Mayor Billy Kenoi’s executive assistants charged nearly $143,000 on their county-issued credit cards — including airfare for a local surfer, a helicopter ride for visiting dignitaries, and wine that was gifted during a trip to the state Capitol — since the start of his administration.
Mayor Billy Kenoi’s executive assistants charged nearly $143,000 on their county-issued credit cards — including airfare for a local surfer, a helicopter ride for visiting dignitaries, and wine that was gifted during a trip to the state Capitol — since the start of his administration.
The expenses exceed Kenoi’s own purchasing card charges, which are the focus of an investigation by the state attorney general after Big Island newspapers reported he had used the card for personal expenses, including visits to Honolulu hostess bars.
The mayor, who through a spokesman declined to be interviewed for this article, charged $129,580.73 and has reimbursed taxpayers $31,112.59 for non-county business before his pCard was revoked. Many of the reimbursements came within months following the personal charges.
A review of county records the Hawaii Tribune-Herald obtained through a public records request found $142,885.60 in pCard charges among the eight executive assistants who have worked for Kenoi since 2009. Of that, $9,086 was reimbursed.
The charges were typically for travel and lodging for themselves and others, meals, meeting refreshments, and gifts for dignitaries or awards, according to his staff.
Deputy Managing Director Randy Kurohara said in an email that he acts as the pCard coordinator for the mayor’s office and is responsible for reviewing monthly expenses.
While the executive assistants work under Kenoi, Kurohara said the mayor hasn’t served as the office’s pCard coordinator.
“Any purchases that require more clarification are reviewed with the executive assistant, and charges determined not to be official expenses are reimbursed,” Kurohara said.
Still, it was not clear how all of the charges pertain to county business, and some might have been violations of the county’s pCard policy that prohibits charges for alcohol and personal items unless “specifically authorized.”
For instance, Executive Assistant Charmaine Shigemura used her pCard to pay Jimmy “Ulu Boy” Napeahi’s way to a California surfing competition in 2012. The flight to Orange County, Calif., cost the county $1,270, and the expense wasn’t reimbursed.
The Kalapana surfer said he was 15 at the time and had asked Kenoi, who is from the same hometown and also surfs, for a sponsorship to get him to the event. Napeahi, who is now 18, said he didn’t know the county was paying for the trip.
“I went and I talked to him,” he said. “He (Kenoi) said, ‘No problem,’ and he booked the flight.
“I was stoked because I was going to California.”
Napeahi added, “Whatever Billy Kenoi did to [expletive] up, he did on his own.”
Shigemura said in an email that Napeahi was representing Hawaii Island as a “youth ambassador” at a U.S. youth surfing championship.
While there are restrictions on purchasing alcohol with county funds, Executive Assistant Clarysse Nunokawa acknowledged that she bought $348.03 worth of wine at Tamura’s Fine Wine store in Honolulu in April 2014.
Nunokawa said in an email late Friday afternoon that she bought wine to use as omiyage, or gifts, for legislative visits.
Taxpayers weren’t reimbursed for that charge.
A former aide, Craig Kawaguchi, spent $309.36 at Hawaii Nui Brewery in Hilo in August 2009.
Kawaguchi, who now works in the county Department of Environmental Management, said in an email that “soda dispenser/canisters” were purchased for a statehood anniversary event in Hilo. No alcohol was purchased, he said.
A woman who answered the phone Friday at the brewery said they don’t sell soda but do sell empty soda kegs.
Former Executive Assistant Ilihia Gionson, who is now the county’s film commissioner, spent $127.02 at Kadota Liquor in Hilo on Sept. 16, 2012. He reimbursed the county for the expense the next month, with a note that read, “Used wrong credit card.”
“The charge at Kadota Liquor was wine for a dinner function,” Gionson wrote in an email. “I misunderstood that the dinner was the mayor hosting dignitaries — it was instead a charity dinner for a local nonprofit hosted by the mayor. When I realized the error, I reimbursed the charge when the statement came in.”
About half of the aides’ total expenses, or $71,217.19, were for travel and lodging expenses for themselves and others. There also were restaurant bills, all together totalling $20,173.14, and about $51,495.27 was spent on a wide range of miscellaneous expenses, including purchases at local supermarkets and hardware stores.
There were also numerous charges at Big Island Candies and floral shops, totalling $2,226.07 and $1,991.37, respectively.
“As in the case of purchases at Big Island Candies and lei stands, gifts are presented to dignitaries as a regular practice of our office in accordance with local custom,” Nunokawa said.
Kurohara said the food charges are for “official meetings over meals.”
“These are decisions made at the discretion of the cardholder and approved or disapproved by me at the monthly review,” he said.
Among the highest restaurant tabs was a $1,686.41 bill at Hilo Bay Cafe in April of last year for the Shibukawa, Japan, sister city reception, and a $992.18 charge at Uncle Billy’s Restaurant in 2010.
Napeahi wasn’t the only non-county employee whose airfare was covered by the pCards.
In December 2012, the county paid for a $280 flight for comedian Andy Bumatai, who was in Hilo to interview Kenoi for his television show.
In November 2010, the county paid $2,262 for flights for professional longboard surfer Duane DeSoto and nine others from his nonprofit Na Kama Kai to travel to the Big Island, where they put on a pair of ocean clinics in Hilo and Kona for children.
Diana Bertsch, Ironman World Championship event director, also had her $295.40 interisland airfare covered in June 2014.
Former Executive Assistant Kevin Dayton, who booked the flight, said he didn’t remember the circumstances of that purchase. But Dayton, who is now the Capitol Bureau chief for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, added the mayor’s office has always supported Ironman.
Kenoi finished the famous race last year.
In an email to the Tribune-Herald, Bertsch said the purpose of the flight was to attend a June 24 business meeting with the Hawaii Tourism Authority regarding a review of the economic impact and benefits of the Ironman event.
“The county did coordinate the meeting and my travel,” she wrote.
Dignitaries from the U.S. Conference of Mayors were treated to a helicopter tour in July 2014.
Executive Assistant Karen Teshima spent $652.40 for the Paradise Helicopters flight.
She also charged $1,820.20 at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel for rooms for college coaches participating in youth sports camps.
In June, she spent more than $1,500 at Home Depot for carpet used to cover Wailuku Bridge to ensure safety of Hilo Triathlon participants.
Nunokawa charged $2,135.25 for a stay at Kilauea Military Camp in May 2014.
She said that covered lodging and meals to “discuss the county building permit process.” It wasn’t clear how many or who attended the event.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com or Chris D’Angelo at cdangelo@hawaiitribune-herald.com.