Thursday, March 12, 2015

Musings: Eyebrow-Raising

It was inevitable, given the amount of time Councilman Gary Hooser has been spending at the state Legislature, that he would eventually blow off his Council duties to be part of the action in Honolulu.

Yesterday was that day. Gary ditched a Council meeting – a meeting he is paid by the taxpayers to attend, a meeting where his own property tax freeze bill was up for a vote — to testify against Carleton Ching's appointment as Director of Land and Natural Resources.

Ching's appointment should be challenged, seeing as how he seems woefully ill-informed on such crucial matters as Hawaiian gathering rights, the PASH decision, cultural preservation and public trust resources, such as shoreline access.

But Gary didn't need to show face — especially at the cost of missing a Council meeting, a weekly duty that is one of his few responsibilities as Councilman.

Is it clear enough now that Gary doesn't really give a rip about Kauai, that his own political and personal agendas eclipse the minimal limelight afforded on the Kauai County Council, that his lobbying on behalf of his HAPA organization is more important to him than his responsibilities to the voters of Kauai?

Gary could have submitted his not-very-compelling testimony in writing. But he just can't pass up the chance to have his mug on TV, portraying himself as a champion for the resources and the people — except those who actually pay his salary.

Ching's affiliation with the Land Use Research Foundation, a pro-development group that is always on the wrong side of environmental protection, makes him a dubious choice to head DLNR, which oversees extensive public land and water resources.

“His career track is the polar opposite of the DLNR mission,” observed Randy Awo, a retired DLNR officer on Maui.

Ching should be rejected, and someone more balanced brought in. Unless, of course, it's Gov. David Ige's intent to plow full speed ahead on development, with the public resources be damned.

Still, it was a little eyebrow-raising to watch Sen. Laura Thielen grilling Ching, considering her own do-nothing reign as DLNR chief, where she followed Lingle's resource-unfriendly party line. Funny, how politicians suffer these convenient bouts of amnesia.

In other eyebrow-raising political news, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. is bringing in former Council Chair Jay Furfaro to serve as the county's director of Boards and Commissions. Paula Morikami, who currently holds that post, is moving into the mayor's office, though she isn't taking the spokeswoman position being vacated by Beth Tokioka, who has taken a job at Syngenta.

It's disconcerting to see Jay, who was rejected by the voters, rewarded by the mayor with a well-paying county post. Isn't there someone fresh and new who could benefit from a county job? 

Instead, in another disappointing display of crony politics, the mayor brings in an old pal at a higher salary than he received as Council chair, which will allow Jay to collect a heftier retirement based on his “high three” years of pay.

All on the taxpayer's dime.

Speaking of which, The Garden Island has refused to print Jay's letter explaining his side of the county's payout to auditor Ernie Pasion — a lawsuit that cost taxpayers $400,000 in legal fees and another $300,000 in a settlement, all for a guy who never did do his job. The paper's stance is troubling, considering how it ran an article letting Ernie say whatevah, and has published numerous letters from Ernie's misguided supporters talking about how great he is.

Just in case you missed Jay's statement when I previously ran it, here it is. Yet another reminder of your tax dollars not at work.

And finally, the full Senate — including Kauai Sen. Ron Kouchi — approved SB 1037, which targets only agriculture for pesticide disclosure while giving all other users a free pass.

It seems the "thank a farmer" bumper sticker should be changed in Hawaii to read, "screw a farmer and thank an anti-GMO activist." Because those are the folks spearheading this misguided attack on agriculture.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

no comment on beth tokioka's move to syngenta but go a head and bash gary's work to represent a view many (including yourself) hold regarding CC's dlnr appointment.
the council's work is not diminished due to the absent of one (or sometimes several) it's members. this is frequently the case. at least he wasn't golfing or fishing. he didn't ask to be put on TV but his testimony was spot on!

Anonymous said...

