Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 1997 — Call for new attitudes and vision for OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Call for new attitudes and vision for OHA

THE NEW OHA CHALLENGE IS NOT THE SOLE CHARGE OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATOR. ITIS A PRIMARY CALL FOR NEW ! TRUSTEE ATTITUDES AND VISIONS TO CREATE A BUSINESS-SMART FLOURISHING ' ENTITY. • On April 24, 1997, trustees approved a new committee structure committed to the development of functional policy deliberations. • On June 30, 1997, trustees hired an administrator with proven entrepreneurial business management skills. • On paper, trustees relinquished their past laissez faire style of controlhng the operating officers. • An employee manual is finally being eompleted. But, an administrator's and a trustee's manual must follow. • Even the role of beneficiaries is being assessed.

After a struggling 17-year eontroversial history, an abrupt infusion of millions calls for more aware, unselfish trustee leadership. Adjustment is traumatic when operations are catapulted from $125,000 per annum to the handling of $300 million. OHA'S 'mom' and 'pop' operation now required policies,priorities, systems and wise money management. We were ill-equipped to provide. Now we dehberate: 1) Should we be content to live off the state ineome entitlement? As a ward? Or a hostage of the State's fickle largess in an uncertain economy? 2) Should we leave our money under the mattress and spend tih it's gone? Or shall we use part of the entitlement to generate more

ineome? 3) Should we combine the two? Our primary charge is, ean we trustees and long-time entrenched employees think beyond the status quo from whieh benefits are reaped? We know the new administrator ean manage a million-dohar operation. But, wih we trustees become stubborn worn out obstacles in the path of growth and prosperity? • The administrator cannot operate without trustee resolve. Although he ean handle the staff, he answers to the Board of Trustees not individ- > ual trustees, (at least we should not subject him 1 to our subvertive quest for control). • We must trust operations to the adminisi trator for implementation. • We must release our self-assigned control of employee divisions as our personal staff. , • Eaeh trustee's office now has an alloeahon of $81,000 for personal staff salaries and travel to

consult with the beneficiaries. The administrator, the chief executive officer, is the critical implementor: • Only when there is no trustee operational intrusion ean the administrator be deemed accountable. Intrusive trustees negate his sole responsibility for the result produced. We trustees, on the other hand, must be selfdirected. Beneficiaries do not effectively oversee our actions. We must evaluate ourselves, and we do not! • Do we ask ourselves, what is our prevailing code of ethics? Do we have one? • Is OHA our priority? What is our philanthropic goal? • Are we using our staff for personal gain and aggrandizement or for OHA's many needs? The new ineome stream, pushed us out of the poor house of $125,000, with one secretary for all trustees to share. eaeh

trustee received $50 then $100 per meeting. The meager salary, given in 1993, of $32,000 was a giant leap. To the pioneers be grateful. In 1990-1 993, Act 304's settlement provided windfall payments. The office reorganization started fulfillment of the wish list, 75.5 employees were hired. Today, the sum is 115 employees and who knows how many more consultants and contractors. Nine money managers invested millions, and banks became custodians of our dollars. For some we were overwhelmed and lost touch with the coming of Midas. Sometimes we trustees

gave money to seekers without criteria or proof of effective use of the funds. Other times, the giving was thoughtful and far reaching. $14 million was received for last resort loans. An officer spending spree resulted. TRUSTEES MUST BE ALERT! and cultivate a new mind set. When Banks and financiers solicit our business, you know OHA is in the BIG LEAGUES! • Where OHA goes depends on the leadership of the trustees, the follow up of the administrator, the growth of the staff and the participation of the beneficiaries. 1997 IS THE TIME OF SCRUTINY AND SANE CREATIVE ACTION FOR ALL OF US. Write or eall your trustee with your mana'o . . . Billie Beamer (808) 594-1899 E-MAIL billie@ hgea.org web...http:/ /www.hgea.org/~billie

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