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It’s a busy week for the City and County of Honolulu with a ceremonial groundbreaking for rail, Mayor Peter Carlisle’s first State of the City address and a full City Council meeting. All that, and just one week until Carlisle has to submit his first budget. Inside Honolulu is reporting from the inside.

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It’s Official

11:22 a.m.
Ground for Honolulu’s rail system has been officially broken in Kapolei. Mayor Peter Carlisle, former Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Sens. Dan Inouye and Dan Akaka, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia, Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz and others turned dirt with an ʻōʻō (a Hawaiian digging stick) splashed by a freshly cracked coconut.

How Much For A Groundbreaking?

11:00 a.m.
Honolulu officials say they don’t yet know exactly how much today’s ceremony will cost, but it’s likely to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
“Not all of the invoices have come in yet,” rail spokeswoman Jeanne Mariani Belding told Civil Beat. “We think about $30,000.”

City Council Members Have Mixed Reaction to Rail

10:54 a.m.

City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia is emphatically expressing his support for rail. His vice chair, Breene Harimoto told Civil Beat before the ceremony that rail is so important that “we just have to keep moving forward.”
Others are more measured in their reaction to the ceremony.
“This is certainly a big, big day,” said City Council member Stanley Chang. “This is the biggest public works project the city has ever undertaken. It’s also the biggest risk the city has ever undertaken. We’re just working really hard to bring this project in on time and on budget.”
When Mayor Peter Carlisle asked the City Council to stand up to be recognized for the efforts on behalf of the rail project, at least one of them — City Council member Tom Berg — did not stand up.
Berg has recently become more and more vocal in his public skepticism of the project. We’ll ask him why he stayed seated when the formal ceremony ends.

Realizing A Dream

10:46 a.m.

City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia is taking the podium, calling it a “pleasure and an honor” to represent the City Council on this day.
Garcia is remembering James Campbell’s history in Hawaii, and his efforts to develop Kapolei a century ago.
“Today, when we take the ʻōʻō stick to symbolically turn over dirt for our groundbreaking, we are also witnessing the realization of a dream,” Garcia said. “Now, rail transit is about the most ambitious public works project Honolulu has seen in its history.”
Garcia said it’s time to change a long history of Honolulu rail being “more stop than go.”

Schatz Stands in For Governor

10:40 a.m.
With Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie at the State Capitol presenting his budget, Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz is appearing in his place.
“I do want to send my regards from Gov. Abercrombie,” Schatz told the crowd. “He really wanted to be here, he was planning to be here… When the Legislature asks you to testify on the budget, you testify on the budget.”
Schatz said he is especially grateful for the support from Washington.
“The one thing you can always count on is Sen. Inouye and Sen. Akaka standing up for rail transit… This is the beginning of a new era for Oahu.”

Carlisle: “Hallelujah!”

10:27 a.m.
Mayor Peter Carlisle is addressing the crowd, and began with a reference to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Carlisle said. “And now that it’s started, it’s going to be a longtime going on. Hallelujah!”

Protest Mostly Quiet

10:23 a.m.
Rail critics picketing the groundbreaking are gathered across the street. Except for intermittent jeers here and there, those protesting are mostly quiet. There is a large crowd inside the tent, but just a couple dozen protesters standing outside.

Mayor Hannemann Thankful After Years of Work on Rail

10:12 a.m.
It’s about time for a groundbreaking, former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann told Civil Beat.

“I’ve always said this is long overdue,” Hannemann said. “I’m feeling very grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this project.”

People still call it “Mufi’s Train.” But Hannemann said today he’s thinking of decades of city leadership that came before him.

“I think of Frank Fasi today, and how hard he tried,” Hannemann said.

Inouye Looks Back, and Forward

10:08 a.m.
More than anyone in Honolulu, Sen. Dan Inouye knows the debate over building rail. When asked about how far the city has come, he thinks of former Mayor Neal Blaisdell. He also remembers with disappointment that he was working to secure hundreds of millions of dollars for an iteration of the project in the 1990s that fell through.

Today, the budget battle in Washington does not break the senior senator’s confidence.

“We have the money,” Inouye told Civil Beat with a smile.

The Senators are in Kapolei

10:00 a.m.
Sens. Inouye and Akaka are here, along with Rep. Hanabusa.

Council Members in the Crowd

9:46 a.m.
More familiar faces are showing up at the groundbreaking ceremony. Spotted: Sen. Will Espero, Honolulu Emergency Services Director James Ireland, City Council Vice Chairman Breene Harimoto and City Council member Ikaika Anderson.

