Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Musings: Check, Please

Morning sky painted in winter pastels of gray and pink, Waialeale clear, save for a jaunty cloud beret, shrinking moon turning all gold-silver in the mist above the mountains. And as I scan the sky, the dogs scan the ground with noses sharper than any human eyes.

Later, I scan The Garden Island, where the Office of Prosecuting Attorney is again in the news, this time because the County Council has given it permission to apply for $220,000 in federal grants.

And I couldn't help but wonder why, when the Council has seen repeated evidence of Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho's abysmal managerial skills — as in extreme staff turnover, four EEOC complaints, questionable staff pay raises, questionable spending and procurement, excessive personal travel, minimal staff training and two civil suits — it keeps allowing her to expand her empire.

I mean, yeah, it's federal money, but don't you think $145,000 is an awful lot to spend to bring 25 sex offenders into compliance? Or $75,000 on a drug program that sounds like it essentially bypasses a person's right to due process and legal representation?

Aren't they a little bit concerned about giving her the green light to start new programs when they just kicked down another $20,000 — on top of the $15,000 already allocated — to buy her office special counsel in the POHAKU debacle? Do they think they got their money's worth from special counsel Gary Slovin, who claimed no funds had been spent on POHAKU, when Shay had in fact bought $9,500 worth of tote bags, whistles and other gewgaws? 

Don't they have any questions about how she spent some of the kala she's already gotten, like the aforementioned gewgaws, which are a total waste of taxpayer money, even if they aren't being used to promote her campaign?

I imagine all this waste must be irking the hell out of Councilman Mel Rapozo, in light of the comment he reportedly made at a recent Council candidate forum:

Rapozo said it’s not his job to agree with the mayor, but to make sure the county spends taxpayers’ money properly.

If we disagree, so be it,” said Rapozo, whose biggest concern was with the administration’s “reckless spending.”

And before they allow Shay to keep growing the OPA, don't they think they should wait and see what happens in the two pending lawsuits? I mean, tomorrow they'll be asked to pungle up $125,000 for special counsel to represent the county, Shay and planning inspector Sheila Miyake in cases brought by Councilman Tim Bynum and deputy prosecutor Rebecca Vogt. That ain't chump change, and it's just the beginning.

Since I'm asking questions, here are a few more: If Slovin supposedly “cleared” Shay and the OPA of wrongdoing related to POHAKU, why is another $20,000 needed for special counsel?

If Shay actually believed — and supposedly has “evidence” — that deputy county attorneys told Sheila to hold off on an enforcement action against Tim Bynum because they needed his vote on the TVR bill, why didn't she prosecute them? After all, it's a misdemeanor for someone in the legislative branch to influence someone in the enforcement branch. Come to think of it, why didn't she charge former Council Chair Kaipo Asing, since Sheila said on tape, “Kaipo was asking, Kaipo wants to know?”

At the very least, why didn't Shay bust out that two-year-old secret tape last March, when the charges were dismissed against Tim? Seems that would have been the time to tell the world that Tim was supposedly getting special treatment.

If Tim wasn't singled out for prosecution, what happened to all those other people the OPA supposedly charged with zoning violations at the same time? And why, oh why, didn't Shay prosecute any of the TVR violations, of which they are many? 

I've had a number of people ask me, why hasn't Shay resigned? Isn't there anyone who can encourage her to step aside, since her actions are costing taxpayers a lot of money, creating a diversion from the important work at the OPA and turning Kauai into the laughing stock of the statewide legal community?

Which brings me to my main question: why is the Council unwilling, or unable, to hold Shay accountable? I mean, I know she can scream and throw a fit and act really scary, but she needs the Council, because they provide the money.

Much has been said about the mayor trying to gain control of the police department, and the check that is placed on his power by the police commission. But where is the check on the county Prosecutor, who has the power to throw people in jail, deprive them of their liberty?

