On June 16th, 2009 the Hawaii County Council passed a re-organization resolution that sent a majority of the island population into a frenzy about unequal representation, disregard for the sunshine law, and even entertaining the idea of splitting the county into two.
The re-organization which effectively removed the Dominic Yagong from the Finance Committee Chair, Pete Hoffman from Vice-Chair of Council and Brenda Ford from Chair of the Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations committee was revoked upon Judge Ibarra issuing a TRO against the council. The re-organization did occur at a later date, much to the disappointment and chagrin of West Hawaii residents.
Brenda Ford, James Weatherford and West Hawaii Today filed a complaint with the Office of Information Practices some months ago, and the opinion of the OIP was released on Big Island Chronicle here. The opinion of the OIP was that there was indeed a violation of the sunshine law -although was it was unintentional.
However, ignorance of the law should be no reason to justify breaking it.
Council Chair J. Yoshimoto is an attorney, who graduated from the William S. Richardson school of law in Honolulu. Additionally, it was he and County Clerk Kenneth Goodenow who traveled to Kamuela to speak with Pete Hoffman with regards to the re-organization, which set off the chain of serial communications. Kenneth Goodenow, is also an attorney.
The reality of county politics- in any county is merely a popularity contest. Serious issues such as this are often forgotten or lost by a majority of voters when it comes down to election time. The voters that will remember these actions and any actions that have made citizens unhappy are actually the voters in the districts where the councillors were removed from power.
The one who might have the most to lose from this whole situation is Emily Naeole-Beason, current Vice-Chair of the council and District 5 representative. Puna residents have made their disapproval heard via Big Island Chronicle, Op-Ed letters to the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, comments on news articles, and various other mediums. In fact, ethics charges were brought against her by members of her own constituency- with regards to behaviors exhibited by Naeole-Beason during county council meetings. She has been considered for a long time the swing vote on the council when it comes to controversial legislation. However, she made herself quite unpopular with her vote in support of the re-org- justifying her vote with something along the lines of not having former district 5 councillor Gary Safarik having “anything over her”.
But the major question is- who was ultimately responsible for this re-organization, and will the voters in this person’s district remember?
Guy Enriques, freshman Councillor representing District 6 and Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, also a freshman Councillor representing a District 4.
As the sponsors of this legislation, it will be interesting to see if the residents of their districts remember what happened, the fallout, the loss of time, money and upset sent throughout the island. Should qualified candidates run in the election this would be useful in their campaigns- especially if opposing candidates were to run on “transparent government” platforms.
