Acting Kaua'i Mayor Gary K. Heu and county officials today assured residents that daily operations will not be disrupted by the death yesterday of Mayor Bryan Baptiste.

"The bottom line is that we have a group of good and very capable department heads and in working with the (County) Council we are committed to providing for the health, safety and well-being of this community," Heu said in a news release.

County Attorney Matthew Pyun added, "The charter provides that there is continuity until such time as a new mayor is put into office. The administrative assistant works closely with the mayor, and that's why this person is empowered to go on."

Heu was Baptiste's administrative assistant and has served as acting mayor capacity on numerous occasions when the mayor has been off island. Heu plans to meet with department heads daily, rather than weekly, to ensure county operations are not disrupted.

County Clerk Peter Nakamura, Kaua'i's chief elections officer, is researching issues regarding the holding of an election for the mayor's office in 2008.

Under Kauai's charter, any time the mayor's seat is vacant, the administrative assistant steps in as acting mayor until a new mayor is appointed or elected. The County Council is empowered to select a new mayor from among the Council's members by a majority vote, but Council members have not met together on the issue.

A mayor selected by the Council would have all the powers and duties of an elected major, but would only serve until another mayor is elected.

"We know what the charter says. Now it's a matter of implementing it," Nakamura said.

Formal funeral arrangements have not yet been completed.