Sure hope the Senate rejects the nomination. Mr.Chings "performance" yesterday was troubling to say the least. How could he be ready to lead the department when he doesn't know what the public trust is? His LURF defense was indefensible. Basically ,he showed he is either a poor manager and was either derelict in his duties as a board member of LURF by not knowing what David Arakawa was doing in LURF's name or he is lying. All board members are responsible for approval of a directors actions, how could he not know they were shilling for gutting the regulatory environment to ensure fast track development or if his director ran amok, where was he? Not a very good manager if he did not know what his employee was doing for 11 months. How could he be expected to manage the 700 employees and 10 departments if he couldn't manage one employee? And he kept distancing himself from LURF, but saying he is Castle and Cooke, when the reason he was on LURF's VP board was for C&C, so he seems disingenuous and a rotten to the core appointment. he should be rejected.

Anonymous said...

Like hiring a butcher instead of a surgeon. Ouch

Anonymous said...

The Mayor hires Jay, but no mention of Beth? I heard Mason is getting her Job.

Joan Conrow said...

I amended the post to include Beth's departure.

But so what if she's going to Syngenta? She's a private citizen who is free to work wherever she chooses. She at least is leaving her county job before she begins working for them — unlike Hooser, who is working for HAPA while taking a county paycheck.

And 7:58 -- why are you such an apologist for Hooser? His testimony wasn't needed. Do you really think the Senate cares what he thinks? He's a pariah there.

Anonymous said...

It's sad how few options we have for county representation. I dislike barca as a person and thought he was horribly unqualified but when I see carvalho pulling off more of this nonsense I have to ask myself could barca have been any worse? Excited to see coco palms is one step closer.... Not!!! When will all the b.s. Stop.

Anonymous said...

I'm curious, Joan. Where did you see in actions or statements that support your contention of "Lingle's resource-unfriendly party line"? Please advise. I saw it more in the Democrat Party's actions and policies such as Neal Abercrombie's.

Anonymous said...

I wish your blog had a "Like" function. :D

Joan Conrow said...

9:12 -- Well, one example off the top of my head was how she gutted Dept of Ag, and cut inspector positions, the guys who protect the Islands from invasive species.

And she cut the DLNR budget, too.

Anonymous said...

Barca re: kauais tax situation, "we need to gamble" really? You think he wouldn't be worse? Did he even graduate high school?

Anonymous said...

Jay? really?

Anonymous said...

Say? Can we pay Hooser to miss every meeting?

Anonymous said...

You don't mince your words when it comes to Gary...a pariah? Wow that's mean. Any one who watches council meetings know full well that members will be absent now and again. Your obsessive musings regarding Gary has gone on for so long I think you have lost objectivity. This DLNR appointment is extremely important, as you know. It has long term implications for every island. As a Kauai taxpayer, I have no issue with Gary testifying against Ching's nomination. I oppose it and I appreciate all who turned out to testify in opposition, including Gary. You cannot presume to know his real motivations and to accuse him of doing it for self-serving reasons is nothing but a personal dig.

Anonymous said...

Jay will get the big fat retirement, cronyism at it's finest. Remember, it was JAY who ignored the County Attorney's opinion on the Anti-Ag bill, it was Jay who allowed the midnight mob madness that verged on violence, provoked threats to the Mayor and appointed Gary's lapdog Mason to the Council. Jay was a true limp d*ck as Council Chair. Oh how these County insiders get the big pensions and cushy jobs..
Beth is a good person. If she wants to got to the private sector, good for her. Beth was the brains at the County.
I am glad the Council stopped Gary's feel-good tax cap. This bill would have saved many many high digit homeowners tens of thousands.
As long as the County uses "property values" as the determinant for property taxes, the old family homes will be forced to sell. But at least they will get big cash.
Joan, you are correct in revealing that Gary is a pariah in the square building. He made no friends while in the Senate, betrayed the few alliances he had and is best known as a guy who is only out for himself. But he still can smoke out the Council with nonsense bills for one fire place on the island...somehow he maneuvers the Council as he sees fit.
Yesterday, Mel actually showed some strength as he chopped JoAnn up...and thank god, Arryl is coming into his own. Be strong Arryl, do not let the namby-pambys push you into a corner. Your commitment to Kauai as an island, is in your bones. There will be many bills that effect Grove Farm..do NOT recuse yourself. It is horsesh*t when JoAnn or others try to portray you as GF's shill. Look at her history....and HAPA Gary's, or Mason's influencers...all of the Council are in incestuous relationships somewhere on the island....the island is a small place...Sheesh, Mel was a Cop, Kipukai has true interests in all things Hawaiian...etc. Stand your ground.
Vote on all issues, do not let your good name be besmirched. Flex your inherent farmer muskles, and tell JoAnn that she is full of Hog Wash.

