The Honolulu City Council will hold another hearing to reappoint Dr. Jim Ireland to lead the Honolulu Emergency Services Department — after postponing it following complaints from former employees.
On Wednesday the full council will consider whether to confirm Ireland as HESD’s director for Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s second term.
Written testimony ahead of the hearing has mostly been positive.
Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock of the Chinatown Business and Community Association said Ireland has helped address homelessness in the Chinatown area.
“We are happy to support his appointment because we want to see accountability, innovation and a serious commitment to assist and reduce the suffering of homeless folks on our streets in Chinatown," Shubert-Kwock said in written testimony.
Other medical professionals, including Gov. Josh Green, have also come to support Ireland’s nomination.
During in-person testimony at an April 3 council committee hearing, Green said Ireland has secured millions of dollars from the state because of his advocacy for various programs on Oʻahu.
That support followed a February council meeting in which several former employees, including longtime paramedics, opposed Ireland's reappointment. They complained about the department’s toxic work environment, mismanaged resources and ongoing staffing issues under his leadership.
That prompted the council to postpone Ireland’s confirmation hearing.
But Green said that Ireland “from time to time … pisses people off because it is so challenging to constantly be trying to move and come up with new programs and new ways to care for people.”
In testimony filed Tuesday, 22 parties submitted written comments in support of Ireland’s nomination.
But there were a couple of testifiers who continued to oppose his reappointment. They said department morale is low, and accused Ireland of pushing out critics and awarding promotions and jobs to friends and supporters.
Wednesday’s council hearing starts at 10 a.m.
