Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Musings: Wala`au With Dickie Part 2

It was 6:46 this morning when I got a call from Councilman Dickie Chang, who was taking his morning walk, and a brisk one from the sound of his voice. He’s not a blog reader, but he’d heard he’d made this one yesterday, and he wondered if he was too late in returning the message I'd left for him on Monday afternoon.

“Hey, if you want to talk, I’m happy to tell your side of the story, since I told the attorneys' side yesterday,” I told him.

So here goes:

“It is true that the attorneys came over, but I didn’t think it was wrong," Dickie said. "I talked to the Chair [Kaipo Asing] about it. I told Jay [Furfaro]. I told everyone. They had their concerns, but I didn’t think I did anything wrong.

"When I saw them [Deputy County Attorney Mike Dahilig, followed by Deputy County Attorney Ian Jung and County Attorney Al Castillo] show up in increments, I thought, wow, this is pretty heavy. I said hey, if we’re gonna talk business, let’s talk before we drink beers.

“I told them my views, going way back, because I’ve been talking to planners and a lot of people in the know going all the way back to 1976, and they gave me their opinions. They never influenced me one way or another.

“People are always coming to my house to talk story, and the same is true for Mel [Rapozo, a former Councilman who is requesting an investigation of the attorneys' meeting with Dickie.] He also came to my house and we talked like two local brothers, sharing our views, sometimes disagreeing.

“I understand the sunshine law as it pertains to Council members. I just felt it [the meeting with attorneys] was harmless. Maybe that has something to do with my inexperience, but I am entitled to ask an attorney for their opinion.”

“Did you initiate the meeting, or did the attorneys?” I asked.

“They initiated the contact,” Dickie said. “I didn’t ask for the meeting. I like these guys and I think they like me and we have gotten together at other functions so when Mike [Dahelig] called and said he wanted to come over, I said come on down. I don’t think the attorneys would have put me in a position to make me do anything wrong.

“People need to understand this is normal within the county. Anybody can call and within six hours ask you to meet for an appointment. And when an agenda item is up for a vote, Public Works can call to meet with us, Planning, Public Safety. And that’s just the county side. The private sector wants to meet with us about everything. It’s nothing to put out any red flags. I always get calls to talk, from people all over the community.”

“When you get calls from the other county departments, do they ask to meet at your house or after hours, or is it usually done within the business day at the county building?” I asked.

“It’s probably been during the work day and at the county building,” he said. “But I don’t see anything wrong with them coming to my house. It’s not like I’m meeting them at Rob’s or Duke’s. I feel like if it’s at my house, that’s OK, that’s a safe place, it’s comfortable for me, it's within the confines of my own house. I live in Puhi, so it might have been convenient for them to come to my house.”

“As you know, Mel is asking for a deferral of the vacation rental bill and an investigation,” I said. “Others have said you should recuse yourself from voting on the bill. Do you think there should be an investigation, and that you should recuse yourself?”

“I don’t believe I did anything wrong and I don’t know what an investigation would uncover,” he said. “They weren’t trying to influence me, they were not influencing me, they were not telling me how to vote. I just gave them a bunch of scenarios from June 4, 1976 to March 7, 2008 and asked was this legal, was that. We went through what went down and they were ‘whoa, Dickie.’ They were surprised I knew this stuff. I might not talk [in Council] because it’s not necessary, but I know what’s going on.”

“So do you think you should recuse yourself from voting on the bill?” I asked.

“I don’t think I do need to recuse myself,” Dickie said. “I got elected to make a vote, regardless of whether it pisses some people off. It would be easy to recuse myself, but it would be like telling people I don’t want to deal with the issue. I shouldn’t have to recuse myself.

"I'm pissed off about this issue [vacation rentals] and a lot of other people are, too. But there needs to be a process. We've stopped the bleeding, but now we've got to set things right. It's like BP. You cap the well, but you've still got to clean up the mess. So we'll see how it goes today at Council."

