Here is what Mayor Billy Kenoi signed when he was given a Hawaii County purchasing card (pCard):

"I understand that the use of the pCard to make personal purchases is prohibited, unless specifically authorized. I will not use the pCard under any circumstances for unauthorized personal use."

The 12 pages of rules for how county employees may use the credit card include the warning that they could be subject to disciplinary action is "the pCard is used to purchase alcoholic beverages (unless within the Mayor’s policy) or any substance, material or service which violates policy, law or regulations …"

The mayor’s policy, according to news reports, is that county employees can buy booze if "necessary for the entertainment of dignitaries by the Mayor or others."

The pCard is given to county employees "to make small purchases to reduce the number of purchase orders needed."

Purchases must be budget items "for a legitimate department purpose."

And if you don’t follow the rules, besides having to give up the card, you could be "subject to further disciplinary measures."

Those are the rules. Now here is what Mayor Kenoi did with his card between 2009 and 2015.

He spent $1,219.69 for a surfboard at a Honolulu store, $1,909.47 for equipment at a Big Island bike shop, and $566 for his 2013 state bar association membership dues.

These new numbers are coming out since West Hawaii Today last week broke the story that Kenoi had put a $900 hostess bar tab on his pCard.

This goes way beyond "Billy, Billy, what were you thinking?"

Kenoi is contrite and apologetic. Every mayoral statement starts with fulsome remorse and regrets for making a mistake.

Forgiveness for a mistake is not the issue. This is about honesty and doing what you said you would do.

When Kenoi met with the Honolulu news media last week, he was asked if any other purchases were made at bars and he said "no."

Records released by his office later show that besides the Club Evergreen charges, there was also $400 spent at the Camelot Restaurant and Lounge, a hostess bar on Sheridan Street. Also Kenoi charged $620 at Aloha Lounge, a bar in Kaimuki and $479 at the Hilton Lobby Bar in Baltimore.

So clearly, more than a few drinks were had on the county card that forbids buying booze unless you are entertaining dignitaries. One would have to assume that dignitaries in the Kenoi posse must have been very happy indeed.

Kenoi also told reporters that much of his pCard spending was for taking care of workers and volunteers helping with the Big Island’s tsunami and hurricane cleanup.

"Lei for blessings, omiyage, volunteer appreciations, film festivals, Hawaii Island United Way, the Tahiti Fest, also community events, staff meetings and luncheon meetings," Kenoi said.

While nice to spread the wealth and toss bentos for the volunteers, how did any of that become a budgeted county expense?

When asked who signed off, Kenoi dodged saying, "I made those decisions, the actions were entirely my own and I take full responsibility."

Asked about how the pCard coordinator could possibly approve any of this, Kenoi said, "We did have reviews to make sure that any purchases were on official business, and any personal ones I made, I just paid it back."

There is nothing in the rules that says, "Just spend ‘um and give it back when you can."

"I was under the impression that as long as I made payment, as long as I reimbursed personal purchases, as long as the taxpayers were made whole, as long as I didn’t intend to shift that burden to them, I was under the impression that it would be OK," Kenoi told reporters.

None of that is good enough.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.