Bill 160... adding "truthful" to the ethics code?

[ironyak]

The identification spelling typo was my mistake - the PDFs are images so I could not simply copy & paste. Sorry about that!

[kalakoa]

Confused: how can a County official require you to comply with rules/codes unless they know which rules/codes are applicable to your situation?

If the new standard is "best of abilities or knowledge", then we need some additional language about "can be terminated for not understanding requirements of the job".

Were we fools to expect better? (Probably.)

[My 2 cents]

Since the phrase was deleted at one point, and now has been put back in, it would be nice to know who is responsible. Whether the bill passes or not, the knowledge of what the individual council member's positions are on the subject of truthfulness is very valuable to us peons.

[Rob Tucker]

I made the ask and got this reply from Barbara Lively in Eileen O'Hara's office. And my reply is below that:

"Good morning Rob, the new language was recommended by myself and the Legislative Research Branch and approved by Eileen. None of the Councilmembers offered any actual suggestions for an amendment although it was clear most didn’t support the original language.
Aloha, Barbara"

My reply:

Well this is disappointing. County officials and employees are salaried and pensioned to serve the public. If it is beyond their ability to do so with accuracy they should be gone. The negative aspects of false and misleading information, which the CoH is talented at, fall solely on the taxpayers and citizens.

I will have to oppose this language. Very disappointing.

Did you get any feed back from the members of the Ethics Commission itself?

Rob

[ironyak]

Bill 160 Draft 2 starts at ~2h38m. Roll Call vote 5-3 in favor of moving forward to second reading, and possible implementation (to the best of their ability and knowledge

http://hawaiicounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=1185

[ironyak]

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/0...ics-board/

Can't we find a less ethically demanding term than accurate? Maybe tolerably factual information? Wait, can you tell us what accurate even means? SMDH

[glinda]

An ethical discussion of accurate that ends up focused on dignity when the point is truth is.. well.. Hawaii County Government at work.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

From the Big Island Video News link:
"Councilmembers balked at the potential complications that could arise with the use of the word truthful"

I balk at the word "complications."
I would change it to; ramifications, challenges, repercussions...

Telling the truth is simple, it's certainly not complicated because "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything." - Mark Twain.

“It's tremendously big and tremendously wet, tremendous amounts of water.” President Donald J. Trump describing an active hurricane on Tue, Sept 11, 2018

[Rob Tucker]

Government has no difficulty with the concept of truthful when they charge a citizen with some violation of code. They require it. But requiring truthful from county employees who are paid salaries and pensions by the taxpayers is asking too much of some of our council.

[Ashley]

My apology for my 1 cent in this discussion since politics is something I know very little about.
If this was not posted by a well respected forum moderator I'd think it was a joke.
I really can not understand how it even came to be something for discussion,proposed as some official regulation - BEING TRUTHFUL for an official representative.
If an official person who is appointed to serve the public is purposely misleading in his statement,that should be at least administrative punishment .
It is probably something that doesn't happen, but if I ask building department about some requirement and they lie about the code,who is paying to correct it when the house is already built?