Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 2, 1 ʻAukake 1994 — OHA Board Business [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Board Business

Na kuleana a ka Papa Kahu waiwai

Bv Ellen Blomquist, Public lnformation Officer anel Patrick Johnston, Publications Editor

June 24 meeting The OHA board convened on June 24 at the Cameron Center in Kahului, Maui. All trustees were present except for Trustee Moses K. Keale, who was excused. Trustees first approved the Chairman's correspondence report and minutes from the June 7 board meeting. Communitv Concerns Maui resident Sonny Lineoln expressed eoneem that there was not enough information about upcoming board meetings in the Ka Wai Ola and that he would like to see board meeting agenda included in the OHA newspaper. OHA Chairman Clayton Hee responded that OHA generally posts a schedule six days before the meeting and that, because Ka Wai Ola goes to print often weeks before, it would be impossible to include the agenda in the publication. Hee suggested people eall the Honolulu or neighbor island offices to get up-to-date information on the meetings. Sonny also he would like to sp" i>e,guuor island office ...nbers listed regularly so native Hawaiians would not have to make long distance calls to Honolulu to get information about OHA Budget, Finance and Policy Pana'ewa lawsui\ The board voted 8-0 to approve $26,300 to cover legal costs for a dispute between Pana'ewa homesteaders and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. The homesteaders want the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to pay for damages caused by defects in their homes' eonstruction. The money is considered to be a grant but homesteaders agree to reimburse OHA if they receive any money as a result of the litigation. July 12 meeting The Board held a special meeting July 12, 1994 at 10:40 a.m. in Honolulu. All trustees were present except for Trustee Moses K. Keale. who was excused. After convening the meeting at 10:40 a.m., Chairman Clayton Hee called upon Trustee Kamaki Kanahele to give the pule wehi. The agenda. with the addition of an item under Legislative Review; the minutes of the June 24, 1994 meeting; correspondence report from the Chairman, and report from the Administrator were approved by all members present. Community Concerns Lela Hubbard spoke of her eoncerns regarding the handling of

ceded land in Kihei. and posed several questions on the handling of OHA's investment portfolio. She also suggested OHA introduce legislation pertaining to an indigenous people's tax. Hubbard also spoke later, eommending the Budget, Finance and Policy Committee on their restraint with the HSEC budget. Analu Berard spoke for the Mainland Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, asking OHA to make a decision on whether or not to include Mainland Hawaiians and urging that OHA fully fund the Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council (HSEC) Peter Ching, O'ahu Council of Hawaiian Civic Clubs president, also urged full funding. Clara Kakalia, Ka Lāhui Hawai'i, argued that unless OHA matched state general funds to the full amount appropriated, the state funds would be lost. Davianna McGregor, vice-chair of HSEC, spoke of the HSEC's budget and the willingness to work with OHA to ensure all tasks are completed. Budget, Finance and Policy Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council After mueh discussion, the Board approved 7 to 1, Kealoha dissenting, the authorization of an amount not to exceed $900,000 in trust funds and approved the appropriation of $547.114.54 in quarterly allotments, subject to the following provisos: 1 ) dispersal of quarterly allotments is contingent on quarterly reports submitted to OHA verifying completion of tasks set forth in the HSEC plebiscite timeline; 2) failure to complete tasks in timely fashion will result in rescinding of approved funding, with the remaining proceeds to be distributed between OHA's trust fund and the state general fund; 3) all equipment remaining after this Council or its predecessor has been repealed will be returned to OHA; 4) that a tripartite agreement be made between OHA, HSEC and the state Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) to establish an interest-bearing account within DAGS, with quarterly reports submitted to OHA by DAGS and with the interest from the account to revert to OHA trust funds; and 5) that the HSEC budget and budget worksheet cannot be deviated from without express written approval of Budget, Finance and Policy Committee and Board of i

Trustees. Money Monitor Selection All members of the Board present approved selection of Merrill Lynch as an investment monitor to review the performance of OHA's nine investment managers and investment portfolio. The Budget, Finance and Policy Committee heard presentations from Merrill Lynch, Prudential, and Smith Bamey Shearson. All three companies were qualified, but Merrill Lynch offered the lowest bid for the account. All services being equal, cost became the deciding factor. Appropriations for Donations Committee The Board agreed 8-0 to reallocate $10,000 from the funds

allotted for grants and purchase of service contracts to make up an equivalent shortfall in the donations program. NHLC Funding Requestfor FY95 The Board agreed 8-0 to appropriate an amount not to exceed $178,034 in trust funds for the "Hawaiian Home Lands Legal Project" administered by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation. This project provides legal representative to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and their successors in cases related to the implementation and integrity of the Hawaiian Home Lands trust. According to the committee report, the need for it has been demonstrated by the

number of beneficiaries served and the range of issues requiring professional legal representation that has surfaced. Bank of America Capitol Management Company, ine. The Board agreed to reassign assets managed by Seattle Capitol to Bank of America. Seattle Capitol was part of Bānk of Amei'iea but is becoming an independent company. Legislative Review Trustee A. Frenchy DeSoto announced that the report on the last legislative session is available and will be distributed to all trustees. There being no further business, the Board adjoumed at 1 :20 p.m. The next Board meeting is scheduled for August 9 in Kapa'a.