Keep his job, fire him, demote him, or promote him?

[HiloJulie]

County driver safety coordinator charged with DUI after crash

By JOHN BURNETT Hawaii Tribune-Herald | Friday, January 3, 2025, 12:05 a.m.

A Hawaii County employee whose title is “safety and driver improvement coordinator” for the Department of Environmental Management’s Solid Waste Division was arrested in the early morning of Dec. 21 after allegedly crashing a vehicle into a utility pole in Hilo.

Steven Hoolahui Kalilikane Jr., 43, of Hilo was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. He was released from custody after posting $100 bail and is scheduled to appear in Hilo District Court on Jan. 18, according to a police log.

“Police responded to single-vehicle traffic collision of a vehicle that had struck a utility pole in the 200 block of Kekuanaoa Street in Hilo at about 1:47 a.m. on December 21, 2024,” police spokeswoman Denise Laitinen said in an email. “Kalilikane, the operator of the vehicle, was arrested and charged for (operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant).”

Laitinen declined to disclose Kalilikane’s blood-alcohol content when arrested and charged, citing police general orders. The legal threshold for intoxication while operating a vehicle is 0.08% BAC.

The Administrative Driver’s License Revocation Office reviewed the incident and on Dec. 27 suspended Kalilikane’s license for a year.

Kalilikane was named the Solid Waste Division’s Employee of the Year in 2020. A press release announcing his selection didn’t specify why he was honored, but ended with the sentence, “The Solid Waste Division would like to thank all employees that have contributed to the safety, service and hard work required to provide the essential services to the people of Hawaii County.”

The Tribune-Herald inquired about whether Kalilikane can coordinate safety and driver improvement for the Solid Waste Division while legally barred from driving.

“As a matter of policy, we do not comment on personnel matters,” Wesley Segawa, DEM’s director replied in an email. “However, we are committed to thoroughly reviewing the situation and, once all relevant facts are gathered, will evaluate the appropriate course of action in accordance with our policies.”

According to court records, Kalilikane was arrested on Dec. 28, 2017, while riding a motorcycle and charged with inattention to driving, driving without a license and insurance, obstructed license plate, delinquent vehicle weight tax, no current safety check and registration not with vehicle.

He pleaded no contest and paid a fine.

Other traffic related convictions include: speeding, for driving 62 mph in a 45 mph zone on May 25, 2004; not wearing a seat belt and driving without insurance on Jan. 22, 2004; not wearing a seat belt on March 21, 2002; and running a stop sign on Oct. 9, 2000.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

[Durian Fiend]

Send him back to riding shotgun in a dump truck.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

whose title is “safety and driver improvement coordinator

People always jump to the worst conclusions.  Has anyone considered he might have been conducting first hand research as part of his job description?  To even better improve driver safety for the benefit of county workers and Big Island drivers?

Promotion.
And a raise.

[HiloJulie]

The one question the article does not really address - but whose vehicle was he driving at the time of this incident?

His own vehicle?

Or a County owned vehicle?

Maybe even a bigger promotion and raise for the latter?

[CountyWorker]

The one question the article does not really address - but whose vehicle was he driving at the time of this incident?

His own vehicle?

Or a County owned vehicle?

Maybe even a bigger promotion and raise for the latter?

Steven was not driving his county vehicle he normally drives and takes home. He was on vacation for the holidays. He is also the “safety guy” who oversees workplace safety at solid waste and wastewater. He’s done a terrible job at that. 

What is more concerning is how his poor decision is going to cost the tax payers. There is a union grievance for CDL training for employees under Department of Environmental Management as there is a shortage of drivers. They are supposed to promote within first. Now the county will have to either let him slide or have to move Doug the trainer from other department and let things fall to the side in the other department or hire an outside third party to do the training. Past practice with CDL drivers getting DUI’s was suspension without pay till they received their license back.

There are other options as far as temporarily assigning someone to his position, however there is no one available as job security was kept a priority. So ultimately his poor decisions will cost the tax payers money and county employees potential opportunities to make more money to support their families. Also, don’t forget no drivers audits for current or new hires until this debacle is addressed by Mayor Kimo Alameda.

[kalianna]

Thanks for your knowledgeable response, CountyWorker and welcome to Punaweb.

[HiloJulie]

Steven was not driving his county vehicle he normally drives and takes home. He was on vacation for the holidays.

Well, that’s good to hear in this case. Maybe it may have been not so good if he was not on vacation!

What is more concerning is how his poor decision is going to cost the tax payers. There is a union grievance for CDL training for employees under Department of Environmental Management as there is a shortage of drivers. They are supposed to promote within first. Now the county will have to either let him slide or have to move Doug the trainer from other department and let things fall to the side in the other department or hire an outside third party to do the training. Past practice with CDL drivers getting DUI’s was suspension without pay till they received their license back.
There are other options as far as temporarily assigning someone to his position, however there is no one available as job security was kept a priority. So ultimately his poor decisions will cost the tax payers money and county employees potential opportunities to make more money to support their families. Also, don’t forget no drivers audits for current or new hires until this debacle is addressed by Mayor Kimo Alameda.

So, what is the cause of the CDL driver shortage?

Is it a lack of qualified people to take the job, or a lack of qualified people to train, test, certify etc, or both? I have a distant thought of a room full of trained CDL drivers at the DMV in line to get their CDL license and the lady behind the counter rejecting their certified birth certificate because she can’t feel the “bumps” of the embossed seal! (Happened to me – although not for a CDL license, just my regular one!)

Or, is it a lack of management desire to spend the time required to recruit CDL drivers?

We saw this with the school bus driver issue before and now from what I think I am hearing you say, the County Department of Environmental Management has the same problem.

I am assuming County CDL drivers would be Union represented, unlike the school bus drivers, thus I would assume the wages and benefits would be fairly good, I just don’t understand this seemingly constant CDL driver shortage issue here.

Now I do understand that CDL licenses require more or less a spotless driving record as well as DOT random drug testing, so is it possible that the “sacrifice” any potential CDL driver has to make for this type of employment not worth the wages/benefits being paid?

Or is it all of the above?

At any event, welcome to PunaWeb!

[TomK]

I see no justification for him to keep his job if he is convicted. He has a history of not being a safe driver, whether it's with his or a county vehicle.

[leilanidude]

According to court records, Kalilikane was arrested on Dec. 28, 2017, while riding a motorcycle and charged with inattention to driving, driving without a license and insurance, obstructed license plate, delinquent vehicle weight tax, no current safety check and registration not with vehicle.

Other traffic related convictions include: speeding, for driving 62 mph in a 45 mph zone on May 25, 2004; not wearing a seat belt and driving without insurance on Jan. 22, 2004; not wearing a seat belt on March 21, 2002; and running a stop sign on Oct. 9, 2000.
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How in hell did he ever get approved to be hired in the first place?
The usual County method is...being a relative to someone.

He, along with the person responsible for his original hiring, need to be fired, immediately.

[ChunksterK]

"He, along with the person responsible for his original hiring, need to be fired, immediately." - leilanidude

I agree with you completely, but we both know it won't happen.