Released Mansho lobbies
for the recycling industry
A considerably trimmer and still perky Rene Mansho, who recently completed a one-year prison sentence, resurfaced in the political arena yesterday, lobbying for the recycling industry during a legislative hearing.
The former Honolulu City Council member was released from prison in June after pleading guilty in April 2002 to two counts of felony theft for misusing campaign funds and city staff. She remains on five years' probation.
Mansho is now employed by Hawaii Metal Recycling Co. and serves as co-chairwoman of the Recycling Industry Committee of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii.
Mansho said she got the job a couple of months ago to serve as the company's community and government relations person.
She resigned from the Council in April 2002 as prosecutors prepared to present their case against her to an Oahu grand jury.
A city Ethics Commission investigation conducted while Mansho was in office concluded she misused $148,000 of city funds by having her staff perform campaign tasks and other noncity functions. She paid back $40,000 and agreed to pay $25,000 more in restitution.
She told the Joint Legislative Task Force on Waste Management and Recycling yesterday that state government needs to do more to promote recycling, including having state agencies buy more recycled products and give preference to bidders who use these products.
That was a common call by officials of the recycling industry, including Stephen Nimz, president of Hawaiian Earth Products Ltd., the state's largest recycler of yard trimmings.
"The state and county must be willing to lead the way and purchase and use recycled materials in their projects. Otherwise, why would we expect the general public to do so?" he said.
Nimz said many recycling companies in Hawaii are indicating that they will not survive much longer unless something is done soon.
Sen. Melodie Aduja (D, Kahuku-Kaneohe), who chairs the legislative task force, said her concern is that Hawaii appears to be well behind the recycling activities taking place on the mainland. She said she will propose that the state's procurement code include a mandatory minimum of recycled materials used in state and county projects.
