Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 6, 1 Iune 2001 — TRUSTEE MESSAGES Leo ʻElele [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRUSTEE MESSAGES Leo ʻElele

OHA board implements state auditor's recommendations to better serve Hawaiians

Haunani Apoliona, MSW I Trustee, At-large

Aloha mai kākou e nā 'ōiwi o Hawai'i, this seventh KWO in a series of 48, highlights progress made by the OHA Board of Trustees in this quarter, in addressing some of the seven recommendations made by the State Auditor Report on OHA in March 2001 (Report 01-06). Audit Recommendation #1 of 7: "The BOT should direct its immediate attention toward identifying OHA's role in improving the condition of all Hawaiians." On Jan. 18, before release of the State Auditor's Report, OHA Trustees reviewed OHA planning (the OHA Master Plan and the Comprehensive Native Hawaiian Master Plan) with staff, and concluded with discussion on the Board of Trustees Strategic Plan. In February and March, Trustees agendized strategic planning sessions. OHA vision and mission statements were formulated and preliminary OHA priorities identifled. Community meetings in May and June are providing beneficiaries opportunity to further shape OHA priorities. On May 3, Trustees approved OHA's vision statement: "Ho'oulu Lāhui Aloha — To Raise a Beloved Nation" and OHA's mission statement: "To mālama

Hawai'i's people and environmental resources, and OHA's assets, toward ensuring the perpetuation of the culture, the enhancement of lifestyle and the protection of entitlements of Native Hawaiians, while enabling the building of a strong and healthy Hawaiian people

and nation, recognized nationally and internationally." The intention of the Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in creating the vision statement was to blend the thoughts and leadership of King Kalākaua and Queen Lili'uokalani.

Both faced tumultuous times and both responded unique to fheir leadership style. Ho'oulu Lāhui is Kalākaua's motto. Aloha comes from the gentle guidance of Lili'uokalani: "1 could not turn back the time for the political change, but there is still time to save our heritage. You must remember never to cease to act becau.se you fear you may fa.il. The way to lose any earthly kingdom is to be inflexible, intolerant and prejudicial. Another way is to be too flexible, tolerant of too many wrongs and without judgement at all. It is a razor's edge. It is the width of a blade of pili grass. To gain the kingdom of heaven is to hear what is not said, to see what ean not be seen, and to know the unknowahle — that is Aloha . All things in this world are two; in heaven there is but one." (Queen Lili'uokalani, 1917). Audit Recommendation #3 of 7: "Board should clarify its bylaws to require the board chair to plaee all items on the board agenda within a reasonable number of days onee a committee recommendation is received." The OHA Policy and Planning Committee recommended and the BOT took final aeīion on

April 19, amending the "Office of Hawaiian Affairs Bylaws wherein the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees is required to plaee a Committee recommendation on a full Board of Trustees agenda, no later than thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the recommendation." Recommendation #4 of 7: "OHA should improve the management of its grants program by ... improving oversight of grant awards ... developing policies and procedures for awarding subsidies and purchase of services in accordance with board priorities." The Policy and Planning Committee is developing options to refine and improve the OHA Grants program for future OHA BOT consideration and action. Recommendation #7 of 7: "The administrator should immediately develop an employee grievanee policy for board review and approval. Onee adopted, copies of the policy should be distributed to all employees." The OHA Policy and Planning Committee has begun research and analysis appropriate to policy development and referral to the BOT. A hui hou aku nō a hiki i ka mahina a'e a mahalo i nā lima hana o nā kahu waiwai. ■

On May 3, Trustees approved OHA's vision statement: "Ho'oulu Lāhui Aloha - To Raise a Beloved Nation." " Ho'oulu Lāhui " is Kalākaua's motto. "Aloha" comes from the gentle guidance of Lili'uokalani.