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that prevent this commission from levying fines. If there's an you find an ethical <br />violation, one can either go a civil route or a criminal route. And I think ordinarily, at <br />least, the inclination is you're not really going after someone for criminal behavior, but <br />it's civil and you want to have a standard and have it have what you all do be <br />meaningful. The way I read the state law, 46-1.5 I'm not sure what the number is <br />here, 24, with the requirements that are imposed there, in order to impose a fine, what it <br />says to me is that you're telling people you can violate any ethical rule you want, <br />provided you have not first been reasonably notified of the violation and you have not <br />ceased the violation following requests, which is plural, that you cease or correct the <br />unethical conduct. I mean just to me it's pretty clear. This is somewhat embarrassing <br />to me, looking at the County or the state. And I realize that it's not you all that are doing <br />this or holding it back, but I think that's why that legislation to change that stalled in <br />2007, 2008, 2009 I don't know. My feeling is that I mean, it just, it's just very clear, <br />and I hope that you all would encourage that in whatever ways you can. And the second <br />issue in terms of levying any fines is that there be an appeal, and again, I think <br />Mayor Kenoi encouraged that there be be able to directly appeal that to the court, and I <br />think that that is good, although I would encourage you to say, well, and if you're not <br />going to do that this term, we're setting up and encouraging an administrative appeal in <br />the County which will cost considerable money which we don't have, but in order to <br />maintain the integrity of the process, that's the only recourse that's left. So I just again <br />am encouraging that you be really strong in those. And then second, just in terms of the <br />specific proposals, changes that Mayor Kenoi encouraged, I do support those. I feel that <br />there are conflicts of interest. I'm aware of problems that have gone on. I would I <br />think sort of if it's gotten to the point where even Mayor Kenoi, who could say leave this <br />to me, I can handle this, is asking you for these rules, I would be supportive of them. And <br />I think that if you're really in doubt, that you inquire further as to what some of the things <br />that have happened, that have gone on and it just seems I don't feel that the island is <br />too small to have this level of ethics. If, as a board, you're really concerned that <br />somehow there's some area that there's someone so essential to be an employee in a <br />department who is providing an essential service, and you identify that really that is <br />true, which it appears Mayor Kenoi hasn't found that you would at least do this and <br />perhaps provide that an exception, if there's an exception, that that party has to come <br />before the County Council and openly state what the contract is and why it's essential <br />and allow the public to see it. So I <br />CHAIR: - -Sorry <br />WILLS: -- encourage the transparency. <br />CHAIR: Okay, sorry to interrupt. We usually limit the public testimony <br />WILLS: - -okay <br />CHAIR: - -to three minutes, but you can wrap up if you want <br />WILLS: -okay, yeah I just encourage you to do these. I think that it's sort of past time. <br />I would I have testified on a number of items before the Charter Commission and <br />2 <br />