Hawaiʻi County Public Works Director Hugh Ono will be retiring March 31. Deputy Director Neil Azevedo will serve as acting director until a permanent replacement is found.

Ono, who was previously Public Works Director from 1984-1990, will be re-entering retirement to focus on family obligations.

In a press release Ono said, “Our department has accomplished a lot in a short amount of time, including reducing the review time for building permits and increasing responsiveness to traffic improvement and safety requests. I can’t say enough about our team, and I am thankful for the opportunity to lead such a talented group of people. I also want to express my deep gratitude to Mayor Kimo Alameda for his support and entrusting me with the responsibility to serve the community.”