Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 5, 1 May 1993 — OHA Board Business [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Board Business

Na kuleana a ka Papa Kahu waiwai

by Ellen Blomquist Public lnformation Officer

The regular business meeting of the Board of Trustees was convened Wednesday, March 31, 1993 at 10:25 a.m. After calling the meeting to order, Chairman Clayton Hee requested Trustee Kamaki Kanahele deliver the pule. The trustees unanimously approved the minutes and the agenda as amended-deferring decisions on full-time trustee aides and a request for funding from Hui No Ke Ola Pono. Correspondence reports from the chairman and administrator were also approved unanimously. In reviewing the chairman's correspondence report, the trustees discussed the need for early submission of requests for funding. The discussion was prompted by a letter to the chairman requesting funds for Hawaiian law students to attend a conferenee on Native American law. Although all the trustees spoke in favor of supporting the law students' attendance, because the conference was to be held April 1 and 2 and the letter was received March 20, there was insufficient time to bring the matter before committee. The ehainnan indicated OHA had provided funds in the past

and, if the trustees approved the request, could retroactively fund the students. Also suggested was a requirement that the recipients of such funding provide the trustees with written reports on their exerience and the knowledge derived from it. The chairman of the Budget, Finance & Policy committee, Abraham Aiona, submitted three items for board action. The first concerned reorganization of OHA's staff. The proposed reorganization reclassified staff in line with the state system on the principle of equal pay for equal work. The reorganization is meant to provide a "career track," and aid in retention and recruitment of staff. The change would require $152,383 in special funds from Apnl 1, 1993 through June, 1994. Trustees had held several workshops to go over the proposed reorganization prior to receiving it in committee. Trustees Akana, Keale, and Akaka spoke against the motion. Akana indicated she feared a precedent would be set by using special funds rather than legisla-tively-appropriated monies for operating costs and felt the reorganization should be delayed until after the legislative session.

Keale stated he did not believe special funds should be used for operating costs. Trustee Akaka mentioned the position requests being considered by theLlegislature, and indicated her desire to wait until the Legislature was concluded for this year. Other trustees spoke in favor of the measure, stressing the importance of upward mobility and comparability with positions elsewhere. The reorganization passed 5 to 4, Akaka, Akana, Keale and Kealoha dissenting. After the vote, Akaka and Akana questioned whether the reorganization was a policy matter, whieh would require a two-thirds vote in favor. Trustee Klna'u Kamali'i said it was, in fact, an administrative matter. Chairman Hee referred the matter to the board's attorney, Sherry Broder, for a written opinion and said the measure would stand passed unless the opinion was to the contrary. The trustees then voted unanimously to provide $2,100 in special funds for travel and per diem for a native Hawaiian, Kanoe Cheek, to accompany her disabled son, Miehael, to an award ceremony in Texas hosted by the Foundation for

Exceptional Children. Trustees commended both Miehael and Ms. Cheek for their courage and grace in a difficult situation and for their initiative in raising enough money privately for Michael's travel needs. A request for $724 in special funds to assist Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive HeaUh Center defray travel costs for presenters at the Second International Conference on Diabetes and Native Peoples passed 8 to 1, Akana dissenting. The final item on the agenda originated in the Health and Human Services Committee and requested board approval of the scope of services for a request for proposals to evaluate the Wai'anae Diet. This passed unanimously. Under announcements,Trustees Kanahele and DeSoto spoke of the many contributions the late John Dominis Holt had made to OHA, including providing furniture when OHA first began. DeSoto said, "it is appropriate to pay aloha to him for his suppport and aloha for something that was just a dream." DeSoto suggested OHA provide ho'okupu for his service. Trustee Akaka also mentioned artwork that Holt

had provided the office. Trustee Kanahele expressed his gratitude for the attendance at the Kūhiō Day celebration at Nānākuli. Kamali'i responded by commending Kanahele for his chanting at ceremonies at Mauna 'Ala. On a less happy note, Trustee Aiona remarked on the laek of support "sister" Hawaiian agencies have provided OHA in this legislative session. "We fund them and testify for them," he said, "but they do not eome out for us." There being no further announcements, the meeting adjoumed at 1 1:30.