HILO — Not everything old is new again, but the inauguration set Monday for a mayor who’s returning to office after eight years, a majority of returning County Council members and a re-elected county prosecutor means there will be a lot of familiar faces around county government.
Monday’s events feature morning and afternoon council meetings at Hilo council chambers plus a noon inauguration at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo, all open to the public. The council meetings will be largely ceremonial in nature.
Mayor Billy Kenoi, on his last full day in office, said Friday he had a lot to look back on over the past eight years.
Asked about his administration’s most significant accomplishment, he replied, “That’s a difficult question. We are proud of the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of so many employees and volunteers.”
“If I had to choose one, it would be that we brought communities across our island together to work as one island, one family. Every community was represented in the Cabinet. Every community saw their priorities addressed. Every community is a healthier and safer community,” Kenoi said.
Kenoi said he plans to return to teaching at Hawaii Community College.
The oath of office will be administered by 3rd Circuit Court Judge Ronald Ibarra. J.E. Orozco will serve as master of ceremonies. Addresses will be given by Mayor-elect Harry Kim, Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth and Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter, incoming council chairwoman.
There will be a presentation of colors by Hilo High School JROTC Color Guards, and Waiakea High School students will perform musical renderings. The national and state anthems will be sung by Alexandra Roth accompanied by the Hawaii County Band. Senior Pastor Sheldon Lacsina of New Hope – Hilo will provide the invocation, and the benediction will be provided by Kahu Charles Kama, of Hale Pule Ke Ola Hou.
Na Leo O Hawaii will televise the inauguration live.
Kim said he had a long meeting with his Cabinet Friday at a local restaurant, preparing for the new term. He said the new administration will be hitting the ground running, and he feels confident the reins of government can be smoothly transferred.
“There’s a lot to catch up on,” Kim said, “but we’ll be ready. I feel good about it.”
A 9 a.m. council meeting includes four resolutions honoring outgoing County Council members.
Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille will be absent, as she’s on the mainland on family matters. Wille plans to return to her law practice and bring her legislative work to the state level as co-chairwoman of the state Democratic Party’s Legislative Committee recommending and shepherding the party’s legislative priorities for the 2017 legislative session.
Wille lists her charter amendment expanding the scope of the general plan, working to stop a planned waste-to-energy incinerator and pushing for composting and other recycling endeavors, as her top accomplishments.
“Keeping my constituency informed so they participate more in their county government, empowering the public on how they can make a difference and be heard,” Wille said about her accomplishments.
“I championed legislation to raise the ethical standards of county officials and stood up to hold the mayor accountable for his unethical transgressions,” she added.
For Hilo Councilman Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, instituting a fire ant program within Parks and Recreation and finding a site, funding and community consensus for an $11 million fire station on Haihai Street are among his accomplishments. The fire ant program started as a pilot program with money from the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, and has since been funded as a permanent three-employee program within the county.
After 29 years in county government, Onishi plans to start a consulting business, a specialist providing guidance at the initial stages of a project, including securing of planning permission and coordinating the input of consultants including architects, structural engineers, environmental consultants.
Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan listed a new bus route to Hawaiian Paradise Park and setting plans in motion for a public park there among his accomplishments.
“I was able to keep my integrity during this whole political journey I went on,” Ilagan added. “And I want to thank those who’ve supported me.”
As far as future plans, he’s working on a new website, hawaiievents.org, that he hopes will become a useful resource to the community.
Puna Councilman Danny Paleka said a mass transit master plan, new paratransit service, Puna connectivity road improvements and improvements to Shipman Park are among his accomplishments while in office.
He plans to refocus on his bed and breakfast and focus on projects he’s “put off way too long,” in his immediate future.
The council returns at 3 p.m. Monday to seat four new members, vote on the chairwoman and committee chairs and agree on rules for the two-year term. Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter is slated to be the chairwoman, and North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff the vice chairwoman.
New council members are Kohala Councilman-elect Tim Richards, Hilo Councilwoman-elect Sue Lee Loy, Puna Councilwoman-elect Jen Ruggles and Puna Councilwoman-elect Eileen O’Hara.
It’s the first female supermajority council in county history.
The mayoral and County Council inauguration coverage will be on Channel 53 of Time Warner Oceanic Cable, as well as online at www.naleo.tv. Na Leo TV is located on Oceanic Time Warner Cable public access Channels 53, 54, and 55, and via the internet at www.naleo.tv. Rebroadcast of the event will air after the conclusion of the Live Broadcast.