HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-07-08 Board of Ethics MinutesM
HAWAII COUNTY BOARD OF ETHICS
MINUTES — REGULAR SESSIONt
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
10:00 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.; 10:24 a.m. to 11:06 a.m.; and 11:17 a.m. to 11:19 a.m.
101 Aupuni Street, Suite 230
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Present: John E. K. Dill, Chair
Ann Lum, Vice Chair
Marilyn Nicholson, Member
Diane Gentry, Member
Renee N. C. Schoen, Deputy Corporation Counsel
Mary E. Crosson, Secretary for the Board
Also present: Dan A. Cole; Kenneth Goodenow; Kevin Dayton; Bradley
Westervelt
1. CALL TO ORDER
10:00 a.m. The Chair called the meeting to order.
2. STATEMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS
Mr. Dan A. Cole had registered to make public statements.
CHAIR: Mr. Cole, you want to sit right here? Welcome back.
COLE: Well, it's good to be back. However, after my testimony, you might not
understand that.
SCHOEN: Mr. Chair, if I may, before Mr. Cole gets started. I just wanted the Board
and the record to reflect that Mr. Cole came in last week to our office on Thursday,
requesting copies of the draft informal advisory opinion numbers 4c, d, and e. I told him
that I could not provide him a copy of those documents because of the confidentiality
provision of our Code, and also those —the two informal advisory opinions were drafted
by Adrianne Heely, so —Mary wasn't in, so I didn't know if whatever we had in our
system was the actual document that you guys had received. And then with respect to
Petition No. 4 regarding Emily Naeole, I had not prepared that yet. So I've asked Mary
to provide Mr. Cole a copy of that —I don't know if she has already —so that he can have
an opportunity to review the draft informal advisory opinions this morning.
1 Minutes in italics are verbatim. Blanks indicate indecipherable or inaudible speech.
I ,
(The secretary handed Mr. Cole copies of the draft informal advisory opinions.)
CHAIR: Okay.
SCHOEN: So I don't know if Mr. Cole wants to do that now, or review—
CHAIR: - -Items 4c and d, all three draft informal opinions-
SCHOEN: -- Right—
L UM: - -Does he want some time to do that—
CHAIR: Yeah. You have the copies then, now?
COLE: I've been given— handed — copies of the drafts, yes.
CHAIR: Okay.
COLE: I will need time to review them, perhaps not today, anyway.
CHAIR: Okay.
COLE: Well, first of all I'd like to open up—
CHAIR: - -Wait, hold on, hold on, is there anything else? Sorry.
SCHOEN: Do you want to go —I think the Board is willing to provide the opportunity to
review them now, before you provide your testimony—
COLE: - -I will need to do research on these documents, and it's a moot point anyway.
When I finish my testimony here, you'll understand.
SCHOEN: Okay, and let me just —one more thing, Mr. Cole. He had also requested a
copy of 4b, which is the letter of complaint, and for the same reasons of our
confidentiality provision, in our rules as well as Hawai `i County Code —I think it's 2-
90—we could not provide him a copy.
L UM: Which letter is that ?.
CHAIR: This one here.
SCHOEN: 4b.
L UM: 4 —oh, b, okay. Yeah.
CHAIR: So those are communications that we will be voting on, I'd just clarify for
everybody. The draft informal advisory opinions are just the reviews of the decisions that
were made in our last meeting, so —kind of summaries of those. Anything else, Renee?
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SCHOEN: No.
CHAIR: Okay, Mr. Cole.
COLE: Okay, well first of all, be advised this meeting is in violation of the Hawaii
Sunshine Law and is considered a criminal conspiracy to hinder prosecution, both in
federal and state. I have filed the appropriate document with the federal officials in the
FBI, and I have filed the appropriate documents with the Office of Information Practices.
