Kenoi should step aside during investigations ADVERTISING Kenoi should step aside during investigations In May I attended a celebration of senior achievement awards given out to people from all over the Big Island. It was gratifying to see their volunteer
Kenoi should step aside during investigations
Kenoi should step aside during investigations
In May I attended a celebration of senior achievement awards given out to people from all over the Big Island. It was gratifying to see their volunteer spirits being lauded and made me feel my recent decision to move to this island was basically both a smart and good choice.
But this letter is about the divisive situation we as neighbors and taxpayers face as investigations into Mayor Billy Kenoi’s alleged mishandling of county funds intensify. When Wally Lau stood in for the absent mayor I thought that was a smart move on Kenoi’s part. But before the event ended, the mayor did show up and frankly acted as if he was running for office, telling a few jokes amid his notable glad-handing style of speaking.
I’ve been talking with a number of people — some neighbors who’ve lived on the Big Island all their lives and some who are newcomers. Almost without exception, all thought that although he may have done wrong, they would like to see him step aside until the ethics investigation is completed. Most feel his having already admitted numerous instances of mishandling county money through misuse of his pCard plus the slew of new allegations cropping up almost daily, for him to act as if there’s nothing amiss is the wrong image to show the public. Many who supported him in the past said they’d be happy to see him acquitted but he now needs to act professionally.
So I raise the public suggestion that Kenoi do the proper and gentlemanly thing by stepping side while ongoing investigations are in progress and completed. His continued presence is a detriment to any sense of good government, which I assume he feels he represents. By temporarily giving up the keys of his office to Mr. Lau he can regain some of the mayoral lustre his past actions have no doubt tarnished.
Mr. Kenoi, are you a real leader with a backbone or something I refuse to name in a family newspaper? I’m hoping to see a quick reaction to this suggestion.
Warren Peace
Waimea
Cut administrators, not the hospital workers
Kona’s basic human services have to keep up with our exploding population. Concurrency is a word that our government cannot find in the dictionary.
It cannot be possible that this community will allow basic hospital staff to be cut from the people who serve us to the best of their ability.
If there is a shortfall, let it fall on administration. How many high-paying positions can be eliminated to keep the real backbone of our hospital in tact? Will Kona stand for this lunacy?
Steve Snyder
Kalaoa
