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There was no word Thursday from the Maui County Board of Ethics on a complaint filed against Maui County Council Chairman Mike White over his public declaration in November that he would be continuing to serve as chairman before the new council was seated and an official vote taken Jan. 2.
In a closed session, the board Wednesday took up the complaint from Mark Sheehan of SHAKA (Sustainable Hawaiian Agriculture for the Keiki and the 'Aina) Movement and SAFE (Sustainable Action Fund for the Environment). He argued in his complaint that White violated the County Charter when he used the chair's office, time, resources and the council government website to issue a news release "declaring unequivocally that the Maui County Council had organized for the upcoming term and that he will again serve as chair for the next council session."
The complaint also alleges that White violated voting laws and "solicited and secured committed votes for his chairmanship from other members behind closed doors, by way of promising other desirable positions held within the council."
Sheehan confirmed Thursday that his complaint was given its initial review but that he would not know the outcome of the closed-door discussions by the board until probably Monday.
Ethics Board Chairman Randol Leach, speaking generally and not specifically about the White case, said Thursday that the panel receives a complaint and decides whether to set an informal hearing or to dismiss the complaint. Both parties are notified in writing about the results of the closed-door vote of the board.
If an informal hearing is called, the session will be closed to the public unless the defendant calls for an open session, said Leach, adding that this process follows the procedures of the Ethics Board.
Sheehan said that seven or eight people, including him, testified in support of his complaint before they were ushered out for the executive session.
Leach said the letters to the parties can take days or weeks to draft and mail depending on how detailed and complicated they are. Sheehan indicated that he was expecting a response Monday.
White had no comment Thursday, saying that his office has not received information from the Ethics Board on the disposition of the complaint.
White, who was elected council chairman during a Jan. 2 organizational meeting, has called the complaint "highly political and unsubstantiated" and noted that it was filed by the head of a political action group that raised thousands of dollars to have him and other incumbent council members ousted.
He has said that announcing leadership positions prior to a new term is "nothing new" and a "fairly common practice" among legislative bodies in Hawaii. He said the state Legislature, Honolulu City Council and Hawaii County Council also announced their leadership teams before their new term and an official vote.
He added that former council Chairwoman Gladys Baisa announced her leadership team four days after the 2012 general election and the last term's organizational announcement by White was released in early November after the 2014 election.
* Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com.