Anonymous said...

Joan - That was her "party line" or do you exaggerate for benefit of the read?

Anonymous said...

Oh, Joan - -no worries about Gary H - - he is on his way out next council election.

Anonymous said...

The mayor is for family and friends, at least, he's loyal. Just check who are getting high salaries in his administration. Can't wait 3 more years to be over with him. He has to go.

Dawson said...


4:31PM wrote:
You don't mince your words when it comes to Gary...a pariah? Wow that's mean. Any one who watches council meetings know full well that members will be absent now and again. Your obsessive musings regarding Gary has gone on for so long I think you have lost objectivity. This DLNR appointment is extremely important, as you know. It has long term implications for every island. As a Kauai taxpayer, I have no issue with Gary testifying against Ching's nomination. I oppose it and I appreciate all who turned out to testify in opposition, including Gary. You cannot presume to know his real motivations and to accuse him of doing it for self-serving reasons is nothing but a personal dig.

Doesn't sound like that was written by a Kauai taxpayer. More like a resident of Fantasy Island.

Anonymous said...

If Ching's former associations are held against him and are reason to refuse an appointee otherwise qualified, I hope that any association with Greenpeace, CFS, Surfrider, Hapa and similar organizations are reasons to refuse to appoint a candidate- particularly when their qualifications are as uni-dimensional and shallow as those of a former Chair of the Land Board. DLNR is a large, complicated enterprise and requires skills other than a slavish devotion to NGO pap at the expense of performance in the larger public interest.

Anonymous said...

NGO's were mad at his creds, but missed the real problems with his nomination. Although he kept saying he would follow the law, he showed he knows NOTHING about the laws he would be charged with enforcing. He showed he did not know anything about access laws, environmental review laws, native Hawaiian laws,the basis for the actions he would take. He knew nothing ecept the mission statement.
I didn't expect an NGO person to be nominated and i don't care if that person worked in business all his career, but don't ask someone who knows nothing about this stuff to be the star player, unless we are being played. Gov lost way too much crediility with this nomination and showed his true face. It's not pretty.

Anonymous said...

It was not his former associations that are ruining his chances, it is his lack of knowledge about the department he wants to chair.
They talked about changing uniforms, it's more like he's asking, what is football? And there ain't no Phillies fan or Bronco fan or New England Patriot fan that ever changed teams.

Anonymous said...

What has "public safety" have to do with Gary testifying. He has no business skipping out on his job as a Council member to go testify on a matter that he has neither the authority or responsibility to do. Any other job and he would be fired. Also you cannot fault Jay for taking that job. Its actually well suited for him and not an elected position. yeah new blood would be nice. But I don't think we have people stepping up. that's the Kauai way, complain but do not step up and get involved.

Anonymous said...

Joan, Joan - -you're so biased in your blog. Refocus you addiction from Gary H to the county administration, re: 2016 budget and the mayor's hiring practices. You will do us a great favor. Just getting tired reading about Gary H.

Joan Conrow said...

11:16-- First, I write what I want to write. Second, this post was about the administration and its hiring practices.

Anonymous said...

joan, glad you amended the post to reflect beth's transition from COK to syngenta-how'd it fail to make it in the first place confirms your drift from citizen and environmental advocate.

Joan Conrow said...

Uh, no, 2:10, it failed to make it there in the first place because I was rushing to finish as I had an appointment. See how weird and warped your thinking gets when you're looking for the worst?