That being said, in comment to Ms. Schoen's statements about confidentiality, during the
last meeting you had an individual testify by the name of Mr. Rees. Mr. Rees was
provided all the documentation, the petitions including the confidential extortion letter of
Lincoln Ashida, and the letter from Emily Naeole's attorney. Mr. Dill, you handed me a
copy of a document, the letter of May 29`h from Mr. Udovic. Written on top of it, in the
handwriting of the secretary, was the name John Rees —or Tim Rees. Okay, now how did
he get a copy of it routed to him prior to the meeting if there's a confidentiality law?
Second of all, if you look at the testimony of Mr. Rees, he states clearly that he has read
all documents. During the time that he was testifying, he had copies of those documents
in his hand, as witnessed by the reporter. So therefore I challenge the Board, and I have
filed formally here, that you have violated the confidentiality rule and have deprived me
of due procedural process which is incorporated in due process of both state and federal
constitutional rights and privileges. Do you all understand that? Be advised that we are
no longer in high school. You are over eighteen, this is the real world, and you're about
to have some real world consequences. As you know, it takes about 15 minutes to file a
JS 44 form, and as you will see by the documents submitted to you on 7 July and 2 July,
you are all being charged with criminal and civil violations and deprivation, and be
prepared for the U.S. District Courts. Okay. Going on further, the minutes of the last
meeting were corruptly and deliberately altered, and that is why I requested a copy of the
audio file in order to make those ascertations into which it was done. Again, be advised
that the last time the letter that was sent of extortion, Mr. Ashida committed extortion, as
you have all been filed. Your fact that you continue on with this, you are now an
accessory after the fact on a federal violation of Title 18, United States Code, subsection
3, and a violation of Hawai `i Revised Statutes for hindering prosecution, second degree.
Those documents have been provided to you in these two letters. Okay, in addition, you
will notice that the statements made by Mr. Rees indicated--followed through the 4.5 rule,
I believe, in frivolous filing, etcetera. Okay, Mr. Rees had knowledge of that information
prior to it. Mr. Ashida blackmailed me before the public. The decisions made by this
Board not to accept the petitions were based on a secret communication that was not
released to the public, in violation of the Hawai `i Sunshine Laws. In addition, the Board
did not contact me, as required by the Hawai `i Sunshine Laws. And the agenda - -the
Board did not contact me and follow its own rules of procedure and policy and practice.
What you might want to do is contact your legal advisor here, and ask them of your civil
and criminal liabilities that you are about to embark on, and that the County cannot
provide legal assistance because you are in violation of the laws. You are being charged
with misdemeanors, multiple counts of misdemeanors, on both state and federal charges.
CHAIR: Hold on a second, sorry to interrupt. These are allegations on your part being
filed with the federal government—
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COLE: - -They have been filed.
CHAIR: Okay, so they're not charges—
COLE: - -You have admitted it—
CHAIR: - -Hold on—
COLE: - -Yes—
CHAIR: -- They're allegations at this point. We haven't been formally or officially
charged with anything, so —
COLE: That's right, that's what its all about. We have filed the complaints.
CHAIR: Okay, all right, so they're allegations, not charges, just to correct—
GENTRY: Is this testimony on an agendized item?
COLE: They're all on agenda items. You brought up the fact of confidentiality.
CHAIR: Okay, sorry. Continue.
