For the second time this year a department director has left Mayor Peter Carlisle‘s Cabinet without so much as a peep from Honolulu Hale.

In July, Enterprise Services Department Director Sidney Quintal retired and moved his family to New Zealand. Now, Department of Design and Construction chief Collins Lam is out, too.

The first hint came in a media advisory today announcing a noon press conference to discuss road resurfacing projects. Managing Director Doug Chin, Honolulu City Council member Stanley Chang and DDC Acting Director Lori Kahikina will be at the intersection of Kuliouou Road and Kalanianaole Highway.

A call to the department yielded the news that Lam has been on vacation since late November and won’t be coming back before his official final day at the end of this month.

Carlisle spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy said the city hasn’t announced similar departures before. She said she believes Kahikina will take over the role on a semi-permanent basis.

“My understanding is that I believe it’s going to be her but I haven’t heard if there’s any other applicants,” McCoy told Inside Honolulu.