Caldwell Won’t Rule Out a Bid for Mayor in 2012

9:45 a.m.
Kirk Caldwell grins when asked if he’ll run against Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle in 2012.

“We’ll see,” Caldwell told Civil Beat. “I’m back at my law firm but I don’t look at that as the end of my career. I believe in public service and I’ll look for a way to do that.”

From One Managing Director to the Last

9:35 a.m.
“I think what we’re most grateful for is just the chance to be part of history,” Honolulu Managing Director Doug Chin told Civil Beat. “This rail project is something that’s been around for decades. It’s been talked about by many many people. I think our job as the administration is to begin the process and make sure it’s done in a way that’s fiscally prudent and transparent.”

Across the tent, Civil Beat caught up with the man who used to have Chin’s job. Kirk Caldwell said it was a “bittersweet” day for him. He narrowly lost to Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle in the special election last fall.

“It’s 50 years in the making, from Neal Blaisdell when he was mayor talking about a mass transit system,” Caldwell said. “We’re breaking ground on a system that’s going to change the way people live, not only today but 100 years from now… Now we need to make sure, as we go forward, we make sure all voices are heard.”

City Starts the Groundbreaking Party Early

9:21 am.
Once you get past the protesters lining the Kapolei roadway en route to the groundbreaking site, it’s a party. Dozens of people held signs reading “Where’s the money?” and “Bamboozled Again” along the road leading to a large white tent.

Inside, the scene is jovial. Dozens of rail supporters are gathered, preparing to celebrate a 10 a.m. groundbreaking ceremony. The Royal Hawaiian Band is here, ready to play, and caterers have trays of food set out.

Many familiar city staffers and rail supporters are here. We’ve already spotted Honolulu Managing Director Doug Chin, Environmental Services Director Tim Steinberger and rail consultant Doug Carlson.

Abercrombie Will Try to Get to Rail Groundbreaking

With supporters and opponents of the city’s rail project planning to turn out in droves, today’s rail groundbreaking is likely to be a circus. Gov. Neil Abercrombie might be a late arrival.

The governor is due to present his two-year budget before state lawmakers at 9 a.m., so he’s sending Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to Kapolei in time for the 10 a.m. groundbreaking. Depending on how long the budget presentation takes, the governor will still try to make it to the ceremony. Civil Beat will be there from the start.

Catch Up on Inside Honolulu

Feb. 21, 2011: Transportation consultant warns clients about dwindling federal funds; Rush of candidates in Neighborhood Board elections; State bill to raid city rail funds still alive; Short but busy week for City and County; Mayor’s trip to the gulch.

Feb. 18, 2011: Rail critics plan to picket groundbreaking; Big Island County Council advances plastic bag ban; Oahu Neighborhood Board elections survive in “surprise” turn.

Feb. 17, 2011: Two-time mayoral candidate Panos Prevedouros at City Hall; Ann Kobayashi to skip rail groundbreaking; Mayor mum on budget; State fines city for air violation.

Feb. 16, 2011: Mayor Peter Carlisle taps three new deputy directors; Florida rejects federal funds for rail.

Feb. 15, 2011: City Council members turn out in force for Haleiwa planning meeting; Landfill hits key federal deadline.

Feb. 14, 2011: Power outage at Honolulu court; Duke Kahanamoku statue to undergo maintenance; Still “no telling” what Congress will do about rail.

Feb. 11, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle sends out invitation to rail groundbreaking.

Feb. 9, 2011: Rail critics turn out for Wayne Yoshioka nomination hearing; Mayor Peter Carlisle pushes back his inaugural ball to April.

Feb. 8, 2011: Council committee moves forward Gary Cabato and Sam Moku nominations; Bill to ban Segways from city parks put on hold; Oahu residents could see water bills spike.

Feb. 7, 2011: Council clashes over response to Rush Limbaugh comment; Bryan Mick withdraws nomination to Neighborhood Commission; Carrie Okinaga says mayor has “phenomenal” pick for city’s next top lawyer.

Feb. 4, 2011: City zoo could get giant bats; State wants city’s rail funds; Homeless assistance programs get a boost from the feds.

Feb. 3, 2011: Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa ratchets up fight against landfill; FTA to announce New Starts funding any day.

Feb. 2, 2011: Landfill hearing gets heated; Tom Berg wants to meet fellow tea partier Michele Bachmann; City Council asks Rush Limbaugh to apologize; Rail lawsuits start trickling in.

Feb. 1, 2011: Bulky item pick-up to start again; Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz introduces bill that would create development exceptions for rail; Tom Berg invites anti-rail groups into his office to discuss next steps in rail opposition.