COLE: Okay, also, the statements of Mr. Ashida, where Mr. Ashida stated that he knew
nothing about any letter or request from the Police Department, and it bypassed him
totally, is also a violation of the Hawaii Rules of Professional Conduct. Mr. Ashida
basically has admitted to maladministration. Not only that, Mr. Ashida is the appointed
individual responsible for legal opinions, which broaches the subject —how many other
legal opinions have been made without Mr. Ashida's knowledge, and what liability and
exposure does the County have? In addition, Mr. Ashida, in his actions, were deliberate
violations, knowing and knowingly, of extortion, of Hawai `i Revised Statutes, and the
attorneys in the office at the time are now all bound, both by Hawai `i Revised Statutes
and by Office of Disciplinary Counsel rules, to report such matter. Their failure to do so,
they will be filed against them with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel for — requesting
disbarment. Again, you also voted in the fact not to accept petitions. Now we have an
advisory on a petition that wasn't accepted, and in the case of Kathleen Garson, it was
not only not accepted, but you voted to state that there was no violation of the Sunshine
Law by Mr. Gars —by Mr. Ashida and Ms. Garson. Your policies and procedures alone
have been violated again. So as I state, you are in violation of the Hawai `i Sunshine
Law, in violation of your own rules of policy, practice and procedures. You continue on
with this, since you have been provided all the laws, will in fact be a knowing and
knowingly action on your part for the purpose to violate civil and criminal laws of the
state and federal governments. Thank you very much. And I also would not have the
time to review these today, the petition, but —
CHAIR: Okay. Thank you.
LUR I move that we go on to the minutes.
CHAIR: Hold on a second. Can 1 go —can we just go real quickly into Executive Session
before we move on, and then discuss—
GENTRY: - -So moved.
L UM: Second.
CHAIR: All in favor?
(Ayes heard simultaneously.)
CHAIR: Aye. Okay.
SCHOEN: Mr. Chair, before we go into Executive Session, could you state on the record
the purpose of the Executive Session?
CHAIR: Oh, I'm sorry. To discuss legal allegations that were just made in statements
from the public.
SCHOEN: So basic —I just want to read for the record, because we need to adequately
state the reason for Executive Session. And so it would be a motion to enter into
Executive Session for the purpose of consulting with the attorney on questions and issues
pertaining to the Board's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities?
CHAIR: Yes, ma'am.
SCHOEN: Thank you.
CHAIR: All in favor? Aye?
(Ayes heard simultaneously.)
CHAIR: based on that. Thank you.
10:10 a.m. All parties left the room except the Board members, Ms. Schoen, and the
Board's secretary. The Board entered into Executive Session.
10:24 a.m.: The Board reentered Regular Session. The door was opened and the various
parties returned to the meeting room. ,
CHAIR: Just for the record, I'm going to ask you guys in attendance to state your name.
This is Mr. Kevin Dayton, he works for the Mayor's Office. Thank you for joining us,
Kevin. And then the gentleman —
G1
WESTERVELT: Bradley Westervelt, County Clerk's Office.
CHAIR: Okay.
GOODENOW.• Ken Goodenow, County Clerk.
CHAIR: Thanks for coming, guys. We are currently on the approval of minutes -- minutes
of the June 10, 2009, Regular Session.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Minutes of the June 10, 2009, Regular Session.
Motion and vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to accept the minutes, Ms. Lum seconded the
motion, and all members present voted aye.
Minutes of the June 10, 2009, Executive Session.
Motion and vote: Ms. Gentry moved to accept the minutes, Ms. Lum seconded the
motion, and all members present voted aye.
4. COMMUNICATIONS
a. Communication 2009 -33: The High Road publication of the Hawaii State Ethics
Commission, June 2009 issue.
Motion and vote: Ms. Lum moved to accept and file the communication, Ms. Nicholson
seconded the motion, and all members present voted aye.
b. Communication No. 2009 -34: Letter of complaint dated 6/18/09 regarding a
County officer or employee's actions at the 6/16/09 Council meeting; and
Communication No. 2009 -37: response letter to the complaining party from the
Board's secretary dated 6/30/09.
COLE: Are those documents available for the public at this time?
CHAIR: This is an open meeting. Would you like a copy?
COLE: Yes, I would.
CHAIR: Okay.
SECRETARY: 1 don't have an extra copyright now. I can make you one after the
meeting.
G'!
COLE: It would be a little bit difficult to make statements upon something you can't see.
Are there some more secret documents you're holding on?
