Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 3, 1 March 1994 — OHA Board Business [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Board Business

Na kuleana a ka Papa Kahu waiwai

by Ellen Blomquist Public Information Officer

The Board of Trustees held its regular business meeting Thursday, Feb. 3, in the board room of OHA's Honolulu office. Chairman Clayton Hee opened the meeting at 10 am. Trustees Kīna'u Boyd Kamali'i and Trustee Moses K. Keale Sr. were excused. After Trustee Kamaki Kanahele offered the pule wehe, the board took up the routine business of reviewing and approving the chairman's report (7 - 0), and the minutes of December 30, 1993 (5 - 1, Akana dissenting) and of January 7, 1994 (6-1, Akana dissenting). Community Concerns

William Amona, Esq., related to the board his concerns about the process of selecting a new administrator, whieh he had previously addressed in a letter to the board members and discussed in meetings with Chairman Hee and Vice-Chairman Aiona. Kamuela Kala'i addressed the board with her concerns about the selection of the administrator, the subsequent allegations that were made. and the complaint she had filed with the state Attorney General. Budget, Finance & Policy Accounts at First Hawaiian Bank. The members present unanimously approved an action item to establish a loan fund account and a maximizer account at First Hawaiian Bank in keeping with the agreement previously made between OHA and First Hawaiian Bank with regard to the revolving loan funds for homesteaders. The accounts need to be established so the bank ean close loans to applicants. Presently, there are five homesteaders (one eaeh from Hilo, Moloka'i, Nānākuli, and two from Waimānalo) waiting to complete their loans. The loan

fund account - whieh is interestbearing - will maintain a monthly balance of $200,000 to fund loans. Interest from repayments of the loans made will be deposited in the maximizer account. OHA High School Student Association. Members present agreed unanimously to allocate $15,600 in trust funds to Waiākea and Hilo High Schools over a period of three years to develop an OHA high school association toward statewide implementation. Kducation and Culture Chairman Hee departed for a

meeting. The remainder of the meeting was chaired by Trustee Abraham Aiona. The six board members present approved a resolution for Alex Kane. Legislative Review The board received as an FYI OHA's position on pending state legislation. The board also approved a resolution for Andrea Akana, OHA's late government affairs specialist who was killed by a drunken driver last December. The six members of the board also approved draft legislation, "A bill for an act relating

to abandoned property." This proposed legislation seeks to correct ambiguity in the current kuleana escheat law, whieh provides that kuleana lands without heirs escheat to OHA rather than the state. (See story page one) Land and Sovereignty The board accepted the submission of a technical paper on Native Hawaiian Water Rights prepared by Jon Van Dyke, Esq., and presented to the Review Commission on the state Water Code. The paper was accepted 5 to 1, Kealoha dissenting.

Ad Hoe Committee on OHA Logo The ad hoe committee on the new OHA logo presented a final design to the board for approval; all six members present approved the design (See related story this page.) That concluded the business of the board. The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. (Editor's note: the March meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 30 at 10 a.m.)