HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0116.001 2004-2006 BOARD OF ETHICS
lOl Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo, Hawaii 96720
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WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF REEVE N. (BOB) WILLIAMS
Chairman, Board of Ethics
Ref: Comm. 116 (Bi1137)
TO: COUNCILMEMBER VIRGINIA ISBELL -
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
25 AUPUNI STREET
HILO, HI 96720
FROM: R. N. WILLIAMS
CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF ETHICS
DATE: February 25, 2005
RE: COMM. l 16 (Bill 37)
Dear Councilmember Isbell:
1. I am writing in my capacity as chairman of the Hawaii County Board of
Ethics in support of Comm. 116 (Bill 37), which seeks to amend Chapter 2
of the County's administrative code by eliminating financial disclosure
short forms.
2. As you are aware, all officers in our County government are required to file
an annual financial disclosure form, and it is the task of the Board to review
these to ensure adherence to ethical standards. Our concern is that the short
form opens the door to unwitting, or perhaps deliberate, oversights on the
behalf of filers (including ourselves) and, also, creates an unruly and
burdensome administrative problem in the filing, correlation, and review of
these forms, together with the associated long forms. After much
discussion and thoughtful contemplation, we unanimously decided to
pursue a change in the ordinance to eliminate the short form altogether,
thereby requiring the annual filing of a full disclosure statement (long
form). Comm. No: ~O
Ref. To: Prese~hi
Ref. JpM
3. We request you and your Committee's support, as well as the support of the
entire County Council in approving this bill and in helping to maintain the
highest possible standards of ethical practices in our government.
Ua Mau Ke O Ka Aina I Ka Pono
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R. N. WILLIAMS, Chairman
cc: Councilmember Gary Safarik
RNW:mc
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