CHAIR: No, this is a communication to the Board of Ethics, so you can get a copy of the
and discuss this communication to this Board. Did everybody have a
chance to read —Mary, thanks for your response letter with the information about filing a
petition. Anybody have a chance to –
SECRETARY: I can give you my copies now, . (Secretary handed the two
communications to Mr. Cole.) But I need it back, and 1 can make you copies.
LUM: But Mary's letter — Mary's letter gives him instructions on how to file a petition,
right?
CHAIR: Correct.
LUM: A petition form, yeah. Otherwise, I don't think we can do anything yet. I kind of
wish he was here, I'd ask a couple of questions, but –
NICHOLSON: Well at this point, I move that we accept and file, because we can't take
any action at this point until we have a petition or more information.
CHAIR: Yeah, it's a communication.
GENTRY: Okay, I'll second the motion to accept and file the communication.
CHAIR: All right, and we might be seeing-
LUM: - -We'll have to waitfor him to—
GENTRY: - -fill one out-
LUM: - -to decide what he wants to do. Okay.
CHAIR: In order to agendize the item, yeah. So we have a motion and a second. All in
favor to accept and file Communication 2009 -234—
SCHOEN: -- Excuse me, Mr. Chair, I'm sorry. You know, Mary's letter does state that
the Board may determine whether or not it needs more information, and the Board may
want to communicate with this person to see whether or not —if there is any other
information that you folks feel he needs to provide.
L UM: Wouldn't we have to wait for his petition before we ask him that?
SCHOEN: Well, actually, if you look at the letter it says also enclosed, if you would like
to use it, is the Board's petition form. So you know, we didn't tell him you have to use the
petition form, and typically this Board does not require the form to be used. But I think
what is lacking in this letter is a specific provision that he is alleging –
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CHAIR: Yeah, I know what you're saying.
L UM: There's not enough information in here to work from, yeah.
CHAIR: Yeah, if he's asked if he's referencing a specific Code item, then I think that
would give us something to proceed with and maybe agendize more specifically to
discuss. Right now, since he's not, I guess the question is if we feel the information
provided in the letter and our response from the Corp Counsel Office is sufficient for us
to proceed, to accept and file, or should we try and agendize it as something to discuss
further.
LUM: I think —I move —we've got a motion, right?
GENTRY: To accept and file.
LUM: Yes, and we have a second. I'm ready to vote. Anybody else?
CHAIR: Like 1 said, if there's aspecific Code item that he's referring to-
LUM: - -I think it's up to him now.
CHAIR: Any other discussion?
L UM: Yes, if he wants to
CHAIR: Okay, if there's no further discussion regarding the motion and the second-
LUM: - -Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, one more thing. No, I take it back. I think Mary's
letter is adequate to encourage him to put it in proper form and to inquire more if he
needs to. So I think we're okay on this. He can call her if he has more —she even puts
her phone number in here, the phone number in here. Okay. Okay, ready to vote.
CHAIR: Okay. Everybody else, you sure? Okay, all in favor.
(Ayes heard simultaneously.)
(Mr. Cole handed the two communications back to the secretary.)
CHAIR: Aye, all right, accept and filed. Moving on to 4c, draft Informal Advisory
Opinion regarding Petition No. 2009 -2.
C. Draft Informal Advisory pinion regarding Petition No. 2009 -2 (petition was
heard at the Board's 6/10/09 meeting and was regarding the allegation that a
County officer or employee violated Section 2 -83 of the Ethics Code (fair
treatment) by stating to a newspaper reporter that the petitioner was "whacky ")
NICHOLSON: That's the one we got this morning.
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CHAIR: Yes, so why don't we have a few minutes to just — everybody can take a closer
look at it.
COLE: While you're reading it, can I make a statement, just to help you frame your
reading?
LUM: I think we have to -
CHAIR: Hold on a second, let's read.
(The Board members took a few minutes to read the draft.)
CHAIR: Have you all had a chance to read it? Okay, just to clarify to everybody and the
Board. This draft informal advisory opinion again is just going over the vote and the
decision that was made by this Board at our 6110109 meeting. So what we're voting on is
whether this informal advisory opinion reflects what decision was made by this Board.
