Billy Kenoi gets a what??

[ironyak]

Star-Advertiser article, per the library (need card for full access)

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libra...094693PQ/5
The complaint against Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi over misuse of his county-issued purchasing card will go before the county Board of Ethics on May 13, when three Kenoi appointees will consider options against the mayor and his finance director.

The complaint was filed by Kapaau resident Lanric Hyland, 76, a retired jail administrator who wants to see Kenoi removed from office and put behind bars for billing taxpayers more than $129,000 in "pCard" purchases during his two terms as mayor beginning in December 2008.

Kenoi spokesman Peter Boylan said Kenoi expects to appear at the Board of Ethics meeting, scheduled for the County Council chambers in Hilo.

Kenoi has publicly apologized twice, taken responsibility and reimbursed the county $31,112.59 after racking up $129,580.73 on his pCard, spending that included a $1,200 surfboard and tabs at Oahu hostess bars -- $400 at the Camelot Restaurant and Lounge and $892 at Club Evergreen.

In his petition to the county Board of Ethics, Hyland called Kenoi a "common thief" who "has stolen thousands of dollars from the taxpayers."

Hyland wrote, "I want to see him spend time in prison for the felony offenses which he committed."

While it is up to the state attorney general to decide whether there's a criminal case against Kenoi, the three-member board has several options.

It can defer hearing Hyland's petition until the outcome of the AG's investigation.

The board, as it often does, might also discuss the petition against Kenoi and Finance Director Deanna Sako, whose office proc­essed Kenoi's expenditures, in executive session -- meaning behind closed doors.

By law the Board of Ethics must notify the public on its agenda by Thursday whether it intends to go into executive session, said Rod Antone, Maui County spokes­man. To avoid an apparent conflict of interest, Maui County's corporation counsel is advising the Hawaii County board.

"They can go into executive session," Antone said. "But if they do, they will have to put their intention on the agenda."

Any decisions made in executive session would have to be announced in public.

Or the board can take a cue from Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth, who cited a conflict of interest and asked the state attorney general to investigate any possible criminal wrongdoing by Kenoi.
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