Hawaii County has a new mayor, prosecutor, council

Mitch Roth was sworn into office Monday at noon as Hawaii County’s 13th Mayor. The very first County Mayor, Shunichi Kimura, served from 1968 to 1974 after the County government changed from having the Council Chairman serve as the County’s chief executive officer to electing a Mayor. Roth succeeds Harry Kim, who served three terms as Mayor (2000 to 2008, and 2016 through Monday at noon). Fifteen candidates ran for Mayor in the Primary. Roth defeated Ikaika Marzo in the General Election with 57.4% of the vote.

Monday’s inauguration also saw the swearing in of Kelden Waltjen as the County’s youngest Prosecuting Attorney and the nine County Council members. Because of COVID-19, the event had no guests. The participants were split between the Kona Council Chambers and the Hilo Council Chambers.

Roth said he was proud to be the first County Mayor sworn in in Kona. He said that should send a signal that he’s back to uniting the island, and said not just he but his Directors would all spend time at West Hawaii Civic Center and in other communities on the island, as well as Hilo. Roth expressed appreciation to his mother, who he said taught him to be a mensch (Yiddish for a person of integrity and honor) and to make sure to do mitzvahs (good works). He said as a transplant to Hawaii as a teenage dropout from high school when he was 17, he appreciates the spirit of aloha that exemplifies Hawaii–and said although his mother didn’t use that word, that’s how she taught him to live. Roth also expressed gratitude to his wife Noriko and their three children. He noted that the family–like everybody else– was watching the event online. That included his son Aaron, who was unable to come to Hawaii because his required pre-travel test showed that he has COVID-19. Roth said he has faith that he, his new Cabinet, and the County Council can help make good things happen on the island.

Mitch Roth, in a screenshot during his speech after being sworn in as Mayor.

The keynote speaker was Billy Kenoi, who was County Mayor from 2008 through 2016. Kenoi urged the incoming Mayor, County Prosecutor, and Council members to be kind, do good, include humor in their lives and work, and enjoy the little things. In a poignant moment, Kenoi said he wanted to take more than his allotted 5 to 7 minutes because it might be his last time to speak. Kenoi has been fighting a rare type of blood cancer and is forgoing most treatment at this point to, as he has said, enjoy every day with his wife Takako and three children. He concluded with a quotation from the Bible, from Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” He reminded those being sworn in that they must be strong in order to help make the Big Island a place where every family and every community on this beautiful island of Hawaii is healthy and safe.

Billy Kenoi, screen shot during his keynote speech at the Dec. 7, 2020 inauguration:

Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said he was honored to be sworn in at a building that held many fond memories for him, because his mother Roxcie Waltjen had worked for the County for decades and Kelden had spent many hours there growing up. Waltjen said he’d attended inaugurations even as a child. He said as Prosecuting Attorney, he wants to focus on expanding programs to prevent people from winding up being prosecuted, and to do all possible to protect our keiki.

Kelden Waltjen, courtesy Waltjen for Prosecutor campaign