Mr. Cole, if you have a statement, you can keep it brief.
COLE: Yes, I'd like to state that this draft informal advisory, as advertised on the
agenda, is in violation of Hawai `i Revised Statutes, the Sunshine Law, as it deliberately
obscures the name of the petitioner and does not truly reflect for public scrutiny the
actuation of what's happening here. That so said, be advised that the statements of the
draft itself are in violation of Hawai `i Revised Statutes 710 -1030 regarding hindering of
prosecution. They're also in violation of Title 18 of the United States Code, subsection 3,
accessory after the fact. The documents as presented by the attorney's signature are in
violation of Hawai `i Revised —Hawai `i Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 8a,
misconduct. It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to (a) violate or attempt to violate
the rules of professional conduct, knowingly assist or induce another to do so, or to do so
through acts of another, (b) commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the
attorney's honesty, trustworthiness, or fatness as a lawyer in other respects, (c) engage in
conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, and misrepresentation.
CHAIR: Thank you.
COLE: Please continue.
CHAIR: Okay, so have we all had a chance to review the-
LUM.• I move that we accept this informal advisory opinion.
NICHOLSON: I second.
CHAIR: Okay. We have a motion to accept the informal advisory opinion regarding
Petition No. 2009 -2. All in favor?
(Ayes heard simultaneously.)
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CHAIR: Okay, so moved.
SECRETARY: I have one for you to sign, then, without the draft
d. Draft Informal Advisory Opinion reaardina Petition No. 2009 -3 (petition was
heard at the Board's 6/10/09 meeting and was regarding the allegation that a
County officer or employee violated Section 2 -84 of the Ethics Code (conflicts of
interest) y rendering a legal opinion to the Police Department to take no action
on a criminal complaint filed against him).
CHAIR: Okay, thank you. Moving on to agenda item 4d, draft informal advisory opinion
regarding Petition No. 2009 -3. Did you all get a chance to review the informal advisory
opinion regarding this petition?
L UM: Yes.
GENTRY. I move to adopt the informal advisory opinion.
L UM: Second.
CHAIR: Okay. Any discussion?
GENTRY: No.
CHAIR: All in favor?
(Ayes heard simultaneously.)
CHAIR: So moved.
COLE: Is there any comments from the public on that, or-
LUM: - -No, we don't have comments from the public usually on these.
COLE: Okay.
CHAIR: Moving on to Communication e, draft informal advisory opinion regarding
Petition 2009 -4.
e. Draft Informal Advisory Opinion regarding Petition No. 2009 -4 (petition was
heard at the Board's 6/10/09 meeting and was regarding the allegation that a
County officer or employee violated Section 2 -84 of the Ethics Code (conflicts of
interest) by rendering legal opinions to the Board of Ethics on April 8, 2009).
CHAIR: Did you all get a chance to review this informal advisory opinion?
NICHOLSON: I move that we adopt this draft as presented.
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L UM: Second.
CHAIR: All in favor?
(Ayes heard simultaneously.)
CHAIR: So moved. Moving on to agenda item 4f, Communication No. 2009 -36, letter to
the Board and the Office of Information Practices dated 6/24/09 from Dan Cole
requesting various government records related to the Board's June 10, 2009, meeting.
£ Communication No. 2009 -36: Letter to the board and the Office of Information
Practices dated 6/24/09 from Dan A. Cole, requesting various government records
related to the Board's June 10, 2009, meeting.
CHAIR: Have you all received this and reviewed it?
LUM: I have a comment. On the letter on the very end of this. I understand that Mr.
Cole was concerned about this name on the letter, where it says Tim Rees. I recall that
during that meeting, Mr. Cole did not have a copy of this letter.
CHAIR: Mr. Rees.
L UM: I mean —no, it was Mr. Cole.
