Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 9, 1 September 1991 — OHA Board Business [ARTICLE]

OHA Board Business

by Deborah Ward Ka Wai Ola O OHA, Editor

The OHA Board of Trustees held its July 26 business meeting at the Aston Kauai Resort Hotel Ali'i conference room, in Wailua, Kaua'i. Present were Chairman Clayton Hee and trustees Abraham Aiona, Moanikeala Akaka, Rowena Akana, A. Frenchy DeSoto, Louis Hao, Kamaki Kanahele, Thomas Kaulukukui Sr., and Moses Keale, Sr. Administrator's Report The administrator reported on letters received by OHA concerning: initiating contact with the government of Israel; OHA's request to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for information regarding proposed set-aside of a portion of the ceded and sugar eane lands under the operation of general lease; state contracts to attorney Jon Van Dyke; the Uhaele Group. He presented an update on OHA's testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy on July 23 on congressional consent joint resolutions to amendments adopted by the state legislature to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920. The testimony was presented to Congress by Paul Alexander, special counsel for OHA in Washington, D.C. (Ed. note: see Mai Wakinekona eolumn, this issue). Committee Reports Budget, Finance, Planning & Policy The board voted unanimously to have the firm Deloitte and Touche conduct an independent audit of past-due ceded land revenues and the public land data base. Deloitte and Touche will audit the past-due revenue determination of the state Department of Finance; and will audit the public land data base in the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to identify those lands whieh should comprise the ceded land trust subject to the OHA entitlements. The trustees approved the expenditure of special funds, or if available, a combination of general and special funds, to cover audit costs whieh may exceed the $100,000 to be expended by the Office of State Planning for independent OHA audits. A motion was also adopted to appoint David Kirkeby of Bishop Trust as investment fund monitor for OHA for a period of six months. Kirkeby's appointment terminates services of former monitor Carl Choy. Kirkeby will initiate a search for an investment manager, custodian and brokerage house, on behalf of the board of trustees, and will assist OHA to review and revise as needed, its financial objectives and guidelines. There was one abstention in the vote by Trustee Keale. A motion carried unanimously to appropriate $40,000 from special funds to purchase trustee office furniture. Eeonomie Development & Land There were no action items from this committee. However, committee chair Louis Hao reported that the committee met with city Councilman Leigh-Wai Doo for an update on plans for a cultural interpretive center at Kualoa Park, and on a proposed sewage treatment plant there. Hao

also noted there will be a management audit on the services provided by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., and that the committee will receive a report frorn Lawrence Okinaga regarding East-West Bank. Education & Culture Trustee Kaulukukui introduced a motion whieh was adopted unanimously, to approve a resolution in recognition of Hawaii's kupuna, and their contributions as the source of traditional Hav;.'aiian cultural beliefs and practices. The resolution will be presented at OHA's annual 'Aha Kupuna in October. Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council A motion carried unanimously to approve a report by the eouneil on its current functions. Health & Human Services Chairwoman Akaka reported there were no

action items from the committee. However the committee did meet with Charles Torigoe of the Hawaii Affordable Housing Allianee, who has offered assistance to OHA in its future plans to develop an innovative, viable package for rentals and homeownership. Akaka noted that the August committee meeting was to include a presentation by ciguatera test kit makers who have developed an inexpensive field test. Legislative Review Chairwoman DeSoto reported there were no action items from the committee, but she noted it will be working with eaeh OHA program division to put together a comprehensive legislative package for presentation in the 1992 legislative session. OHA Relations A motion was adopted unanimously that the celebration of OHA's 10th anniversary should include participation by OHA in the 1991 Aloha Week Parade. OHA's float will be designed by Andrew Miyamoto, award-winning designer, for a contract fee of $4,500. Status & Entitlements Chairman Hee reported there were no action items for the committee. He noted he met with Harold Matsumoto of the Office of State Planning on the Aloha Tower waterfront development project whieh is on ceded lands. He has asked Matsumoto to delay the process of bidding for Pier 60 development contracts until the committee has time to review the matter. Unfinished Business A motion was passed unanimously toapprove a new committee structure whieh will split the former committee on health, human services and housing into a committee on health and human services, and a committee on housing. A new committee. on sovereignty was established. This now brings the number of standing committees to nine. (Ed. note: See article this page on OHA's standing committees and their respectiue chairpersons. Also in this issue: a schedule of committee meetings for September and October.) Announcements Board Chairman Hee announced the receipt of correspondence from attorneys Alan Murakami and Cynthia Thielen regarding the state attorney general's petition for certiorari in the Paty v. Napeahi case. Attorney Sherry Broder has been hired to file a "friend of the court" (amicus curiae) brief on behaif of OHA to urge the state attorney general to withdraw its petition. The petition would, in effect, challenge the right of Native Hawaiian individuals and organizations to seek to enforce trust provisions of Section 5(f) of the Admission Act and the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act in federal court. OHA supports the right of beneficiaries to have access to federal court to ensure that the state uphoids the Section 5(f) trust provisions tied to statehood. Calendar The next meeting of the board of trustees was

set for Aug. 30 at 9 a.m. on the island of Lana'i. A community meeting will be held at Lana'i Senior Citizen Center on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. The September meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on Sept. 27 at 9:30 a.m. on the island of Moloka'i. A community meeting will take plaee Thurs. Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. on Moloka'i.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees at its July 26 meeting approved restructuring of standing trustee committees to create two new committees, one on housing and one on sovereignty. This brings the number of standing committees to nine. Eaeh trustee is chair of one committee and vice-chair of another. One problem the OHA Housing Committee has identified is the difficulty some Hawaiians have in obtaining loans to build homes on their land or homestead lots. OHA is supporting self-help housing pilot projects in Wai'anae and Keaukaha-Panaewa where Hawaiian families are being helped to build their own homes. Other options are being examined. The nine trustee standing committees and their respective chairs are: • Budget, Finance, Policy and Planning — Abraham Aiona, chair • Eeonomie Development and Land — Louis Hao, chair • Education and Culture — Moses Keale, Sr., chair • Health and Human Services — Moanikeala Akaka, chair • Housing — Thomas Kaulukukui, chair • Legislative Review — Frenchy DeSoto, chair • Native Hawaiian Status and Entitlements — Clayton Hee, chair • OHA Relations — Kamaki Kanahele, chair • Sovereignty— Rowena Akana, chair