As Mayor Mufi Hannemann prepares for his second inauguration, he will likely change his Cabinet slightly that could include bringing in outgoing state Rep. Kirk Caldwell.

The only official change at this point in Hannemann’s Cabinet is the departure of Henry Eng, director of the busy Department of Planning and Permitting, who is retiring at the end of this year.

But Hannemann declined to elaborate on other directors rumored to be leaving the city after his first term, as he continues to meet with them individually.

“I’m very much knee deep into the whole Cabinet reshuffling, reassignment,” Hannemann said in an interview with reporters. “Some of them are opting to take retirement or go back into the civil service position. I’m not at liberty right now to say who’s going where.”

Hannemann, who has had several Cabinet changes, has a pattern of moving directors around internally or promoting city employees.

One person that has a strong chance of joining the administration include Hannemann ally, Caldwell, who lost his seat in Legislature. He filed to run for City Council, in part because of Hannemann’s influence, but was disqualified from both seats due to a procedural mix up.

Many had speculated whether Caldwell would fill the city’s No. 2 spot as managing director, which would put him in a nice spot to run for mayor should Hannemann seek higher office in 2010.
Both had declined to comment on specific positions.

“Kirk is very much in the mix for something in this administration,” Hannemann said. “He has expressed an interest, and that’s all I can say right now.”

Caldwell said, “I would look at whatever offers would come along and look to see if that was something I could assist the city with and the mayor. I can’t get more specific because there’s nothing specific on the table.”

Hannemann said he could have more concrete Cabinet decisions by next week or at the latest before Jan. 2, his inauguration day.