Makes me wonder
In regards to “Roth to take oath Monday” (Tribune Herald, Dec. 2), Hawaii County Clerk Jon Henricks, in picking former Hawaii County Mayor William P. “Billy” Kenoi to give the welcome, or opening speech, says, “There are people out there that probably feel he shouldn’t be able (to) speak publicly, I can guarantee it.”
You can count me in on that.
I watched Kenoi as he pranced around slapping people on the back and yakking them up.
I saw him on numerous trips to Honolulu.
Little did I know that he was putting hostess bar visits and drinks on the government credit card afforded him for official business. He got cases of liquor on that same card and even bought a surfboard and bicycle equipment.
When asked why he did not use his personal credit card, he notoriously said he did not have a personal credit card.
Kenoi destroyed my belief in honesty in county government. Dredging him up to give a speech as a new administration takes office does nothing to rehabilitate him, in my mind.
What it does do is to cause me to wonder what I might expect from Henricks and the new administration.
Gerry Baldwin
Hilo
Off to a bad start
I had to read it twice, because I couldn’t believe it.
Ex-Mayor Billy Kenoi is giving the opening speech at the inauguration of Mayor-elect Mitch Roth (Tribune-Herald, Dec. 2)?!
What a terrible way to kick off a new administration. Shame on you guys!
Makes me miss Harry (Kim) already.
A. Yamamoto
Hilo
TMT complaint
The Hawaii County Board of Ethics is reviewing an ethics complaint pertaining to the county’s actions at the Thirty Meter Telescope protests on Maunakea Access Road.
Yes, I have read the corporation counsel’s legal opinion, which states the county largely has no jurisdiction up there — it’s a state issue.
The county’s took their cues from the state as far as any enforcement action on the protesters. I don’t have a problem with the latter, but I do have a problem with a singular county action that crossed the line.
This was when county manpower and equipment, which is taxpayer funded, was used to lay and grade an aggregate material pad on the lava rock for the benefit of only the protesters.
This not only broke state environmental laws, but also inappropriately used taxpayer funds for the sole benefit of one group.
I strongly believe the focus of the ethics complaint should be narrowed to investigate who approved the use of county funds to do this work.
These individuals should be held accountable for their actions.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona
Mahalo, police
Per the Tribune-Herald’s Big Island Report arrest log, between June 2 and Dec. 2, within a six months period, there were approximately 2,281 persons arrested here on the Big Island, from warrants, to DUIs, to serious felony cases.
What is also interesting to note, is many of the same names appear over and over for other crimes committed.
Kudos to the men and women of the Hawaii Police Department and to other law enforcement agencies here for keeping us safe.
And to those of you who complain about law enforcement officers not doing their jobs: 2,281 arrests in six months — not too shabby!
Rick LaMontagne
Hilo