CHAIR: Oh, Mr. Cole --
COLE: - -I did not have a copy of it. You gave it to me, Mr. Chair.
L UM: I gave you my copy.
COLE: Well someone gave me a copy.
L UM: Yeah, and that's my handwriting on here, that's written Tim Rees.
COLE: No. No, that is-
LUM: - -That is my handwriting on this letter, and I wrote it when Mr. Rees was talking,
so I could remember his name. That's all it is.
COLE: I understand. Then how did it - -was it possible that that handwriting was a
photocopy?
LUM: I don't know --
COLE: - -I received a photocopy.
L UM: Did they photocopy and give me back my copy?
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COLE: I received a photocopy.
LUM: I handed my copy. That's my handwriting. I just want to make that clear so you
didn't get—
COLE: - -Are you willing to testify that in subpoena, yes-
LUM: - -so that you didn't get, you know, have a wrong interpretation on that. But that's
just to clarify that little, that little—
COLE: - -Would you like to compare the signatures with that writing of Mary Crosson?
CHAIR: Well regardless, we're not going to do it today, so-
LUM: - -It's my handwriting. I know, I've been writing my handwriting for seventy
years, so—
COLE: - -I received a photocopy, and there wasn't a photocopy machine there.
CHAIR: Okay, so-
SCHOEN: - -Mr. Chair, if may interject. We have prepared a response to Mr. Cole's
request. I think we have —will be providing all documents, what we believe to be what
he's requesting, except for the—he's requesting a copy, if you look on his June 24rh
communication, item number 1, he's requesting a CD copy, and we do have to redact the
Executive Session minutes. And the other item, I believe it's item number 9, he's
requesting a copy of any and all UIP or other request made by Tim Rees. My
understanding is that Mr. Rees came in and requested orally for a copy of the petitions,
and they were provided to him at the meeting.
LUM: At the meeting.
CHAIR: Okay, so both this letter in the back that has writing on it, and the petitions that
were handed out to Mr. Rees, were handed out at the meeting, our 6110109 meeting?
SCHOEN: Correct.
CHAIR: And not prior to?
SCHOEN: Correct.
CHAIR: Okay. Thank you. Any other comments on this Communication No. 2009 -36?
LUM: So this is the companion with this, this list?
SCHOEN: Yes, that's what we will be providing to Mr. Cole.
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L UM.• Okay. And your office is taking care of the confidentiality items in this, if there is
any?
SCHOEN Yes, we will.
L UM: Okay.
CHAIR: Okay? Any additional comments on this communication?
GENTRY: Move to accept and file-
NICHOLSON: - -I move we accept and file.
GENTRY- I second.
CHAIR: Okay. All in favor?
(Ayes heard simultaneously.)
g. Communication No. 2009 -38: Letter from Sabriena M. Gibbs requesting records
regarding a 2003 Board of Ethics petition involving Kama`aina Pumping.
Ms. Schoen explained that her office would be providing Ms. Gibbs with copies of the
requested documents except for the contract, as it would not be in the Board's custody or
possession.
The Chair asked whether the request for the contract would be forwarded to the
appropriate department, and Ms. Schoen said yes.
Motion and vote: Ms. Gentry moved to accept and file the communication, Ms. Lum
seconded the motion, and all members present voted aye.
h. Communication No. 2009 -39: Memo to the Board from the County Clerk dated
6/30/09, requesting clarification of the County's lobbyist registration
requirements.
Mr. Goodenow thanked the Board and said he was bringing this matter to the Board's
attention because many people have contacted his office about whether they need to register as
lobbyists, or have questioned why other parties who appear before the Council were not
registered. His office has also received complaints about the lobbyist registration form not being
clear. He requested the Board's assistance in the matter.
Mr. Goodenow said he would like guidance from the Board, as there are gray areas. For
example, someone may represent a group on a particular issue but not receive monetary
consideration. However, there could be other consideration received. He explained that his
office does not scrutinize the forms and does not investigate. They just collect the forms and
place them in a file.
