Park project bids
under scrutiny
City employees are mum on
what they told the grand jury
An Oahu grand jury that is investigating Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign is targeting the awarding of nonbid contracts for city park projects.
William Balfour: The city Parks and Recreation chief testifies before a secret Oahu panel
Balfour said he appeared before the grand jury and answered its questions. But he declined to describe the nature of the panel's investigation, citing grand jury secrecy rules.
"I was told not to discuss what I was there for, so I'm not discussing it. I follow instructions very well," Balfour said.
The grand jury, which met for about 2 1/2 hours, is a fact-finding body that does not issue indictments. Any criminal charges would come from a separate grand jury.
The investigative grand jury also questioned several city workers, who were accompanied by City Corporation Counsel David Arakawa and city lawyer Gary Takeuchi.
Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee also declined comment on the panel's investigation due to grand jury secrecy rules. Although Harris' term ends on Jan. 2, Lee said the prosecutor's office will continue its investigation "regardless of whether he (Harris) is in office or whether he is not in office."
"I think the public deserves a fair and thorough investigation, and any wrongdoing that may come out of the investigation should be prosecuted," Lee said. "All I can say is that the investigation is ongoing. We are moving forward and hopefully something soon will happen."
This is the latest investigative grand jury convened by the prosecutor's office in its 2 1/2-year investigation into Harris' 2000 re-election campaign and his aborted 2002 gubernatorial campaign.
City prosecutors have been looking into the connection between campaign contributions to Harris and the awarding of city contracts.
A previous investigative grand jury, which met in September 2002, examined the city's development of the $23 million Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park and the $45 million Central Oahu Regional Park.
That grand jury questioned architects, engineers and city officials about cost overruns but did not return indictments.
Harris campaign officials and city officials have denied any connection between campaign contributions and the awarding of city contracts.