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REPORT OF THE <br />COMMITTEE ON FINANCE <br />DATE: 1/6/2009 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />TIME: 1:03 p.m. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Re: Comm. No. 47 <br />Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Communication No. 47, reports as follows: <br />Communication No. 47, transmitted by Mayor William P. Kenoi, dated December 16, 2008, <br />requests the confirmation of the appointment of Mr. Lincoln Ashida as County of Hawaii <br />Corporation Counsel. <br />Mr. Ashida has served the County of Hawaii as Corporation Counsel from December 2000 to <br />present. Prior to serving as Corporation Counsel, Mr. Ashida was Deputy Prosecuting Attorney <br />for the County of Hawaii from 1987 to 2000. He will serve a term that is co-terminus with <br />Mayor Kenoi, which will end on December 3, 2012. <br />Pursuant to Article VI, Section 6-2.2, Hawaii County Charter, "The corporation counsel shall be <br />appointed by the mayor, confirmed by the council and may be removed by the mayor. The <br />corporation counsel shall be an attorney licensed to practice and in good standing before the <br />Supreme Court of the State of Hawai`i." <br />Councilmember Naeole stated that during the last two years she got "slam dunked" by several <br />issues and didn't feel like Corporation Counsel was there for her. She stated that she would <br />however still support the appointment of Mr. Ashida to continue as Corporation Counsel. <br />Councilmember Ford asked how Mr. Ashida felt about sexual harassment and violence in the <br />workplace. Mr. Ashida responded that as a prosecutor he was in charge of the sections that <br />handled crimes against woman and children and we always tried to approach these issues from <br />the perspective of the victim. Councilmember Ford then questioned how Corporation Counsel <br />handles due diligence on land acquisition. Mr. Ashida responded that the Land Management <br />division, along with the office of Corporation Counsel, always conducts its due diligence prior to <br />land acquisition. Councilmember Ford then asked if Mr. Ashida felt the Community <br />Development Plans are "laws or goals." Mr. Ashida declined to answer the question for legal <br />reasons. <br />Committee Chairman Yagong advised Mr. Ashida that he did not need to return to the next full <br />Council meeting for final reading of his appointment. <br />FC Report No. 10 <br />