Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 2006 — 'Preparation H,' a.k.a. Biennium Budget [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

'Preparation H,' a.k.a. Biennium Budget

Aloha mai kākou. In the last two months, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has made large strides in the direction of land ownership. Waimea Valley (approximately 1,800 acres) and Wao Kele o Puna (approximately 26,000 acres) have been added to OHA's inventory list. This is a sign of the future, as these parcels of land will eventually transfer to the Hawaiian nation. OHA ean now be known as one of the top landowners in the state of Hawai'i. We are now looking at nearly 28,000 acres of land in OHA's land inventory. Yes, the Akaka Bill was high on our list of priorities, but the trustees continued to seek opportunities to increase OHA assets along with lobbying for the Akaka Bill. Still pending is the purchase of Moanalua Gardens (including a back-up offer for Kamananui Valley) and Hale Na'au Pono, a property presently serving mental heahh needs in Wai'anae. A solid waste management proposal, among others, has eome before the trustees to consider as an eeonomie or investment opportunity. OHA trustees must also look at eeonomie development opportunities as a part of its fiduciary duties. The future Hawaiian nation must have a strong hnaneial foundation. Why all this money-related talk? In the next eouple of months, the OHA will be working on its Wennium (two-year) budget for fiscal years 2008 and 2009. A leading indicator that sets direction for OHA's budget is its Strategic Plan 2006-2011. In 2005, the trustees revised the Strategic Plan, updating and refining its goals. Based on the revised Strategic Plan 2006-2011, new projects and programs are created by staff for the trustees to review and approve in the hiennium budget request. A larger portion of the annual budget is set aside for OHA's grants program due to recent spending policy changes. Growth of the grants program from previous years is also due to the successes in our investments and increased public land trust revenues. Another portion is designated as what OHA calls "BOT Initiatives," whieh is the funding source for requests that fall outside of

the grants program. All "BOT Initiatives" requests are processed and screened similarly to those requests that eome through OHA's grants program. The difference between the uses of the two funding sources is based on either the requested amount or purpose of the funding request. "BOT Initiatives" have been used for addressing requests like the Kawaiaha'o Church and Bishop Museum renovations, and support for Lunalilo Home and Habitat for Humanities, to name a few. In preparation of OHA's Wennium budget, staff has the opportunity to recommend new projects and programs. Many of these new projects and programs are created based on areas of strong need and/or gaps in the system that under serves Hawaiians. Do you have a suggestion for a new project or program that OHA should eheek out? Send in your suggestions in reasonable detail to my office. I will review it and if your suggestion fulfills an immediate need, I will forward it to the administrator for program implementation review. You are also weleome to attend our committee workshops and meetings when the Wennium budget is presented. If you are not already receiving agendas for OHA's standing committees and board meetings, please eall my office at 594-1879 to be placed on the agenda mailing list. The hiennium budget is major project that involves every person at OHA. So "superbusy" is just the way of life over the next eouple of months as OHA prepares the budget. A final note: Mahalo to Dr. Kamana'opono Crabbe and his hardworking staff and volunteers for the wonderful "ehieken skin" first 'Aha Kāne Heahh Conference, held atop Kapālama Heights on June 23 - 25. The event was very informative, and the turnout of 600 Hawaiian men was fantastic. I was truly impressed at the array and caliber of speakers for the various sessions. Among others, I was extremely pleased to be in the audience when Billy Kenoi, Hawai'i Island Administrative Assistant to Mayor Kim, "brought the house down" with his "synopsis" of the conference. Simply great! I wish you continued success in all that you do for the Hawaiian community and look forward to the next one! As always, my staff and I invite your eomments on the above or any other concerns within our purview. My phone is 594-1854, fax 594-0210 and e-mail dantec@oha.org. A hui hou, mālama pono. S

LEO 'ELELE • TRUSTEE MESSAGES

Dante Keala Carpenter TrustEE, O'ahu