Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 3, 1 March 1993 — OHA Board Business [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Board Business

Nā kuleana a ka Papa Kahu waiwai

by Ellen Blomquist Public Information Officer

The regular monthly business meeting of the Board of Trustees was held Wednesday, Jan. 27. Vice-Chairman Abraham Aiona opened the meeting for Chairman Clayton Hee who was attending the Govemor's State-of-the-State address with Trustee Kīna'u Boyd Kamali'i. Hee resumed the meeting on their retum from the Capitol. The agenda was approved unanimously as amended: a proposed contract with PBR for a ceded land analysis was recommited to the Budget, Finance & Policy Committee for review of the scope of services, and the revision to Ka Wai Ola policy was corrected from second to first reading. The minutes of the Jan. 6 BOT meeting and the correspondence reports from the Chairman and Administrator were also unanimously approved. Although the PBR item was recommited, Walter Rodenhurst, Jr. testified against it, saying that the contract should have been put out for bid. Mililani Trask also submitted written testimony pertaining to this issue. Under unfinished business, the revision of Ka Wai Ola policy, clarifying policies and procedures for OHA's newspaper, passed first reading.

All items under new business originated from the Committee on Budget, Finance, and Policy, and were introduced by either Trustee Kamaki Kanahele, the committee's vice-chair, or Abraham Aiona, its chair. A proposal to sponsor a Hawaiian language eolumn in the Maui Press was briefly discussed. Trustee DeSoto spoke in favor of the motion, noting that "broader communication in the Hawaiian language needs to be there." Trustee Akana spoke against the item, citing a staff report from a joint meeting of the Committees on Education and Culture and OHA Relations that was held last fall. The item was recommited to the Committee on Education and Culture on the recommendation

of Trustee Kanahele. The next item on the agenda was approval of a co-applicant role for OHA in a grant applieation to the federal Eeonomie Development Administration; the item was passed unanimously. The application is being submitted by Hina Malailena, ine., a nonprofit corporation based in Hāna. The $1.36 million request is for construction of the Hāna Marketplace, a commumnitybased retail center. Hina Malailena, ine. has already secured funding for project planning from the Administration for Native Americans. The halanee of support for the construction phase will eome from a $250,000 grant from Maui County and a $90,000 loan from OHA for eom-munity-based eeonomie development.

OHA's co-applicant role means that OHA has an obligation to see the project proceeds as planned; an obligation to assume or retain management if the co-applicant is unable to fulfill that function; and to function as liquidator in the event the project cannot proceed. The trustees commended Linda Colburn and Chris Van Bergeijk, OHA's Eeonomie Development Officer and Eeonomie Development Specialist, for their hard work. They also commented on the tenacity and diligence of Hina Malailena, ine., particularly Bill Chang, its president. "It is about empowering our people," said Trustee DeSoto. Trustee Akana echoed that sentiment, commenting that "we're putting our money to good use in a community where this [support] has not been available." Trustee Akaka thanked Hina Malailena and OHA staff "for your hard work and diligence in bringing this about." A policy to establtsh the use of Hawaiian diacritical marks (the 'okina and kahakō, or glottal stop and macron) in all OHA documents passed, with Trustee Kanahele dissenting on the grounds that the Hawaiian lan-

guage was not rendered this way originally. A proposal to appropriate $2 million to the OHA Education Foundation was carried as amended; the amendment stipulated that the $2 million be appropriated in one sum, rather than in two installments. A related proposal establishing funding for operating the Education Foundation was sent back to the Committee on Budget, Finance and Policy for clarification. Trustees Akana and Kamali'i both expressed eoneem that the community had expectations that the Education Foundation was already in plaee, when in fact it will be some time before it is fully operational. A subsequent proposal to transfer $3 million of the $5 million iniīial payment anticipated from the state to fund the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund program passed with Akana dissenting. The $3 million is to be invested in money management accounts; Akana wanted clarification on the formula for investment.

A request to fund an appraisal of the ceded lands at Kealakehe, Hawai'i to be transferred to the Housing and Financing Development Corporation for an HFDC affordable housing project was passed, Akana dissenting. OHA will contract with the Hallstrom Appraisal Group, ine. to conduct an appraisal of the value of the land independent of the state's appraisal. Legislation in the last session was passed whieh said that OHA's share of the ceded land revenue was to be based on highest and best use; an independent appraisal will ensure OHA is receiving its rightful share. Funding to renovate OHA's Honolulu office was passed, Keale dissenting. Of the $40,000 required to redesign existing space to meet the needs of the Revolving Loan Fund and other divisions, $15,000 will be provided from the Eeonomie

Development Division and $25,000 from special funds. The last item on the agenda was a request to use special funds to hire a secretary for the Board of Trustees through June 30, 1993. A request for this position has been made in the 1993-95 biennium budget. According to the staff report, the position is needed now since there is insufficient staff to handle the present workload. The request was approved, five to four. Under announcements, Chairman Hee apprised the trustees of the Governor's State of the State address, highlighting his support for the "Hawaiian Congress" and the first payment of $112 million in past due revenue owed OHA. Trustee DeSoto commended Messrs. Keaulana and Bongo, two Wai'anae lifeguards who, at great risk to themselves, saved someone trapped in a sea cave. Trustee Kealoha requested the Board's mana'o on the Ka Lāhui bill being introduced this legislative session and acknowledged Ka Lāhui's kia 'āina, Mililani Trask. The board resolved into executive session at 12:47 p.m. and reconvened at 2:10 p.m with adjournment immediately following.

The Board of Trustees held another meeting on Friday, Feb. 12, at 10 a.m. in the board room of the Honolulu office. All trustees being present, Chairman Clayton Hee called the meeting to order. The agenda and minutes were approved unanimously. The ehaiiman and administrator's correspondence reports were also approved unanimously, after discussion of the best way to apprise trustees of the nature of the correspondence and the action taken on it. As for community concerns, Manuwai Peters presented a request for funding to the Board, asking for support for transporta-

tion of entertainers to Moloka'i for a Pūnana Leo fund raiser. The request had previously gone to the Committee on Education and Culture. The policy of the trustees has been to give support directly to the program in needs of funds rather than to ancillary fund-raising activities. Several trustees reiterated their support for the Pūnana Leo program and Trustee Kealoha spoke in favor of the request. Chairman Hee indicated that, with the Board's permission, he would discuss the matter further with Mr. Peters after the meeting.

Under unfinished business. the revision of Ka Wai Ola O OHA policy and a policy to establish use of the kahakō and 'okina passed second reading. They will now be incorporated into OHA's Policy and Procedure Manual. Under new business, the Committee on Legislative Review unanimously approved a policy identifying priorities for legislative review (legislation sponsored by OHA, legislation affecting native Hawaiian trusts, legislation affecting native Hawaiian rights and entitlements, and legislation on public issues with direct or indirect effect on Hawaiians) and the legislative lobbying process. A report on state legislative initiatives was also accepted by the Board. There being no further business or announcements, the Board adjourned at 1 1 :25 a.m.