The Board of Ethics on Wednesday dismissed a complaint against Mayor Billy Kenoi and his former campaign manager Kimo Alameda, after receiving assurances from the county Human Resources Department that Kenoi wasn’t involved in Alameda’s appointment as executive of the Office of Aging, and that Alameda had the requisite two years supervisory experience.
The complaint, filed by Kapaau resident Lanric Hyland, charged political favoritism in the hiring process that ended with Alameda being hired at the top of the salary range. The $110,000-plus position oversees a department of 12 employees.
Kenoi closed his campaign account on June 23, after the complaint was filed, according to state records.
HR Director Sharon Toriano said the hiring process included applicants being vetted by the HR Department, followed by a review and interview process by a panel selected by that department. The job was advertised for 10 days, 22 people applied and six were interviewed, she said.
Hyland wanted to know how many people did Alameda supervise and when.
“It’s a simple question,” Hyland said. “Who did Mr. Alameda spend two years hiring and firing?”
Recruitment and Examination Division Head Gabriella Cabanas said Alameda said he had supervised four employees in his job with the state Department of Health in 2001. According to his resume, Alameda worked from 2001-04 as a transition and behavioral specialist for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division. The resume doesn’t report supervisory experience there, but does report supervising 15 technical assistance consultants on four islands for the Department of Education from 2000-01.
In 2005, he moved to the Adult Mental Health Division as the director of the Office of Multicultural Services. In 2010, he headed up the Department’s Office of Health Equity, an office of one. He previously worked for the Department of Education and as an instructor at Argosy University.
Ethics Board member Douglass Adams appeared satisfied. He said in his time in the military, there were a number of positions, such as non-commissioned officers, who weren’t technically supervisors, but who were charged with overseeing their troops.
“The definitions are important,” Adams said, “but then … do you have responsibility for others?”
The Office of Aging, unlike departments set by the county charter, does not require County Council confirmation of its director. But most council members, when reviewing the program budget on April 23, praised Alameda for the office.
The position requires at minimum a bachelor’s degree in social work, sociology, psychology, gerontology, counseling, public health or related field, according to documents obtained by West Hawaii Today.
Alameda holds a master’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a doctorate in educational, psychological and cultural studies from the University of Nebraska.
Documents show the salary range for the position is $63,228 to $110,988, but Alameda was hired at the top of the range.