Welcome to Inside Honolulu! It may be a short week, but it’s a busy one at Honolulu Hale. Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.

3:19 p.m. Rod Tam issues statement

“At this time, I am responding to petty misdemeanors and misdemeanors charges against me by the State of Hawaii’s Attorney General Office out of embarrassment.
So that there is no misinterpretation:

“Pursuant to compromise, I have pleaded guilty to a variety of petty misdemeanors and misdemeanors. I submitted vouchers that exceeded actual bill amounts. I also submitted vouchers that were below actual billing amounts. I should have practiced better bookkeeping methods. I take full responsibility and deeply apologize for my mistakes.”

2:12 p.m. “Everything is on the table” for former Managing Director Kirk Caldwell’s political future

Former Honolulu Managing Director Kirk Caldwell has been out of the political spotlight since his failed bid for mayor earlier this year, but Caldwell said “everything is on the table” for his future political prospects.

He said he’d wait about a year before deciding whether to again challenge Mayor Peter Carlisle in the 2012 mayoral race. Caldwell also dispelled rumors that he’s taking a Cabinet position with governor-elect Neil Abercrombie.

“Nothing from the Abercrombie people,” Caldwell told Civil Beat today. “No calls. No mention of anything.”

For now, he’s exploring his options while spending time with family and outdoors.

“If there’s an opportunity for me to serve in my community, I’m going to jump at it,” Caldwell said.

1:31 p.m. No surprise: No sign of Tam at Honolulu Hale

Staffers in the Honolulu City Council office say Council member Rod Tam won’t be in his office today, after he pleaded guilty to 26 counts of theft.

The Attorney General opened a criminal investigation in July, following the Honolulu Ethics Commission’s investigation into the council member’s spending of city money.

Tam’s term ends in early January, before Tam’s Jan. 27 sentencing date. Tulsi Tamayo will replace him as Honolulu’s District 6 council member.

11:34 a.m. Carlisle mum on Chang’s resignation

Mayor Peter Carlisle knew Civil Beat’s first question for him today before hearing it.

“I know what you’re going to ask, and I’ll talk about that on Monday,” Carlisle told Civil Beat at Honolulu Hale Wednesday morning. “I don’t want to talk about it now.”

The mayor guessed correctly that we’d ask for his response to Parks & Recreation Director Les Chang announcement to KITV that he is resigning, at least in part because Chang believes the mayor doesn’t support him or his department’s mission.

That’s not the only personnel matter on the mayor’s agenda for Monday. Carlisle said he’ll also make announcements about his picks for new hires. Whether that announcement will include a Budget and Fiscal Services director, he won’t say. He did tell Civil Beat yesterday, however, that “we’re moving forward with that, and we’re getting closer.”

It’s a slow day at Honolulu Hale, with holiday decorations still going up and Christmas tunes playing through the building. For the most part, Carlisle says, he’s just “catching up on things” today.