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Politics, Commentary, Community
Politics, Commentary, Community Monday
11Feb
Hey Kenoi, so what?
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 11:50PM Many here have been clamoring for more substance from Billy Kenoi. Here's a good opportunity. Kenoi will have a talk story open to the public Friday night, Feb. 15, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Pahoa Community Center.
Kenoi, like Lorraine Inouye, isn't making many headlines but is steady beating the chili rice circuit for support and that's why Inouye and Kenoi are the clear front runners in the race for Hawaii County Mayor 2008.
Stacy Higa is also out stumping but unfortunately for him he is making headlines. How much the pending sexual harassment case hurts him before election day remains to be seen. Aside from that, his close ties to local pariah Ken Fujiyama don't help. The sex case is tough to figure out, I've heard three different reports, each from a usually reliable source and each widely divergent on what happened. Scenarios range from nothing to ugly. So I suspect it's somewhere in between and that resolution of the case before September would doom any hopes Higa may hold for the mayor's office.
Meanwhile, Angel Pilago seems slow getting out of the gate and will have a difficult time catching up if he doesn't start raising money and reaching out to people who don't live in his district. Otherwise Pilago could drop down into the Roger Christie, Randy Riley and Jasper Moore tier among the candidates with high ideals, good intentions, and little chance of winning the election.
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Reader Comments (8)
Billy Kenoi's talk story is 45 minutes and 10-miles away and 10 return. And, I still need to wrap up the day outside before it gets dark.
So, I'll have to hope he comes to HPP sometime.
Jerry Carr, hope you were able to make it.
Sorry you couldn't make it tonight.
Would love to come to HPP - my parents home is there, my sister lives there, I've just moved from there. Let me know when is convenient for you and I'll be glad to come to HPP to talk story and answer any questions you might have.
I'm not a blogger but I can listen and learn and share with you who I am and what I believe and provide answers to questions you might have and together we can discuss the future of Puna and our beautiful Hawaii Island.
Aloha,
Billy Kenoi
Early on, I asked about the general lack of services and infrastructure in Puna. He agreed that there is a problem here and he mentioned improved mass transit, enhancing police recruitment, increased use of school facilities for community activities, and village center zoning for economic opportunity as some solutions. He also mentioned his strong support for the Puna Community Development Plan as a blueprint to improve the district. He did not promise a slew of new parks and facilities, but in response to a question from Rob Tucker he said he would look into why recreational facilities promised and budgeted have not been built. Rob also elicited a promise to look into the wasteful County procurement and contract bidding processes.
Mr. Kenoi made a comment about the rubbish situation in his answer to another person's question, and I asked him to elaborate. He gave three reasons not to build the incinerator without actually saying he was dead against it. (I get the feeling he may be against it anyway.) First, he says it gives little incentive to recycle or divert. Second, he mentioned the high financial cost. And third, he expressed concern about environmental consequences, even getting so specific as to mention possible contamination of catchment water supplies. He listed hauling to West Hawaii, baling and barging to the mainland, and a new eastside landfill as alternatives. He had done his homework on this one.
I am sure others who were there have their own point of view, and I hope they post here. Hunter attended and asked some questions that he may wish to comment on. Overall, the candidate acquitted himself well. This meeting gave me a new perspective, and I went in with a somewhat jaundiced and skeptical eye. I look forward to hearing some other candidates address these issues before I decide for whom to vote.
Many thanks to Hunter for urging me to attend this event.
Let the campaign begin!
He seems more like a mediator; bringing divergent ideas together to find a workable solution.
I found him to be engaging, eloquent, entertaining, and a Puna Homeboy to boot.
Billy listed hauling to the West side, barging and bailing to the mainland, and a new landfill in East Hawaii as the alternatives THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL WAS CONSIDERING. He never said that he approved of those choices, although he did state that a landfill could be built cheaper and more quickly than a waste-to-energy plant - and since we will not be able to get another time extension from the EPA, a timeline IS important to factor in to our decision.
What is really important to know is what the CANDIDATE PROPOSES TO DO ;)