07-26-2016, 08:08 AM
The four leading candidates for Mayor are Harry Kim, Pete Hoffmann, Wally Lau, and Marlene Hapai. Each of these candidates, in their own way, have the necessary work experience and community credentials to be Mayor. I have had occasion to get to know three of these four individuals on a one-to-one basis. The exception being Mr. Lau.
Getting to know Harry on a one-to-one basis took place when I very publicly and repeatedly challenged the viability of a proposed 'waste-to-energy' incinerator that Harry was pushing the Council to approve. Harry explicitly defined this proposal as his number one priority. My in-depth and extensive research showed the proposal to be flawed from the outset. Furthermore, it became obvious that Mayor Kim and some members of the Council had been grossly misled by County-paid consultants. The proposal was an expensive, dirty, deception. The process took more than 2 years to be resolved, over which time on multiple occasions I met with Harry in his office.
In 2008 the Council voted 5 to 4 to not approve the incinerator proposal.
After the heat of debate had passed, I reflected on what had taken place. It truly did not seem to me that Harry had been bribed. Rather, it occurred to me that he had simply been hood-winked by the consultants. In either case, it left me with less than total confidence in Harry's judgement on such issues. Still, I voted for him in the 2012 General Election, because the Kenoi Administration, in my view, was not serving the public interest. I have voted for Harry twice in the General Election; and, could vote for him again in the 2016 General Election, depending on who is the alternative. Still, I sincerely feel that we need to do better and can.
I first met and got to know Pete while I was on the Council staff, working for Bob Jacobson, and Pete, like Bob, was a Council member.
Pete is a very dedicated public servant, and, I believe, possesses exceptional personal integrity. Notwithstanding that he was one of the 4 Council members who voted to support the above-mentioned-incinerator proposal. Again, on reflection afterwards, I considered what brought Pete to decide to support a proposal that was, based on evidence, clearly and deeply flawed. The only possibility I could determine was that decision derived from Pete's background in the military, including, by his own indication, budget work with the Pentagon, an institution known to see good solutions as inevitably being large, complex, and expensive.
Pete absolutely has the intellectual and ethical qualities necessary to be Mayor. I could vote for him in the 2016 General Election, depending on who is the alternative. Again, I do not believe Pete is the best we can do in 2016.
Of these four, Wally is the only candidate who I have not had the opportunity to know one-to-one. Nevertheless, knowing that he has been a senior appointee in the Kenoi Administration, and knowing that he is supported by Hilo politicians whom I do know one-to-one and do not trust, under no circumstances could I vote for Wally.
I got to know Marlene one-to-one in 2001, upon my return (after 25 yrs absence) to Hawaii for a job at the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) where I worked directly for the Associate Dean for Research (one of 3 Associate Deans in CTAHR). Marlene was the Associate Dean for Education. In the CTAHR Dean's Office, Marlene was the individual whom everyone respected. No drama. No razzle-dazzle. An unpretentious, smart, and successful team leader. I believe Marlene offers the voters of Hawaii County a real opportunity to elect someone who is capable and trustworthy, and who brings a new and useful perspective to the office of Mayor. Marlene will get my vote and support in the Primary Election and beyond.