HILO » Billy Kenoi, the kolohe kid, the rascal from rural Kalapana, was sworn in as mayor of the Big Island yesterday with none of his trademark joking around.

In his inaugural speech, Kenoi, 40, noted the “;challenging economic time”; facing Hawaii County and the nation. He made clear his administration will be focused on serious responses to money problems.

Every economic indicator points toward declining revenues, slow job growth and slow recovery from the economic slump, he told the audience of about 1,000 people.

Kenoi said he would impose a hiring freeze on county government “;until we can be sure the economy has stabilized.”;

Besides his words, focus on the economy emerged in his actions.

Kenoi confirmed that he had named William Takaba, director of finance under former Mayor Harry Kim, as his managing director.

Other county financial leaders are also being promoted from within. Former Deputy Finance Director Nancy Crawford becomes finance director, and former Accounts Division head Deanna Sako is the department's new deputy.

Mayoral Inaugurations

 

New beginnings on two neighbor islands , Billy Kenoi is the new mayor on the Big Island and Bernard Carvalho Jr was sworn in a Kauai mayor.

 

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An immediate announcement of his financial appointees is significant because Kenoi is undecided on other key jobs, including the planning director's post, responsible for the pace at which development is allowed to proceed.

Lincoln Ashida will also be retained as the corporation counsel, the county's top civil attorney.

Hunter Bishop, formerly with the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and more recently with the Hawaii Newspaper Guild, becomes Kenoi's public information officer. Such an appointment from the newspaper world is common, but his appointment of newspaper veterans as East Hawaii and West Hawaii executive assistants is unusual: Kevin Dayton, until recently with the Honolulu Advertiser, takes the East Hawaii post, and Bobby Command, from West Hawaii Today, will represent Kenoi in West Hawaii.

Kenoi made no mention of the appointments in his speech, but he made clear his commitment to the entire island.

“;I do not intend to govern from an office in Hilo, but from every community on our island,”; he said.

Kenoi also promised a “;transparent tracking system”; to keep tabs on projects; the creation of “;safe havens”; to keep youths free of drugs, gangs and violence; and his pet project, expansion of the county's free bus system to serve every corner of the island.