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Ms. Schoen asked Mr. Goodenow whether his office has asked people who consistently
appear at Council meetings to register, and he said they have not but would like to be guided by
the Board on whether they should.
Motion and vote: Ms. Lum moved to continue the matter to the next agenda, to allow
the Board to look at the forms and read the Code and rules. Ms. Gentry seconded the motion,
and all members present voted aye.
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Review of Gift Disclosure Statements received from Councilmembers Brenda
Ford, Peter Hoffmann, Donald Ikeda, Emily Naeole, and Dennis Onishi.
Ms. Gentry asked whether gift disclosures are about the gift or the giver.
Ms. Schoen explained that the pertinent Code sections are 2 -91.4 and 2 -91.5 and that they
direct the disclosure to contain a description of the gift, an estimate of its value, the date it was
received, and the name of the person or organization giving the gift. She said the disclosure is
specifically about the giver and whether the gift is intended to influence the officer or employee
in the performance of his or her duties.
Ms. Lum noted that the Board does not have a procedure to follow up on gift disclosures.
However, Ms. Schoen said following up or conducting an investigation is inherent in the Board's
duties.
Ms. Gentry questioned Sativa Sultan's gift listed on Emily Naeole's disclosure, as she
believed Ms. Sultan may be employed by Ms. Naeole. Ms. Gentry asked Mr. Goodenow, since
he was present, about Ms. Sultan. Mr. Goodenow explained that Ms. Sultan is not an employee
but a volunteer. In addition, although the Council Chair traditionally has allowed the Vice Chair
to hire the deputy executive assistant, there is no vacancy in the Chair's staff and he is not aware
of any consideration of Ms. Sultan for employment.
The Chair said he wanted clarification on some of the specific gifts and wondered
whether drafting a letter detailing the Board's questions would be the proper procedure. Ms.
Schoen said that could be done, but their rules also provided for them to form a small committee
to actually investigate the gift giving and report back to the Board.
Ms. Nicholson said she found it disturbing not knowing the intent of the gifts, or the
relationship between the givers and recipients. The form did not provide for a councilmember to
indicate his /her relationship to the giver or whether the gift is personal or related to Council
business.
The Chair said his main concern is to know the purpose of the gifts. He said he would be
willing to draft a letter to the councilmember in question, and if the Board had additional
questions, the councilmember could appear at a meeting.
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Upon further discussion, it was decided they needed to look at the instructions for the
disclosure and the Code guidelines.
Motion and vote: Ms. Gentry moved to continue the matter to the next meeting. Ms.
Lum seconded the motion, and all members present voted aye.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Ongoing discussion on the Sunshine Law.
Ms. Schoen said she had nothing new to report.
11:01 a.m.: The Board recessed.
11:06 a.m.: The Board reconvened.
Motion and vote: Ms. Gentry moved to enter into Executive Session for review of
confidential financial disclosures. Ms. Lum seconded the motion, and all members present voted
aye.
11:06 a.m. The left Regular Session to enter into Executive Session.
11:17 a.m.: The Board returned to Regular Session.
7. EXECUTIVE SESSION (VOTING)
a. Review of Confidential Financial Disclosure Forms filed pursuant to Section 2-
91.1(d), Hawaii County Code, by County board and commission members and
designated County employees, where personal matters will be reviewed.
Motion and vote: Ms. Nicholson moved to approve financial disclosures 1, 2, 3, 5, and
6, and to send 4 back for further information. Ms. Gentry seconded the motion, and all members
present voted aye.
8. ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chair announced the next meeting as being scheduled for August 12, 2009, at 10:00
a.m. at the Department of Liquor Control in Hilo at 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 230.
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9. ADJOURNMENT
Motion and vote: Ms. Gentry moved to adjourn, Ms. Nicholson seconded the motion,
and all members present voted aye.
11:19 a.m.: The meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted:
C'U's rly
Mary E rosson, Secretary
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