LIHU‘E — County Attorney Al Castillo’s ears were surely ringing Thursday. With Castillo’s seat at the Board of Ethics filled by newest deputy Mauna Kea Trask, who joined the county attorney’s staff last month after serving as a deputy prosecuting
LIHU‘E — County Attorney Al Castillo’s ears were surely ringing Thursday.
With Castillo’s seat at the Board of Ethics filled by newest deputy Mauna Kea Trask, who joined the county attorney’s staff last month after serving as a deputy prosecuting attorney, board member Rolf Bieber said he found Castillo’s absence “odd.”
Trask said Castillo was with Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Gov. Linda Lingle negotiating the UPW and HGEA contracts, and Castillo confirmed Tuesday that he was working on collective bargaining, saying he could not be in two places at once and adding that he plans to have deputies cover board and commission meetings whenever his presence is not required.
The controversial opinion regarding Section 20.02(d) was authored by Trask, who said he had just received the assignment 24 hours earlier, had not received the executive session minutes or any e-mail correspondence with the board from Castillo, and had done the best he could in the time he was allowed.
“Mr. Castillo owes this board more than that,” Bieber said, at one point turning to Trask and saying, “I don’t know you, sir.”
“To not show up, and not provide any clue … I find it unacceptable.”
In a written statement provided to The Garden Island following the meeting, Bieber wrote, “It is becoming increasingly clear and indefensible that County Attorney Castillo is not performing as he has advertised to the board since March 2009.
“I am disappointed but not surprised he sent his deputy into today’s board meeting with a substandard product delivered post haste. 20.02(d) is as plain and unambiguous a law one can understand. Yet Castillo’s unfortunate and mysterious absence today indicates seriously diminished credibility.
“I would hope the board now considers a neutral party to provide ‘findings of fact and conclusions of law’ to get to the bottom of this.”
In an interview outside of the Mo‘ikeha Building Tuesday, Castillo explained his interpretation of the law.
“20.02 standing alone is crystal clear, but considering the code, the framers of the code and the desire to allow for public participation, it’s not black and white,” he said. “For now, that’s my position.”
