OHA communications seeks steady funding as staff, print paper and media buys draw trustees' questions

Bill Brennan, director of communications for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, told trustees Friday that the communications division is seeking about $2 million in each fiscal year of the proposed FY26–27 biennium budget to cover personnel, contracts, equipment and travel.

The request, Brennan said, represents roughly 4.5% of OHA’s core operating budget and “provides support to OHA administration, the board of trustees, and other PAIA with their communication needs,” citing HRS chapter 10 and HRS §10H‑10.12 as the statutory context for the office’s work.

The budget request includes about $396,000 in contracts, with one recurring item a media‑buying contract with the Kolai Moku Group led by John Ayato. Brennan and staff confirmed the contract runs roughly $160,000 a year and is billed and budgeted under “contracts.” Brennan and communications staff said Kolai Moku negotiates station packages and occasional promotional add‑ons and that the agency has used the company to place ads for events such as the Merry Monarch and Hokule‘a coverage.

Trustees repeatedly pressed the communications team on whether the media buys could be done in‑house once positions are filled, and whether…