The state Legislature has appointed Les Kondo, head of the state Ethics Commission, to serve as state auditor.

That means Kondo will be working for the Legislature to watch over the executive branch, instead of monitoring the ethics of both the legislative and executive branches.

Kondo was criticized last year by House Speaker Joe Souki because of the new rules Kondo put in place, which included reining in gifts to lawmakers. Souki says his disagreements with Kondo are all in the past.

The House and Senate voted to approve that and other appointments Friday.

Evaluation lauds Maui’s fire chief

The Maui County Fire and Public Safety Commission lauded Jeffrey Murray for his positive attitude and vision in its annual evaluation of the Maui Fire Department chief.

“The review of our fire chief included participation from all commissioners, and the results were very favorable,” said William “Butch” Soares, chairman of the commission. “We are so fortunate to have the best fire chief in the state, and his positive attitude drifts down to the whole department.”

The evaluation, required under county charter, focused on Murray’s leadership, communication, participation in community activities, promotion of a professional presence in the community and management of the department’s budget. The review also considered the updated MFD strategic plan.

Center will now accept e-waste

The Puhi Metals Recycling Center in Lihue will accept recyclable electronic waste, such as television sets and laptop computers, without charge starting June 1.

“We are pleased to announce the new service on Earth Day (Friday),” said Lyle Tabata, Kauai’s acting county engineer, in a news release.

“This will allow our residents and businesses to recycle their old electronics responsibility, keep toxic waste out of our landfill and preserve our resources for future generations,” Tabata said.

The center’s operator, Resource Recovery Solutions, will pack the e-waste and ship it to Washington state, where items will be disassembled and separated for recycling. A list of items that can be brought to the center, 3951 Puhi Road, is available online at kauai.gov/ewaste.