Liquor Commission
meets on city criticism

The Honolulu Liquor Commission held closed-door discussions last night on personnel issues related to a city audit highly critical of the commission's operations.

The City Council's Budget Committee has held up a vote on a proposed hike in liquor licensee fees to pressure the Liquor Commission's top two officials -- Liquor Control Administrator Wally Weatherwax and Deputy Administrator John Carroll -- to resign. Both men have said they will not step down.

Commission Chairman Dennis Enomoto said that despite the audit's criticism, the administrators are not accused of corruption.

"For a nosebleed, they're (Council members) putting a tourniquet on it," Enomoto said after last night's meeting. He could not comment on the closed-door discussion because it involved personnel matters.

Enomoto said the commissioners cannot simply dismiss the administrator, who holds a civil service position.

He said he believes progress is being made to address the issues in the audit by working on a strategic plan to solve communication problems within the licensing and investigative sections.

"The commission has had problems throughout its history," Enomoto said. "To expect to clean it up, it's not an easy thing."