County of Kaua‘i history comes to life at ceremony

Political leaders of Kaua‘i, past and present, gathered in an upbeat ceremony at the historic County Building Friday to mark the 90th anniversary of the historic County building and the Kauai Historical Society.

About 60 people attended an open-house gathering led by Mayor Bryan Baptiste, Kaua‘i County Council Chairman William “Kaipo” Asing and Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura.

They and others spoke of the special place the building has in Kaua‘i’s history, how leaders of bygone years fashioned laws in the building that still have impact today, and why the building still has relevance today.

The building was constructed by the Territory of Hawaii in 1913, and is the oldest operating county building in the state.

The building was opened on May 9, 1914, two days after the founding of the Kaua‘i Historical Society.

Phyllis Kunimura, a former first lady of Kaua‘i and the wife of the late Mayor Tony Kunimura, said the celebration “is a way to step back in time and think how Kaua‘i County (officials) started its government, what was important about it, realizing it was the first county building in the territory.”

Bob Schleck, director of the Grove Farm Homestead Museum, said the building symbolizes the seat of government, and housed many generations of political leaders who served residents to the best of their abilities.

“It (the event) is a nice acknowledgment of what the forefathers did on the island, to create such an impressive structure,” he said.

The event also drew former Kaua‘i Mayor Maryanne Kusaka, who said the event marks a significant moment in Kaua‘i’s history. “I think it is a wonderful thing to celebrate, because it is certainly meaningful to our history,” she said. Kusaka served as mayor from 1995 to 2002.

Her successor, Mayor Bryan Baptiste described the building as “a link to the past,” and that his first memory of the county building “was of sitting at my father’s desk, and coloring,” a comment that drew chuckles from spectators at the ceremony.

His father was Anthony C. Baptiste, who served as chairman of the Kaua‘i Board of Supervisors, a position similar to that of mayor prior to Kaua‘i voters electing the first mayor and a council in the late 1960s.

The senior Baptiste also represented Kaua‘i in the Legislature of the Territory of Hawai‘i.

In looking about the building, Yukimura said she felt the event paid tribute to all the leaders and people who have made what Kaua‘i is today.

Yukimura said she has many special memories of the building, noting “I was mayor in this building. I started my career in government in these chambers.”

The building was the operation center of government during Hurricane ‘Iwa in 1982 and Hurricane ‘Iniki 1992.

Yukimura served as mayor during ‘Iniki, and from the building, she, federal, state and county officials mapped out the recovery of the island.

Yukimura became Kauai’s first woman mayor when she defeated former Mayor Tony Kunimura in a primary election in 1988.

Yukimura served as mayor from 1989 to 1994, and has served a total of 18 years on the council.

State Sen. Gary Hooser served two, two-year terms on the council before he won a seat in the state Senate in 2002.

He said being in the historic building, “reminds you of being rooted to all the people who have worked here before,” he said.

Attending the event were current officeholders and public officials who helped shape the history of Kaua‘i over the past 30 to 40 years.

They included County Clerk Peter Nakamura; Mary Thronas, a Kaua‘i liaison for former Gov. George Ariyoshi and former Gov. John Waihe‘e and a former chairwoman of the Kaua‘i County Council and a mayoral candidate; former County Clerk Jerome Hew; Maxine Correa, a former chairwoman of the council, and her husband, Jerry; Jesse Fukushima, a retired councilman; Richard Minatoya, a former councilman and an attorney; council vice chair James Tokioka; councilmembers Daryl Kaneshiro and Jay Furfaro; Nelson Secretario, a former councilman; Abel Medeiros, a former councilman and community leader from Koloa; George Pascua, a former member of the Board of Supervisors; David Penhallow, who served as an administrative assistant in the administration of the-late Mayor Tony Kunimura, an author, and a retired faculty member of the Kaua‘i Community College and Elizabeth Freeman, who has spearheaded efforts to decorate the county building during the Christmas season.

Also recognized was retired County Clerk Bunji Shimomura.

During the event, Phyllis Kunimura, Schleck and Patricia Layosa were recognized for their efforts in restoring the building to the way it looked in 1913, when it was built.

The threesome were described by Penhallow as heroes who have gone beyond the call of duty in restoring a structure that is important to the history of Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i.

Kunimura, Schleck and Layosa were part of the Kauai County Building Restoration Committee, whose formation was strongly supported by former Mayor Tony Kunimura.

Layosa helped monitor thousands of dollars that were used for the renovation of the building.

Kunimura and Schleck were credited with continuing the restoration effort for 22 years.

Over the past 22 years, a lowered-ceiling in the mayor’s office was taken out; copper lights were replicated and installed in the building; tiles were taken off the concrete floor of the first floor of the two-story building; paint was taken off brass railings, wooden doors with glass windows replaced wooden doors and parts of the chambers where Kaua‘i County Council members meet weekly have been restored, Phyllis Kunimura said.

The only concession to modern-day living was the installation of an elevator so that the county could be in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act.

Future plans call for the renovation of the offices used by council members, Kunimura said.

She said she took on the project with a passion partly because of her husband’s enthusiasm for it. He helped bring initial money to the project and convinced businessmen and developers of the day to get behind the project, she said.

“The goal was to bring it back to what it used to be,” Kunimura said. “Tony became interested because of his many years in office.”

During a political career spanning more than 30 years, Kunimura served as a member of Kaua‘i County Board of Supervisors, a member of state House of Representatives and as mayor.

Phyllis Kunimura said she wants the building to be visually attractive for people who visit it, as a way to stir respect and pride in the County of Kaua‘i.

“How we respect government, how we take care of things, very much reflects on the people themselves, and care of the building is a way to show respect to the government,” Kunimura said.

Asing said special thanks should be given to Phyllis Kunimura and Schleck for the 22 years they have been involved with the restoration project, adding ” they really put a lot into it, and I appreciate that.”

Schleck said the building had been through modernization in the past that didn’t look right for the structure, and that he is glad he has been part of an ongoing effort to return the structure to the way it looked nearly a century ago.

“It (the renovation) has been great to see it go from a kind of fortress to something that is open and light,” Schleck said. “The front doors were solid, the law library was up on the balcony, up above…the interior was darkened. It is nice to see it returned to its original design.”

Bob Dease, a trustee on the board of the Kaua‘i Historical Society, and Malvin Dorhman, one of the group’s leaders, attended the gathering.

Dease said yesterday’s celebration “means a whole new beginning for the Kaua‘i Historical Society,” adding that the group has plans to move into a county annex building to expand its ability to document Kaua‘i’s history.

The organization, headed by Mary Requilman, now leases space in what was the mayor’s office in the historic County Building.

The opening chant of the ceremony was led by Kumu Hula Kapu Alquiza, and the blessing was led by Kahu Nani Hill.

Music was provided by the Lihu‘e Senior Center Singers. Refreshments were provided after the ceremony.

Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@pulitzer.net