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

The reality of politics here....is what we see revealed. Depending upon which side of the fence you are...it could be a harmless meeting, or coercion. Its not surprise that people with big money eventually get their way with the planning commission and the council. When do they meet for a beer with those making our laws?

I once went to the KHS fundraiser dinner where the table next to me discovered the Kealia Kai developers (you know who) sitting with Bryan Baptiste, Marianne Kusaka and another council member (whose name forgot). This is politics. Money buys more signs! Money talks.

I think Dickie needs to focus on TV and entertainment. He needs to do a lot of home work to qualify for the job, but with the right financial backers will be back in the saddle using his "innocence" when he makes "mistakes".

Anonymous said...

Uh-oh! It appears like Dickie doesn't recognized when he is being interrogated by lawyers. They are not there to tell him what to do (explicitly) but merely prep (influence) his testimony based on what Dickie discloses to them!

Thanks for the detailed quotes Joan

Anonymous said...

Detailed quotes do not create facts or conflicts of interest. People recuse themselves when there is a conflict of interest. If this were a real piece of journalism there would be an explanation of what the conflict of interest was specifically. As it is, there are simply allegations that somehow Dickie is going to benefit by voting one way or another. A real story would include details on how Dickie was going to benefit or what exactly his conflict of interest might be. It is possible that the blog author is trying to stir something up so that she can use her blog when she feels like applying for a job since it is apparent she is no longer working for the staradvertiser as an employee....that is just as probable as Dickie somehow possibly receiving a windfall in the future based on how he votes. There are no limits on allegations when the events they allege haven't occurred yet.

Anonymous said...

anon 302, what do you mean, 'if this were a real piece' ? you read it first here. a scoop not found on the front pages of any newsprint; not on i lind or windmills; not on your community radio or your favorite weekly. this piece of journalistic insight is what many folks appreciate greatly and your whiny ass complaints shouldn't even make it to a public forum 'cept the author refuses to be exclusive about public commentary. your personal jabs about employment reveal your shallow and callous POV. check yo'self b4 u wreck yo'self and get a life.

Anonymous said...

So what happened at the counsel meeting today?

Anonymous said...

I hear they are in the process of passing the bill. Kauai loses another one. Soon, we'll having nothing to lose. Then we won't have to fight any more. The rich get richer and the poor get screwed. Not much you can do when the government is fighting against you. I thought they were supposed to help. I really did. I was wrong. I really was. :(

Anonymous said...

OMG the drama. You'd think someone killed your only child. So a couple dozen people with ag land, who are farming, can apply for a permit to rent out their house to tourists. Crap, it must the end of the world.

Anonymous said...

"Soon, we'll having nothing to lose."

I send you my deepest pity for all you believe to be lost. oh the drama.

Anonymous said...

The rich get richer and the poor get screwed.

It wouldn't screw "the poor" in any way whatsoever, and "the rich" - if by that you mean owners of tvrs on ag land - are left slightly worse off in that they now have to apply for special use permits.

But, that comment unintentionally telegraphs what all this keening and whining is really about: resentment of affluence.

Anonymous said...

Ya right, we're jealous of people like you.
You wish.......

Anonymous said...

I didn't say jealous. I said resentment. There's a difference. Also, I am not particularly affluent. You might be more so than me.

Anonymous said...

"Detailed quotes do not create facts or conflicts of interest."

No they reveal them. Get a check up from the neck up! Lights on nobody home?

jackbauer said...

They worked him and heʻs not akamai enough to know it.

Letʻs see if he changed his vote at the end of the day.

Anonymous said...

Did they vote yet?

Anonymous said...

"Resentment of Affluence"
Wow.....what a great book title! I wish I could write than novel.

We can have a love triangle between an BP executive billionaire caught between Lelani the Hawaiian goddess he met at the Lei stand,and buxom hapa haole woman, Ava, on the planning commission...oh the pain!
His conflict: building his dream house on ancient burial grounds.

Oh.....how we resent him for ravishing poor sweet Leilani, manipulating Ava with sex and good time, while flushing his toilet on the bones of both of their ancestors. \

Auwe....the resentment is deep!

