LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday deferred three requests from County Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho to apply for state and federal funds totaling $300,000, which are supposed to pay for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s victim witness program,
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday deferred three requests from County Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho to apply for state and federal funds totaling $300,000, which are supposed to pay for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s victim witness program, the VOCA Expansion Program and the Keiki POHAKU diversion program.
A request to apply, receive and expend Kaua‘i VOCA Expansion Program federal funds in the amount of $203,109 was deferred after Deputy County Prosecutor Jake Delaplane sent Council Chair Jay Furfaro an email Wednesday morning.
Furfaro said Delaplane indicated in the email that no one at OPA was available to attend the council meeting, because they were busy working on “an important cold case” and were having “a series of multiple meetings” with the Kaua‘i Police Department regarding a series of recent traffic accidents.
Councilman Mel Rapozo was the only council member who voted against the deferral. His explanation was that he wanted to make comments on the item, but was prevented because a motion to defer does not allow for discussion after it is seconded.
On the subsequent agenda item, OPA was requesting council approval to apply, receive and expend state funds in the amount of $35,000 for the Keiki POHAKU diversion program.
Rapozo made a motion to approve OPA’s request, but his motion was topped by a motion to defer called by Council Vice Chair JoAnn Yukimura.
“Some day, some day I’ll have the right to make a motion as I see fit,” Rapozo said. “Did you guys discuss this before the meeting?”
His comments apparently touched a nerve in Furfaro, who answered, “No, we did not, Mr. Rapozo.”
On the same breath, Furfaro said he would not accept a second on the motion to defer if someone wanted to make some comments.
“Members, do you have comments? Now is the time,” said Furfaro, whose question met with a blank stare from other council members.
Yukimura then re-stated her deferral motion, and was promptly seconded by Councilman Dickie Chang.
The following item on the agenda was a request from OPA to apply, receive and expend $70,290 in state funds for a temporary Victim Witness Counselor I position, fringe benefits, office equipment and supplies and travel expenses for Fiscal Year 2013 to fulfill some aspects of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative.
This last item was summarily deferred.
Both requests for state funds are now scheduled for a special council meeting Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.
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∫ Léo Azambuja can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
