2015-07-08 Regular Session Minutes

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Director Sako that the three of them, then the two of them would engage in Mayor Billy Kenoi's knowingly violating the State and County statutes and ordinances regarding the misuse of Mayor Kenoi's purchasing card, the P-card for personal purchases. The act was that at the end of the monthly reporting period, they would state falsehoods in the official records or just not file as required by law and code. The specific criminal conduct that is being engaged in was violation of Hawai`i Revised Statues HRS Section 708-803 (Theft) and HRS Section 708-874 (Misapplication of entrusted property). As purchasing card administrators for the County, it was the responsibility of Crawford and Sako to stop Billy Kenoi from misusing his P-card. He not only refused to do so, they actively aided and a bedded his misuse of the card. It's ongoing commission of the misdemeanor offense of misapplication of entrusted property in fact. Over a period of years from December 2008 to March 2015, Ms. Sako's culpability whether it was ongoing for years she was the Deputy Director or for a couple of months she was Finance Director was a continuing violation of the ethical standards required of her. She was responsible and she did not fulfil that responsibility. We consider her culpability I urge you to keep in mind that Hawai`i County Code Section 2-80 requires "promoting the highest standards of ethical contact in the County government" end of quote. According to Hawai`i County Charter Section 14-1(b) "the requirement that appointed officials and employees shall demonstrate the highest standard of ethical conduct is so that the public may have trust and confidence in the integrity of the government" end of quote. It is hardly an understatement that the conduct of Mayor Billy Kenoi has shaken the confidence of many citizens in the integrity of County government and Ms. Sako must accept her share of responsibility for that loss of confidence. Ms. Sako violated the Hawaii County Code Section 2-83(a)(1) by permitting Billy Kenoi to misuse his P- card for personal purchases when she had an obligation to simply cancel his card. This also violates Hawai`i County Charter Section 14-2(a). Ms. Sako violated section 2-83(a)(3)by stonewalling the West Hawai`i Today in its request for Billy Kenoi's P-card expenditures under the Uniform Information Practices Act HRS Section 92 & 92(f). This also violates the County Charter Section 14-4(c) requiring that all persons shall be treated in a fair and courteous manner. Ms. Sako violated HCC Section 2-83(b)(2) when she granted unwarranted privileges of personal use of this P- card as compensation for other considerations to Billy Kenoi. This also violates Hawai`i County Charter Section 14-4(a) which requires that all public funds are to be treated as a public trust and are not to be used for personal purposes without auth/consent. I appreciate Ms. Sako was unfairly put in (inaudible) position by her 23