Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 8, 1 August 2001 — OHA vision and mission statement guide Board of Trustees [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA vision and mission statement guide Board of Trustees

Aloha mai e nā 'ōiwi o Hawai'i. This ninth KWO article in a series of 48 highlights some of the accomplishments of the OHA board over the past six months. The current elected Board of Trustees was installed and organized in late December 2000 and despite publicized differences over issues, the board has succeeded in a number of areas. The Board: (1) Initiated its own strategic planning in February, the first such board initiative since 1988. In March, the board adopted vision and mission statements and set preliminary priorities, subject to community input. The OHA Vision - Ho'oulu Lāhui Aloha. (To raise a beloved nation.) The OHA Mission - To mālama Hawai'i's people and environmental resources, and OHA 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.

Preliminary priorities are being circulated for comment and input through community meetings, working groups and a KWO survey page. (2) Adopted, by a board vote of 8-0 in February, a Post-Rice strategic framework for action whieh is serving as a first step for supporting efforts of all Hawaiians to achieve federal recognition, protect assets and rights, and eonūnue to serve Hawaiian needs: (3) Closely aligned OHA's personnel budget projections for FY '02 and '03 with strategic planning preliminary priorities. The total budget will be revisited later this fall to adjust for additional community input on OHA's priorities - the first time for the board in many years; (4) Responded to a highly critical State Auditor's Report by initiating corrective actions in specific areas, such as (a) Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund - all corrective actions have been implemented or completed while staff have reduced the loan delinquency rate from 60.4 percent to 35.7 percent. Also, staff contin-

ued to provide training and technieal assistance to 179 clients, approved 1 8 loans for $602,000 and created 28 jobs by June 30, 2001. (b) Grants and subsidies - clarified OHA's role in providing grants and subsidies pursuant to Chapter 10, Hawai'i Revised Statutes, as differentiated from the State Procurement Code (Chapter 103D, HRS), thereby enabling the continued funding of grants and subsidies free of procurement restrictions. (e) Delays in BOT Actions - A board policy has been adopted whieh requires referrals from board standing committees to be placed on the BOT agenda for action within 30 days of receipt from the referring committee. (d) Job Descriptions and Grievance Procedure - The critical delay in eompleūon of OHA personnel matters is being addressed and will be a priority of the new OHA Administrator. (e) A State of "Crisis" - Problems relative to an unstable reorganization process are being identified, and the new OHA Administrator will be able to assess the situation

and make necessary adjustments. (f) Overdue OHA Master Plan - Laek of action in prior years on this issue has eome to an end this year with the Board of Trustees initiative in strategic planning. (5) Approved $350,000 for scholarship matching funds with the Kamehameha Schools to assist 152 recipients in fiscal year 2001. A total of 813 scholarship awards, with an OHA total allocation of $1,850,000 and an equal match from the Kamehameha Schools, have been provided over the past six years through this collaboration; and (6) Provided a total of 14 eommunity grants for culture (5), education (3), eeonomie development (1), and health/human services (5) projects with an allocation of $670,508 by June 30, 2001. There is mueh more that will be shared with you through the KWO and other means of communication. Please be aware that we are moving ahead on OHA's mission consistent with our vision statement Ho'oulu Lāhui Aloha. ■

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Haunani Apoliona, MSW H Trustee, At-large