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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0548.003 2002-2004 Prom: To Eex: 9618912 Page 1 of 5, PuesOay, March 23, 2004 2:32pm 20u9 23 ~ p.~(.r~ up March 23, 2004 C~Oy ~7~Q`~~ p pC~ ~ The Honorable Gary Safarik, Chair ~('`U,J f i ~ ~ Council Members COUN ~ Committee on Public Works & Intergovernmental Relations ' ' ' ~l''!~q;l Hawaii County Council Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: For Comm. # 548 Submitting Minutes of the August 2003 Board of Ethics meeting regarding Wendell Hatada Violating the County Code of Ethics-- Minutes include WendeO Hatada, Thomas Russi and Christine Paul's conversation of July 24, 2001 Dear Chair Safarik and Council Members: Thank you for placing our communication on your April 6, 2004 agenda. (Comm.548) Attached are the minutes of the August 2003 Board of Ethics meeting which includes Wendell Hatada, Thomas Russi and Christine Paul's conversation of July 24, 2001 that lead the Board to determine Mr. Hatada's violation of the County Code of Ethics. We respectfully request that you put this communication and our attachment on your April 6, 2004 Agenda for the public's information and testimony. Sincerely, rLC clec,.n;,?~ TLC Cleaning 73-4422 HoloHolo St. Kailua-Kona, HI 96740-9307 attachment Comm. ~ S-- ~ g'3 f Ref. To: W Ref, L'ote RUSSI: Actually, this Board needs to know, the only reason we got this apology, is because Mr. Hatada didn't realize we have his comments to us on tape. RW: Which you played to us. RUSSI: No, I nevE:r did: RW: Yes you ciid. RUSSI: But I will now. SC: No... RW: You played it to us in Kamuela. CHAIR: You played it, you played it... RUSSI: It was not part of the record. SC: l don't think...did Mr. Hatada... CHAIR: We arm in recess. RECESS: 10:25 a.m. RECONVENED: 1026 a.m. CHAIR: We're back in session. RUSSI: In, in May, when we appeared in front of this Boarcl, you are correct. I did play it. But it was not part of the record. You had stopped me from doing That. I would to make this part of the record as testimony. VOICES ON TAPE RECORDING: VOICE 1: I said you don't play those silly games with me or my office. VOICE 2: What silly...l'm, I'm making a request for some records. Wendell, I'm sorry if you... VOICE 1: Based on me? Ycu're making a request on records based on me, Mr. Russi? CHAIR: Mr. Russi, would you hold that: for a second? You also told us at that time that you're going to have it transcri bed and submit the transcription to us. RUSSI: Okay. What about it? ' 28 T00~ xtl00,L IIdMtlN SSBM 659E 6ZE 808 Ytld E0~67 afl,L b0/EZ/£0 and Ef'9, 6002 'EZ 4a~eN 'RaPSany 'S Ao 2 afied ZI6BL96 .xpg oy mmg CHAIR: Was it done? We have not received the transcript. RUSSI: With all due respect, Leroy, I don't fall under the Code of Ethics. CHAIR:I... ' RUSSI: I thought at that time, I would do it. My wife's been very busy, same as Harry is. I never gut to it. CHAIR: I have asl<ed...l want to ask the question sir...l'm not... RUSSI: I think I gave you an avenue through the state ombudsman who has this, and the Office of Information Practice that is doing an investigation !n regards to this, so... CHAIR: So your an^wer is no, you did not. PAUL No. No. W° do n have a transcript. RUSSI: No. We ,lo not have a transcripl. CHAIR: Thank you for the answer. VOICES ON TAPE RECORDING: VOICE 1: I said you don't play those silly games with me or my office. VOICE 2: What silly...l'm malting a request for some records, Wendell. I'm sorry if you... VOICEI: Based on me? You're making a request on records based on me, Mr. Russi? VOICE No, I'm making a rE;q.., VOICE 'l: Don't you play you r silly games, I'm