Taking the message to Rice St.

About 15 people gathered in front of the historic County Building at noon Thursday to urge the Kaua’i County Council not to support the proposed $215 million sale of Kauai Electric to the Kaua’i Island Utility Co-op.

Biff Whiting and John Silvestrone, above, go beyond the usual message as they dress the part in taking their stand of no-KIUC to the lunchtime Rice Street traffic prior to the start of the Thursday afternoon County Council meeting. Opponents told lawmakers the sale price is too high, the sale will not guarantee low electrical rates, KIUC is not a true co-op and the sale will shackle residents to an outdated electrical system.

During the rally yesterday, opponents said they didn’t know whether the 45-minute demonstration would sway the council.

John Barretto, Ray Chuan, Deborah Spence and Carol Bain – all candidates for the Kaua’i County Council – attended the rally and urged the council to reject the sale. Barretto said Mayor Maryanne Kusaka’s administration and the council need to be unified in their position to the PUC.