Lots of aloha for Big Island mayor as council rejects reprimand

Hawaii County residents love their mayor and forgive him, most testifiers told the County Council Wednesday as it rejected a reprimand for Billy Kenoi on his admitted misuse of his county credit card.

After 26 testifiers opposed the measure compared to 12 who testified in support, the council voted 7-1, with Puna Councilman Dan Paleka absent, against a resolution by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille reprimanding Kenoi. Wille was the only yes vote.

The resolution comes in the midst of a criminal investigation by the state attorney general, following a West Hawaii Today report earlier this year that Kenoi had used his pCard at Honolulu hostess bars and to buy personal items including an expensive surfboard and bicycle.

Kenoi, who had for several years resisted the newspaper’s repeated public records requests for his pCard statements, generally paid the money back, but $9,559 in reimbursements didn’t occur until months later, after the newspaper broke the story.

Opponents of Resolution 272 said Kenoi’s good works outweigh his transgressions. They pointed to improvements in county parks and roads, a greater sense of community and a new focus on West Hawaii under Kenoi’s two four-year terms, which end in December 2016, when he is term-limited.

“The local people … are most appreciative of him and his administration,” said North Kohala resident Carol Fuertes.

“I’ve seen a lot of mayors come and a lot of mayors go,” said former Housing Director Steve Arnett. “Billy Kenoi is the best mayor we’ve ever had.”

In addition, several said, a resolution of reprimand is premature because the attorney general is still investigating. And it’s not the council’s kuleana anyway, they added.

George Yokoyama, in Hilo, called Kenoi a “wonderful, effective mayor,” and said there have been “relentless newspaper articles” on the pCard issue.

“Enough, already, the newspapers,” Yokoyama said.

Wille said Kenoi’s good works aren’t the point.

“Mayor Kenoi has done a great deal of good,” Wille said. “No matter how much good, no one is above the law, above reproach.”

Some testifiers said Kenoi has apologized and should be forgiven.

“How honorable is that admission on his part? Is there a refusal to accept that apology?” asked Kealoha Sugiyama of North Kohala. “The good outweighs this disappointment.”

George Handgis, a member of the county Salary Commission, termed Kenoi’s troubles a “hiccup in his judgment.”

But supporters of the resolution had a different take on it. They noted that a rank-and-file worker who had violated rules to this extent would have been fired, and the rules shouldn’t be different for Kenoi.

Greg Smith, testifying from Puna, called Kenoi a “charming conman.”

“Mr. Kenoi has brought shame to his position; he’s brought shame to his constituents, certainly,” added Karen Martinez of North Kohala. “Anyone on this council who sustains him is bringing shame on themselves.”

Council members said under due process, a separation of powers makes the council a legislative body, not a judicial one.

“If something’s broken, fix the rules. Fix the policy,” said Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter.

A bill to do just that was postponed Wednesday for further work, after some council members said the language needed clarification.

Wille said she sponsored the resolution because she continues to get calls from constituents about the issue. But most testifiers from Wille’s district Wednesday said they opposed the measure.

Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung, who had previously told the newspaper he wouldn’t have introduced such a measure but he couldn’t think of a reason he’d vote against it, said Wednesday he’d changed his mind. He said Kenoi’s greatest strength is giving the community hope, and he thinks the mayor will hit the speaker circuit and provide a valuable lesson “when all of this blows over and he’s through with the Mayor’s Office.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot and I’m going to be voting against it today,” Chung said.