telling you Mr. Russi. VOICE :Z: I'm not... VOICE 1: You can play your games with any other office you want to, but you don't dare play your silly games with me or my office. You got me, Mr. Russi? VOICE 2. No, I don't understand what you're sa... 29 zoo@j avao,c rrae~an .rsa,u ssss szs sos xva so~rr sns roisziso adze ~~a baoz 'cz yvap •.Sepsany •y ~o E aeea ziaetse :.ea o, .,,o» VOICE 1: I'm getting tired of your BS. VOICE 2: My bullshit. VOICE 1: That's correct. VOICE 2: Okay, well I'm, I'm sorry, but I'm trying to find out for the Ombudsman's Office. VOICE 1: Bull. I got the letter, Mr. Russi. VOICE Z: What letter? VOICE 1: Letter from the Ombudsman's ~~ffice. VOICE 2: What... VOICE 1: Do you think I don't Know that you're investigating me, Mr. Russi? VOICE 2: I'm not investigating you. I'm investigating whether or not my tax dollars are being us~;d wisely, Wendell. VOICE 1: And haven't everybody given you an answer already, Mr. Russi? VOICE 2: No. I have not. VOICE 1: Do not play your silly games with me. VOICE 2: I don't consider... VOICE 1: That issue is dead, Mr. Russi. VOICE 2: Oh. VOICE 1: Do you understand me? VOICE 2: No, I don't. VOICE 1: Well, don't you dan: play your games with me or my office. VOICE 2: Are you threatenin<I me sir. VOICE 1: I'm just telling you... VOICE Are you threatening me. 30 eao@I avaoi rrae~ve asab ssss szs sos xva ro vt ans eoiszieo mdLE~Z 6002 'EZ 4o~eH '6apsany 'y }o p a6ey ZI68i96 xey ny :mmg VOICE 1: I'm just telling you... VOICE 2: Are you threatening me? VOICE 1: No I'm nat. I'm just tee... VOICE 2: You better not threaten me sir. VOICE 1: Eh, I don't talk to liar:c, okay Mr. Russi? VOICE 2: Tell me when i lied to you. VOICE 1: When you told me you were going to come down here, the next day, with your money in hand, Mr. Russi. VOICE 2: Ha, ha, ha. VOICE 1: Don't give me BS, Mr. Russi. VOICE 2: Oh, mean that bet we had? You mean that bet we had? Oh, ' Christine, he went silent on me. You mean that bet we had? Yeah. END OF TAPE RECORDING. RUSSI: Unfortunate, but stuff like that happens. CHAIR: Okay. I just want to clarify what we said in the last meeting when you played this. We wouldn't accept it unless a Petition was filed. You did file a Petition. So now it's an record. RUSSI: Leroy, I don't accept that explanation. And I don't accept that explanation based on a conversation I had with Linda Joesting, Deputy Attorney General for the State of I~awai'i one evening. VVe called Richard Bissen and explained to them the situation and she had, he h:td Ms. Joesting call us. When she called us, I simply told her I believe the Bo~~rd of Ethics, the County of Hawaii violated the Sunshine Law by not allowing me to give testimony. She said, she asked me a few que:ctions. In what manner will you giving the testimony. I told heron a recorder. And she said, was there anything on the agenda. 1 said, I don't think it mattered. She didn't say anything. I said, but in answer to your question, yes there were. There was an item on the agenda in regards to not being treated fairly by member, employees of the County of Hawaii. She said, Okay, and you wanted 1:o give it on tape. Yes. 1 said, can I give it from Braille, written, verbal or tape. She said, Yes you can. I said, How can you help me. She says, I will call the Boairl of Ethics and inform them that they did indeed violate the Sunshine Law. I says, "If you do that, I Tvill not go any further with this." Unfortunately for us, Ms. Joesting was lying to us. She never did that. She never contacted this 3t X00 @J ,StlHH.L IIdMtlH ySHM 659E BZE 808 Ytl3 VO~bT Hf1,L 60/EZ/£0 ddY,f ~2 600Z 'fZ 4»ep '6epaeny 'S dos e6ed ZS 68196 .x¢y '~J . and