are not subject to public notice requirements.

"As far as I can see, Mr. Tanoue did not do anything inappropriate," said Councilman Gary Okino. "I don’t see how we can find any fault in his nomination."

Steinberger’s nomination received no public testimony yesterday before the Public Infrastructure Committee.

He outlined his department’s successes in getting curbside recycling expanded islandwide and getting preparations in order for a third boiler to be operational at the city’s refuse-to-energy HPOWER plant by 2012. Steinberger also touted the recent "global settlement" of claims alleging deficiencies in the city’s waste-water collection and treatment systems, noting that the agreement will allow upgrades to be completed at a lower annual cost to ratepayers.