I just got off the telephone with the Office of Information Practices (OIP), reporting the Hawaii County Council for a Sunshine Law violation in this latest reorganization of leadership positions and consolidation of Council committees. Apparently, someone already beat me to the punch, and sent in to the OIP excerpts from community dialogue on this very blog. Thank you, readers! What inspired me specifically to make the phone call was reading West Hawaii Today reporter Erin Miller’s coverage of yesterday’s proceedings, in which County Clerk Kenny Goodenow and Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida said “even if those discussions were a Sunshine Law violation because they involved more than a quorum — in this case at least five of the council members — the ‘cure’ for the violation is to discuss it at a public meeting.” Oh, spare me. This is exactly what a lawyer, not a true public servant, would think. The public doesn’t forget and only grows more resentful of its leaders who blatantly disregard openness and transparency. As a public servant, you are to be conducting your business in the light of the day. You don’t make deals behind the public’s back, and then convene a meeting (in Kona costing taxpayers an estimated $3,000 per meeting day) and vote for legislation that scores of people spent hours offering testimony against. Clearly, the five council members who voted for the reorganization and consolidation yesterday — J Yoshimoto, Donald Ikeda, Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, Guy Enriques and Emily Naeole — are more interested in petty power plays than serving the public. I ask you to search back in your memory, have any of these five council members introduced any meaningful legislation? I submit that the only reason why they are in office is to serve their own special interest, whatever it might be, and they are capitalizing on identity politics. What has Donald Ikeda done to benefit Hawaii Island, or even the Hilo District that he represents. I submit, nothing, and yet he continues to be re-elected. What has J Yoshimoto accomplished? A smoking ban for our parks and beaches, which by my observations is not enforced and doesn’t seem to be enforceable. What have Guy Enriques and Dennis “Fresh” Onishi accomplished in their first six months of office. I haven’t seen anything meaningful coming from them, only this latest legislation consolidating and reorganizing. What has Emily Naeole accomplished? Yes, I worked as a legislative aide for her last term, and we did what we could to make the voters believe that she was actually a productive council member. But I don’t see anything significant coming out of her office since I left in December. She will tell you what an accomplishment the Steam Vents purchase is, and so will many constituents. But think about it, what can you really do with a parcel situated on the ridge of an active volcano. There are grand plans for a county-run cultural and healing center, but what about the insurance required for such an endeavor. Pretty difficult to get insurance in “Lava Zone 1.”
Meanwhile, my call to OIP was unsettling. While the OIP attorney could sympathize with my frustration — that the County Council has shown a blatant disregard for the Sunshine Law — she noted that all OIP can do is render an opinion. The Sunshine Law doesn’t have any enforcement provisions for County Councils, boards and commissions in violation, thanks to the State Legislature, which exempts itself entirely from the Sunshine Law.
Let this latest Sunshine Law violation motivate you readers to lobby your state legislators to put more teeth in the Sunshine Law, and to include themselves in it. Please, people, elect leaders who have regard for conducting the public’s business in the light of the day. Don’t just elect someone because you liked the way they looked waving at you on the side of the road. This is the kind of b.s. we get by electing leaders who are just looking out for “(their) people.”
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a provision in the Sunshine Law that all violators had to do roadside trash pickup? I would love to see all those council members who spent so much time on the roadside waving signs at us passersby take it to the road once again and engage in some community service. They could all wear matching vests in neon with “public servants” printed on their backs. Maybe then they would start to comprehend what their mission is supposed to be on the County Council. And to the voting public that has made roadside campaigning the standard, why not have a petting zoo for aspiring elected officials? We need to change the way we elect our leaders, because the current process seems to only attract buffoons with no real interest in public service.
If nothing else happens from this, I sure hope the Big Island Press Club hands the County Council the Lava Tube award — again. Consider this commentary my nomination for the title denoting the worst example of government openness in Hawaii. The Lava Tube and the Torch of Light (best example of government openness and transparency) are handed out every March. That’s nine months away so, who knows, we might have more Lava Tube qualifiers by then — maybe even more shenanigans from Hawaii County Council members to build a case against them.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:57 am
“The tests results came back in November and the news was bad; the cancer on the body politic was out of remission. The patient died at 6:30 pm, on June 16th.”