The check, literally and figuratively, lies with the County Council. It's understandable that Mel and KipuKai Kualii, who have their own personal conflicts of interest with Shay and the OPA, have been loathe to pull on the reins. Tim has his own ax to grind, since he's suing Shay. JoAnn Yukimura has been doing her part by publicly asking questions. Jay Furfaro, Dickie Chang and Nadine Nakamura have kept pretty quiet.

It's a rather sad state of affairs. Meanwhile, the county checkbook remains open, paying for attorneys, gewgaws, settlements. 

Oh, and one last thing, I'm really tired of hearing people, including Mel, bitch about how the county attorney has been settling all these suits instead of taking them to court. It's my understanding that the County Council unanimously approved all these settlements. So don't be passing the blame — or the buck.

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Tim will finally admit that he has a conflict with the OPA. He should recuse himself from all discussions involving OPA business.

Anonymous said...

wet bar in fam room not allowed?

Anonymous said...

Well, when the County Attorney can't do their job, the County Council has no other choice but to approve funds for special counsel.

Anonymous said...

The block of knives is for mixing the cocktails with.

Anonymous said...

I thought one of Tim's numerous stories 'splaining his addition wsa it was for a baby nursery. The knifes must be for the baby to play with!

Anonymous said...

That could be your family room or mine. You can put a full size refrigerator in every room in your house without any permits needed. Same goes for rice cookers. Tim's sink was permitted. If there was an installed stove, then an only then, would there be a permit violation. Two Planning Department employees went rogue to help Kipo get revenge.

Anonymous said...

That's how the illegal apartment owners do it. First they put in a "wet bar." Then they sneak in a refrigerator, some cooking appliacnces, a block of knives, a rack of spices...Then they rent um out.

Bynum is on ag land. He knows better.

Anonymous said...

Mel does have a tendancy of speaking out of both sides of his mouth. I would be absolutely shocked if he ever came out with anything perceived as negative against Shay. Jay, Nadine and Dickie are not doing their jobs by remaining silent.

Anonymous said...

"That could be your family room or mine."

Doesn't look like any family room I've ever seen. Looks like a kitchen to me.

Anonymous said...

The overall scheme of things are being overlooked! Shay has a lot people to fry if she goes down so protecting her is in the best interest of Kauai's EVIL POWERS.

Anonymous said...

The conspiracy theory posts are good because that's really what Joan is peddling here. Wild eyed conspiracies.

Anonymous said...

The conspiracies come from Shay and her crew who claims everybody out to get her. All the focus on kitchen is attempt to distract from the resl issue: Shay is out of control and in way over her head.

Anonymous said...

If for the sake of argument Tim really had a kitchen why didn't Shay go after all the other places like this in ag lands? There are so many in violation and some are TVRs renting for thousands each week but she only goes after Tim? Shibai!!

Anonymous said...

The OPA did go after other violators. All of those were smart enough to plead and fix the violations. Unlike Mr. "I'm too good to follow the law."

Anonymous said...

Shouldn' Sheila be working instead of pisting pictures?

Anonymous said...

Joan, you are sounding quite personal in this issue, seems like you need to take a few deep breaths.Is Shaylene really that evil, and is Kollar really that good?

Anonymous said...

10:31. Lets have some proof. How many? What are their names ?

Anonymous said...

The block of knives is for cutting fruit for smoothies and cocktails. That's not allowed? and cheese for pupus, cut some with knives yah? and sashimi? no can?

Anonymous said...

We all pay for Shay!

Anonymous said...

Looks like reverse discrimination these days... it isn't so much about ganging up on the haoles, but more like gang up on the local girl. `Auwe!

Tim Bynum said...

http://timbynum.com/family%20rooms.pdf

Anonymous said...

Oh poor ting Shay. Couldn't possibly be all her own fault

Anonymous said...

Tim, this is a long meeting to be invest time into reading. Please tell us what we should expect to find in this linked transcript.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if Shay is "evil' but she is incompetent. Time for a change.

