Upcoming Council changes
By Laurie Au
City Councilman Nestor Garcia, now chairman of the busy Transportation and Public Works committee, hinted at possible changes in the City Council’s leadership.
Garcia, when talking about a proposal to change the rail transit route to the airport, said at today’s committee meeting he’ll leave several measures up to “the next chairman of this committee.”
With Todd Apo replacing Barbara Marshall as chairman of the City Council, that means there will be a shake up in the City Council committees.
Apo will have the sole power of choosing committee chairs, a critical component in determining the dynamics of this already bitterly-divided body.
Apo, who aligns himself with Mayor Mufi Hannemann on many issues, said this morning he has given more thought to the committee appointments, but didn’t go into specifics.
“I’ve given it more thought,” said Apo, who served as chairman of the powerful Budget Committee. “It’s a regular daily mental play. I’ve started talking to members about what their desires are and their views for the broader council. Nothing’s going to be decided until early December.”
Council members are already vying for the top committees: Budget, Zoning, Transportation and Public Works and arguably Planning and Sustainability.
Allies of Apo include Garcia, Gary Okino and Rod Tam. Apo also served as vice chairman under Marshall, who is recovering from chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer.
This may also be a time for Apo to reach out to the dissidents of the City Council — Donovan Dela Cruz, Charles Djou and Romy Cachola — to possibly capture the five votes needed to gain control of the City Council.
Councilman-elect Duke Bainum, who is replacing Ann Kobayashi, is ambitious and has already served on the City Council and could lobby for a leadership spot. It still remains too early to tell if Bainum will align himself with the majority of the council that typically sides with the administration or with the dissidents.