June 17th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Tiff, THANK YOU for becoming the the public service provider I was hoping for when you opened this website. While I appreciate your running articles on whats going on from a lifestyle perspective in Puna, THIS is what I want from you. No holds barred opinions on our government, such as it is. I agree with you 100% and I hope your words begin a groundswell from the community to get these jokers to get serious about serving us, not themselves, and letting us in on what’s happening WHEN IT’S HAPPENING, not after the fact. I’m as angry as you are.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Perhaps its time for Ballot Initiatives Tiff.
As long as The AJA/Union Party is in charge of County & State Politics your pleas are going to fall on deaf ears.
That is why they passed a Sunshine Law with no enforcement!
I’m wondering if maybe we citizens could pass a ballot initiative with violation of the Sunshine Law with previsions as you describe? Hummm….
Unless there are penalties imposed for violations, the Island will just muddle on with the political bickering, the underhanded business deals, the secret agreements, and the pretending of “paying attention” to the everyday working stiff.
But you go girl! it is worth a try, just don’t let it get in the way of Life!!
June 17th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Tiffany… Mahalo for your blog. I too was at the meeting and saw the blatant (ab)use of power by the Gang of 5…
Be aware, I have heard (rumor rumor rumor) that committee chairs will soon control ALL legistlation and action in and out of their committees. It would appear the public should be vigilant to any move to further consolidate power into the hands of the few. Again Mahalos to you and ALL bloggers and citizens activists in our community.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Aloha Tiff,
I called OIP Monday p.m. Talked with an attorney and, upon her instructions, emailed the OIP Director.
At the end of my brief testimony yesterday I informed the Council that I had asked the OIP to investigate.
Will follow up with them today and let you know what I learn.
Also, Brenda Ford said yesterday that she intended to call OIP today.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Why do they call it a sunshine “law” if it’s more like a sunshine “idea” or sunshine “thing”?
June 17th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Aloha Don I see by your photo that perhaps you know what a P-11 Ranger is? Maybe even heard of Suzi Greenway too???
June 17th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Guy’s GOP handlers are pulling his strings & I’m surprised they let him off the leash so soon. I suspect Richard Onishi does not condone his brothers lack of respect for voters or his temporary absence & lack of accountability. HGEA is a very democratic organization & being unavailable would not be tolerated. As for Em’s steam baths – remember the Kohala Task Force.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:47 am
anon- sure, those p-11′s rock… I have a ’72 commando… good for the arteries… I don’t know Suzi
June 17th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I really, really would rather know a person’s name especially when they have good ideas like this one:
anon said: “a ballot initiative with violation of the Sunshine Law”
How about a County Sunshine Ordinance? or, much better, Charter Amendment?
what say ye?
June 17th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I prefer to remain anonymous James.
I LOVE the image of of having our sunshine law violators out picking up the trash along side the road. Say 100 hours between 6am and 6 pm for each violation. And I’d make them all do it together.
This is still a Republic where the voter decides what will happen to a point, so it is going to be up to us individual citizens to band together to oppose this coordinated attack on liberty.
If someone can get a ruling on language I’d be glad to help circulate a petition putting teeth in the Sunshine Rule.
Can someone get an opinion from David Kimo Frankel??
I liked the concept of what the voters did with the Green Harvest ballot question (power to the people), but I could only shake my head at the logic behind it.
June 17th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Thank you for your blog and the service you provide.
This “third world” style government needs to end, NOW!
June 17th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Received this today from OIP:
“request has been received and will be assigned to a staff attorney this week.”
btw: On a totally unrelated and personal/business matter I have this week been in contact with another State government office. They were scrambling and struggling with the impact of the employee furlough.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Don Ever know anyone who rode a Norvin?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Aloha anon… the only two other norton owners I have known personally rode atlas and commando, as I’m sure you know, norton owners are a bit of a cult. Norvils are still being built by a few fanatics, as far as I know. keep the rubber on the ground…anytime you wanna talk scooters I’m at eugenesblues@gmail.com
June 19th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
[...] to look into what she believes to be a Sunshine Law violation amongst her colleagues on the Hawaii County [...]
June 26th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
[...] the public’s focus was on the Council reorganization and Sunshine Law violation, at the same meeting in which they reorganized, council members unanimously approved a bill that [...]
July 6th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
[...] for the Office of Information Practices regarding Hawaii County Council Member’s recent Sunshine Law violation. I have got to say that I’m pretty disappointed with our head county attorney. I do [...]
January 5th, 2010 at 10:03 am
[...] 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 [...]