Anonymous said...

3:31 -- Go see. Its pictures of family rooms.

Anonymous said...

Shay needs to Pay for her CRIMES! Prosecute the Evil Corrupt Prosecutor!

Anonymous said...

The Keiki Pohaku program is to help her get more votes. The criminal families were benefactors from the Pohaku program. The Cold Case Unit is BS, all those years that they had an opportunity to seek federal assistance for their own incompetence and as soon as an election comes up now they care and now they want Justice. That's BS we all read the press releases and falsehood that these people in Kauai's Cosa Nostra are doing.

Anonymous said...

For all the People that think this cannot happen to you. You are lying to yourselves because once the green light is on then the whole GOB are put to work against you. Did Tim Bynum believe that they would go after him? He should have prepared better because if you look at the council meetings with him, Shay, Mel, Kaipo and Lani it was obvious who the powers were gonna green light. The target was marked and he was gonna feel the wrath and power of the GOBAG! Now the same crap can happen to anyone on Kauai, Believe that! If you still don't believe then speak to the families, friends, and neighbors of the unsolved murders.

Anonymous said...

Prosecutor was asked to investigate the unpermitted $5.4 million rock quarry on ag. land at Lepeuli. She sent some investigator guy out and he looked at the pasture from the road and said he didn't see a rock quarry, then he asked planning about it and they said everything was fine. Conclusion: allegation of rock quarry unfounded, case closed. Planning had already said there was a rock quarry and ordered a cease and desist, yet the Prosecutor's investigator says this!

Anonymous said...

Sure looks like a kitchen.

Anonymous said...

No stove, not a kitchen.

Anonymous said...

it's pretty clear that there is widespread corruption in our local government; it's too bad that we the people suffer for it.
as for the kitchen /living room debate it seems like tim needs to share whether he did rent out the unit and did he ask for or receive assistance from friends in the administration to ease up?

Anonymous said...

not illegal to rent a portion of the house

Anonymous said...

Is illegal to have unpermitted multi family dwelling on AG land.

Anonymous said...

But that's not what Tim had, so give it up.

Anonymous said...

Other than a fancy knife set that room looks just like the lunch room in Planning or a major office in the State Building.

Anonymous said...

All of it was permitted, and there's definitely no law against a knife block.

Anonymous said...

My question for Joan, is or isn't Tim's property on Ag Land? I thought it was. And did that influence his tvr vote on grandfathering in all illegal tvrs? Other question, from sheila's recording, it sounds like Mayor was pressuring his appointees to push it through, why?

Joan Conrow said...

Yes, Tim's house is on ag land. I've emailed him about whether that influenced his TVR vote and am waiting for his reply. In the meantime, I checked with mayor's office and was told that the mayor was not pressuring his appointees to push the bill through.

Anonymous said...

Illegal is Illegal and for them to grandfather Illegal TVR's sends a presedence. Cock fighting and growing marijuana should be grandfathered in then. What a bunch of double standard hypocrites. I do not condone illegal growing of marijuana or cock fighting but it seems to me that the rich, powerful, and connected can get away with breaking laws and commiting crimes on Kauai.

Anonymous said...

Cockfighting goes back to when Polynesians first inhabited Hawaii. Marijuana? Not a chance.Was never here until the middle sixties. And we had laws since the 30's. Frankly if we allowed only the wild cocks to fight and then be served up. I will be all for it.

Anonymous said...

cockfighting has been grandfathered in. Isn't it obvious?

Anonymous said...

I checked with mayor's office and was told that the mayor was not pressuring his appointees to push the bill through."


Good enough for me. If you asked Im sure they answered truthfully.

Anonymous said...

8

Anonymous said...

I checked with mayor's office and was told that the mayor was not pressuring his appointees to push the bill through.
Another mis truth because Beer gate was a fact, and it was carried out by the mayor's attorney crew including Al. How's that not trying to influence the decision?