The Honolulu City Council will hold a special meeting today toward the selection and appointment of a new director for the Office of Council Services.
The Council has formed a Selection Advisory Committee — comprised of Chair Tommy Waters, Vice Chair Esther Kia‘aina and Council member Calvin Say — that is expected to assist in appointing a new person to that directorship role, which lasts for a six-year term.
The position directs the day-to-day executive management of the OCS, which aids the Council in crafting city legislation and conduct research as part of the Council’s normal legislative process.
As of the November 2022 election, voters officially approved the OCS’s addition to the Honolulu Revised City Charter as a full-fledged legislative branch agency — at the same level as the City Clerk and City Auditor’s offices. And that voter-approved amendment also explicitly granted the OCS the authority to provide the Council with legal advice.
The OCS serves all Council members equally, the city says.
The director’s position, which pays about $187,488 per year and includes benefits similar to those earned by civil service employees, is currently held by James Williston, the city says.
Although he occupies the post, Williston’s term as OCS director expired in March.
In July, Waters introduced a resolution to form the selection committee to find a successor for another six-year term. The deadline to submit resumes for that job was Sept. 18. The director’s post is expected to be filled by January, the city says.
Prior to the meeting, the advisory committee provided few details regarding the selection process or the number of candidates who’ve applied for the OCS director position.
“Because it is a personnel matter, we can’t say anything at this time,” Say told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser by phone. “That’s the problem that we have … on a personnel matter, it’s all confidential.”
Kenny Amazaki, the Council administrative services officer, also confirmed the selection process for this public official could not be publicly disclosed.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to share information regarding personnel-related matters,” Amazaki told the Star-Advertiser via email. “Out of fairness to all candidates, if Council members opt to discuss their expectations for a candidate, it is likely to occur during the committee meeting.”
Council staffers also confirmed the advisory committee’s deliberations will mostly be held in a nonpublic executive session.
In its official job
announcement for OCS director applicants, the Council’s “ideal candidate” would have experience and qualifications that include a license to practice law in the state of Hawaii; possess at least five years of experience in law or other government-related field, with a preference for 10 years in either or both fields; and has management and legislative experience.
Meanwhile, the primary duties and responsibilities of the OCS is to provide advice — including legal advice — to the Council, its committees and to Council members on all legislative matters brought before them. That work includes proposals for legislation submitted by Council
members, the executive branch, other legislative branch agencies, or the
public, the city says.
And as granted under the charter, the Council, by a two-thirds vote of its nine-member panel, can appoint staff attorneys to the OCS to serve as special counsel “to represent the Council in court litigation where the dispute is with the executive branch and the corporation counsel may represent the executive branch offices or agencies,” the charter reads.
The meeting will be held at 1 p.m. inside Honolulu Hale’s multipurpose room, Room 205. If necessary,
the Council can continue this meeting to Oct. 19 or Oct. 20, its agenda states.
