Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 6, 1 June 1993 — OHA Board Business [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Board Business

Na kuleana a ka Papa Kahu waiwai

by Ellen Blomquist Public Information Officer

The regular business meeting of the Board of Trustees was held Wednesday, Apnl 28 at OHA's board room. Chairman Clayton Hee opened the meeting at 10:05 a.m. and Vice-Chairman Abraham Aiona said the opening pule. The first item was approval of the agenda. Hee requested that business from the Ad Hoe Committee on Entitlements be heard first since Norma Wong, Office of State Planning, was there to present the board with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) formalizing the $111.8 million settlement on the pastdue entitlements. He also noted that the following items were to be taken off the agenda: the Thomas K. Kaulukukui Sr. graduate scholarship was referred to the Education and Culture Committee, the contract on land identification was withdrawn to be put out for bid, and plant rental for the office was withdrawn since it was to be handled in-house. The agenda was approved unanimously as amended. The Board unanimously approved the MOA after Norma Wong's presentation. Wong was introduced by Hee who noted that "the state and OHA have spent many years clarifying the monies native Hawaiians are entitled to through Act 304 (legislation enacted in 1990 whieh defined ceded land and ceded land revenue). The memorandum of agreement presented today represents the end of the first phase of negotiations. There are issues outstanding that OHA asserts and OSP disagrees with. These will be discussed as we move to the next phase." Wong opened by reviewing some of the history of the entitlements negotiation whieh occurred, she said, in several stages. In the first, OHA sued

the state for revenues due it. The courts decided there was insufficient language in the law to allow a judicial decision and that the matter had to be decided legislatively. Negotiations with the govemor ensued and resulted in Act 304. Auditors for the state and OHA independently collected data on ceded land and ceded land revenue, as Wong put it, "parcel by parcel, state department by state department, program by program." Last year, 56 issues were resolved whieh led to an initial settlement of $111.8 million, to be paid this year. Act 304 stated that the settlement could be paid in cash, land or a combination of cash and land. OHA has elected to take the settlement in cash, but, as noted in the memorandum, retains first option to six parcels of land, including the Waikīkī Yacht Club. Wong noted that the memorandum excludes from the settlement the outstanding issues whieh remain to be discussed. She also took the opportunity to reiterate that this settlement and memorandum have nothing to do with reparations or other negotiations, but merely the constitutional provision that established revenue sharing for OHA and the state. Trustees commended Wong for her professionalism and the good faith that inspired the negotiations prior to approving the MOA. The minutes were then reviewed by the trustees. Trustee Rowena Akana requested that conversation in the last meeting regarding legal eounsel's opinion on the reorganization of OHA be inserted in the minutes. Chairman Hee asked that the statement "a written opinion would be forthcoming" be inserted. He also told the board that the legal opinion from the board's attorney, Sherry Broder, confirmed that an administrative reorganization could be approved with a major-

ity vote, and said he would distribute copies of the opinion to all trustees. After correction, minutes were then approved unanimously as were the correspondence reports from the chairman and administrator. The next item on the agenda was introduced by Trustee Aiona on behalf of the Budget, Finance & Policy committee, and seconded by Trustee Kamaki Kanahele. It appropriated $8,000 from Ka Wai Ola advertising revenues for redesign of the OHA logo and $8,000 from ad revenues for reprinting stationery, business cards, etc. Trustee A. Frenchy DeSoto stated the importance of including all trustees in the process. The appropriation passed, 8 to 1, Akana dissenting. Also passed 8 to 1, Trustee Moani'ke'ala Akaka dissenting, was an appropriation for grants, subsidies, purchase of services, donations and emergencies. The proposal was to set aside $1 million in special funds for FY94 and $500,000 in the annual speeial fund draw down plus 15% of the interest ineome from the corpus of the trust to fund these items, with 60% of the funds set aside for grants, 30% for purchase of services and subsidies, 5% for donations and 5% for emergencies. When the item was introduced, Trustee Akaka

moved to amend the item to allocate 55% for grants and 10% for emergencies. It was seconded by Trustee Samuel Kealoha, Jr. The amendment was defeated. A subsequent amendment, changing FY94 to read FY93-94 to clarify the time period, was passed 7 to 2, Akaka and Kealoha dissenting. Trustee Keale, as chair of the Plannning,Economic Development & Housing eommitte, introduced the remaining items, seconded by Trustee Kanahele. A pool of candidates for the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund Board of Directors was approved by the board 8 to 1 , Kealoha dissenting. The board unanimously approved a partnership with the University of Wisconsin to apply for a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to research mental health issues among Hawaiians residing in the state. Hawai'i ranks 5 1 st in the nation for mental healīh care, Trustee Akaka noted, and little has been done in mental heahh research, particularly among native Hawaiians. Dr. Hamihon McCubbin, a native Hawaiian, and the University of Wisconsin have received nahonal recognition for their work in mental heahh and family issues. OHA's

role would be to help formulate culturally-sensitive research protocols, identify sampling groups and potential data collectors, help train data collectors, and provide some administrative oversight. Several trustees spoke in favor of the partnership, calling it a rare opportunity to benefit the Hawaiian people. Trustee Kīna'u Boyd Kamali'i requested clarification on the need for additional staff and resources; Trustee Keale noted that the grant, if received, would cover additional resources needed. Prior to adjourning at noon, the trustees unanimously approved a resolution honoring the late John Dominis Holt, a leading Hawaiian author, historian and philanthropist .