How will this be a happy ending?

Anonymous said...

What is the bottom line?

How many parcels/houses are inflicted/affected/have applied for permit and if found in compliance with the bill/ordinance/law could be granted a special permit?

less than 100? more than 1,000? what is the bottom line?

Dawson said...

"OMG the drama. You'd think someone killed your only child. So a couple dozen people with ag land, who are farming, can apply for a permit to rent out their house to tourists. Crap, it must the end of the world."

Spoken like someone who is blind to how the tourism animal breeds.

Anonymous said...

We can have a love triangle between an BP executive billionaire caught between Lelani the Hawaiian goddess he met at the Lei stand,and buxom hapa haole woman, Ava, on the planning commission...oh the pain!
His conflict: building his dream house on ancient burial grounds.

Oh.....how we resent him for ravishing poor sweet Leilani, manipulating Ava with sex and good time, while flushing his toilet on the bones of both of their ancestors.


Oh brother. Now ag tvr owners are being vilified as Brescias. Or are you just ADD and cant't keep your pet issues straight in your mind?

Anonymous said...

I smell the cologne of an upwardly mobile yuppie!

Anonymous said...

Mel Rapozo is the last person who should cry ethics. Someone bleeding the county dry from his multiple paychecks from his boss/whatever the hell she is shouldn't point fingers. Stay in your glass house and shut up.

Anonymous said...

hahahahahahahahahahahaha

haha

hah

Anonymous said...

The funniest part:

"We went through what went down and they were ‘whoa, Dickie.’ They were surprised I knew this stuff. I might not talk [in Council] because it’s not necessary, but I know what’s going on.”

ahahahahahahahaha

Anonymous said...

did they at least defeat that ridiculous amendment before passing the bill?

Anonymous said...

You don't change Dick's [mind] in the middle of a screw.

TVR's are commin', no matter what you do.

Anonymous said...

A few comments were asking. The amendment passed and the bill TVR on Ag lands passed.... 5 to 2. Kaipo and Derek voted against. Lani and Dickie caved. Tim and Dickie are now on the election bubble.

To answer Anon 8:10, I think it's like a couple hundred affected, but the bigger changes in the bill provides no public appeal process and makes inspections optional.

The Farm Worker Housing bill had the problem amendment from two weeks ago withdrawn and two lesser amendmends offered today, the first one was voted down, the second one was set to pass and would not change the nature of the bill. The overall Farm Worker Housing bill looks set to pass tonight. Guessing it will be 5 to 1, with only Kaipo voting against it.

Fly on the Wall

Anonymous said...

Now ag tvr owners are being vilified as Brescias

Most of the vacation rentals in the Naue area have bones , some have 14 iwi Kupuna buried , others less, Ask nancy for the exact numbers.

Anonymous said...

I think it's interesting that Ian Jung and Mauna Kea Trask went to elementary school together. They've known each other for decades, just like all of the other people in the community. How can people be professional if they are playing with their baby-time friends? I no can heah, I get beah in my eah.

Anonymous said...

today is the lipstick trial

Anonymous said...

Michelle Hughes you are such a rebel! Showing up at a county council meeting wearing a red floor length ball gown! How appropriate for what you are trying to represent. Obviously you doesn't care what the people of Kauai think of you.
Red ball gown at a council meeting. So inappropriate! What a jerk.

Joan Conrow said...

Anonymous to KauaiEclectic at July 28, 2010 3:13 PM

Mahalo! And thanks for reading.

Anonymous said...

Brescia as an adjective how cool.

"Most of the vacation rentals in the Naue area have bones , some have 14 iwi Kupuna buried , others less, Ask nancy for the exact numbers."
Not to mention the residents. How many do they have?

Anonymous said...

I thought it was better as a verb:

"Watch out, they're going to Brescia that land!"

Anonymous said...

"The Bressicarator"

Coming to (for) your land soon...

wonderwoman said...

http://vetotvrbill.webstarts.com/