Mayors, council members and prosecuting attorneys on Hawai'i Island and Kaua'i were sworn in yesterday.

Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi, members of the Hawai'i County Council and Prosecuting Attorney Jay Kimura took the oath of office yesterday at the Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.

On Kaua'i, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., Kaua'i Council members and Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho were sworn in at the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall.

Kenoi's inauguration brought to an end more than 30 years of public service for now-former Mayor Harry Kim, who served in the island's top post for eight years and civil defense chief for 24 years before that.

In his inaugural remarks, Kenoi said he wanted to open lines of communication between all the rural communities of the Big Island and its county government.

"I don't intend to govern from one office in Hilo," he said.

With all economic indicators pointing to declining revenues and a slow recovery, Kenoi said a hiring freeze on county government and beefing up a bus transit system will be priorities, as well as working closely with state lawmakers to maximize the positive impact of available resources.

Hilo Councilman J. Yoshimoto also said his role as council chairman is to ensure government efficiency and find ways to do more with less.

Yoshimoto is joined by five other returning council members: Emily Naole of Puna, Brenda Ford of Kona, Pete Hoffmann of Kohala, Dominic Yagong of Hamakua and Donald Ikeda of Hilo.

The Big Island council welcomed three new members: Dennis Onishi of Hilo, Guy Enriques of Ka'u and Kelly Greenwell of Kona.

Carvalho was elected last month to fill the remaining two years of the late Bryan J. Baptiste's term. Baptiste died of a heart attack this year on June 22.

Carvalho, a former University of Hawai'i football player, headed Kaua'i's Department of Parks and Recreation before entering the race for mayor. Carvalho was sworn in by Kaua'i Chief Circuit Judge Randal Valenciano.