1. I
September 6"2014
Brian Lee, Chairperson and Members
Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA)
461 Cooke Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
RE: Appointment of 92-5(a)(2) HRS Committee to Develop a Process and Conduct Performance of Executive
Directoi; and Establish the Executive Director's Salary in an Amount Equivalent to That of Salary Commission's
Recommended Salary for the DBEDT Director
Dear Mr. Lee and Mernbers:
Kaka,ako United and residents of Kaka'ako once again must voice opposition to the proposed actions and decisions of
the Authority ('board'), which is using its disuetion to the detimurt of the commtmity and state. The boatd gannot act
on its own to set the salary of the executive director to be equivalent to the DBEDT Director. See Section 26-18,HRS,
which establishes one head of pnBDT by statute, with a salary established by the executive salary commission ("salary
commissioil'o) pursuant to Section 26-52,HRS. HCDA and other boards and commissions are administratively attached
to the DBEDT; and havo neither the breadth nor depth of responsibility of a department head. A comparable position,
although it has statewide (not just HCDA's community district) responsibility, is the HI{FDC executive director, which
position was zmnounced in November 2013 for $9,458 per month, or $113,496 per year.
The salary commission in 2013 recommended that the DBEDT Director, along with most other department directors
weretobLplacedinTier 2atasalary of $136,212 an7fiD}l4. tstheHCDAboardaudaciousenoughtothinkitcan
establish ttre HCDA executive director salary at ttre same level as DBEDT Director Lim rather than to a comparable
position such as the HIIFDC executive director? It would be ill-advised for this lame-duck board to do so. Before
making salary decisions, the board should seek expert advice of the Department of Human Rosources Development.
Additionally, the community has a right to know the criteria used to evaluate the executive director's performance'
Unlikp the actual review, developing the criteria is not an exception under the open meeting law, chapter 92, HRS, and,
as such, the deliberations in developing the criteria should be made openly to protect the people's right to know. We
would also like to see the performance review committee, at the very lsast, include members who represent stakeholders
whose interests should be served by the HCDA, ieo an area legislator; a community member (who lives in the affected
community and is not a developer); a small business landowner in the district (not a developer or construction union
member), i planner from the county, and a cultural specialist. We have seen too much bias toward developers, backroom
decision-making, lack of notice and engagement of the community sutrounding the developmcnt projects, and too little
regard for the laws and rules governing HCDA aud the Kaka'ako District, including the executive director beitrg
chastised by a legislator for overstepping his authority and acting as if he were HCDA rather than an employee of the
board - all of these are duties and responsibilities of the HCDA executive director. The board is cautioned from leaving
yet anotler legacy of disservice to the community and state it has vowed to serve. To avoid this taint, it is highly
recommended that the board select a broader committee to openly develop and establish performance standards'
Sharon Y Moriwaki
President
c: Richard Lim, DBEDT Director
Barbara Krieg, DHRD Director
K0: Kaka'ako Bnited
415 South Street Main Office . Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
www.kakaakounited.org . info@kakaakounited.org
Ensuring the quality of life for an integrated Kaka'ako communlty from mauka to makai.