2012-08-08 Board of Ethics minutes

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entrenched friendships or deals because they’re retired from the state or a county department. So there will always be some friendship or relationship, no matter how you look at it. So the Board should have rules on how they’re elected and what can be used as an excuse. He was ignorant. He thought the government was on top of it until he got more involved and realized it’s all a bunch of handshakes and old friends. For years he’s been doing this stuff, but he didn’t get this involved. Why are the members sitting on the Board? As Mr. Dedman did not stop speaking after the three-minute timer went off, Mr. Dill reminded him that his time was up and thanked him. ROBERT PETRICCI: Mr. Petricci said he had already testified on this matter, but he did not understand how a county employee or councilman does not come to work and do the job he’s paid for. It is important business. If he doesn’t have the time, if he has other obligations, he should resign and let somebody else do the job. The issues are important, and the one they’re talking about is the energy future for the County of Hawai‘i. It impacts the whole economy. They need affordable energy, but some council people cannot come and cannot vote, and there are no rules. All other county employees have rules. He has a business. If he had somebody in his business that didn’t come to work, he’d have to fire him because he can’t run his business. How then can the County be run? They’re paid to be there. It needs to be addressed. 3. APPROVAL OF THE REGULAR SESSION MINUTES OF JULY 11, 2012 Motion and vote: Mr. Henricks moved to approve the minutes, Mr. Balsis seconded the motion, and all members present voted aye. 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Review of Gifts Disclosure Statements received from the following County officers or employees: Jamae Kawauchi. There were no comments regarding the disclosure. Motion and vote: Mr. Henricks moved to approve the disclosure, Mr. Balsis seconded the motion, and all members present voted aye. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Petition No. 2012-01: Initial review of petition requesting investigation of two officers’ “attendance and voting record during the publicized scheduled hearings in the Council Chambers of Hawai‘i Island,” alleging violation of Sections 2-80 (interpretation of article) and 2-83 (fair treatment) of the Hawai‘i County Code of Ethics.