Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 8, 1 August 1993 — OHA Board Business [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Board Business

Na kuleana a ka Papa Kahu waiwai

by Jeff Clark Assistant Editor

The Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs held its regular business meeting on Friday, July 2, 1993 at the Cameron Civic Center in Wailuku, Maui. All trustees were present. The following summarizes board actions taken during this meeting. Appropriation of special funds to make up fiscal year budget shortfalls. The board voted to appropriate $126,049 to cover ongoing programs whieh were not funded by the state Legislature for fiscal year 1994, whieh started July 1, 1993. The action included covering increases in expenses for OHA's heahh and human services and planning and research divisions, coordinated trust activities for the land and natural resources division, phase two of Operation Blueprint, and the Native Hawaiian Land Title Project. The acticn also included funding the culture office in its entirety. Assisting Poakalani with legal fees. The board voted to loan $30,000 to John and Althea Serrao to help them pay for litigation against TransPacific Textiles, ine. The Serraos, proprietors of Poakalani: Hawaiian Quilt Patterns & Designs, allege that TransPacific has used the Serraos' quilt designs without consent in fabric from whieh aloha wear was manufactured

and sold in Honolulu. After unsuccessfully attempting to settle the matter out of court, the Serraos have retained counsel to take their alleged patent/trademark infringement case to court. Funding and contract for land acquisition strategy. The board approved a contract with PBR Hawai'i to develop an acquisition strategy for settlement of native Hawaiian land claims. PBR, one of two companies to respond to a request for proposals, is a loeal land planning firm that has provided similar services to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Trustee Kīna'u Kamali'i said the action anticipates the introduction of federal land claims legislation, whieh will necessitate the completion of a prioritized inventory of land parcels. Designating an OHA representative to serve on the Sovereignty Advisory Commission. The board voted to designate Trustee Kamali'i as OHA's representative on the commission, as called for in Senate Bill 1028 S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1. The Committee on Budget, Finance and Policy, whieh recommended Kamali'i's designation, also recommended that Trustee Sam Kealoha, Jr.'s name be submitted for consideration as an appointment from those nominations made by Hawaiian organizations, but Kealoha declined.

Student Employment Program. The Board voted to provide funding to continue OHA's student employment program for the neighbor island offices. The program, whieh was previously in effect only during the summer, was expanded to cover the entire year. Federal category for "Native Hawaiian." The board approved a position statement and related amendments to federal laws and practices to identify native Hawaiians with American Indians and Alaskan Natives instead of with Asian or Pacific Islander groupings in census and affirmative action categories. Kawaihae boat harbor MOA. The board voted to approve a memorandum of agreement (MOA) related to the Kawaihae Boat Harbor project, as allowed by federal historic preservation law. The Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources plan to build a 90-slip addition to the harbor, whieh will require the construction of a breakwater wall and a new access road. The MOA was required due to the site's proximity to Pu'ukoholā Heiau and the possibility of disturbing remains associated with the John Young Homestead. The trustees amended the MOA at the committee level to require the location and protection of Haleokapuni Heiau,

a submerged heiau associated with sharks. Resolutions for Manu Kahaiali'i and Randy Heano Kalahiki. The board passed resolutions honoring two recently deceased kūpuna who made lasting contributions to the Hawaiian community. Manu Kahaiali'i was a community leader, a kupuna who taught the Hawaiian language and culture to school children, a famed musician and entertainer, and an OHA trustee from 1986-1990. Randy Kalahiki worked in the Legislature, founded the KEY project in Kahalu'u, and was able to effectively combine his eommitment as a grassroots activist with his knowledge of the power structure to foster communication between differing points of view. Also under the heading of Announcements/FYI, the board passed a resolution expressing its appreciation for Rene Sylva, who earlier in the meeting expressed his eoneem for native Hawaiian plants and their need of propagation and protection. Sylva was recognized by the board for his contribution "toward preserving and protecting Hawai'i's native Hawaiian plants and promulgating their expanded use in eommercial and residential planting projects." The Board of Trustees also met on Monday, June 14, 1993 in the

board room of the OHA office. All trustees were present. The board voted to designate Bank of Hawai'i as the financial institution in whieh to deposit the recently received ceded lands entitlement of $129,584,488.85 until the money manager search is completed. The next business meeting of the board is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 4 on the island of Kaua'i. Call the OHA Newsline at 586-3732 for further updates on the time and location of this and other community meetings.