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Public comment at OHA meeting raises questions about budget process, staff pay and meeting procedure
Summary
A public commenter accused the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees of procedural violations and pay disparities in the biennium budget process; the board chair disputed several factual claims and said salary-setting and approvals followed human-resources and executive review.
Jermaine Myers, who identified himself as responsible for OHA's financial matters, used the public-comment period at the Board of Trustees meeting to challenge the biennium budget process and to highlight what he described as a pay disparity in senior staff salaries.
Myers asked, "Was the biennium budget process a collaboration or a collusion?" and defined “collaboration” as "work done transparently for the benefit of all the Lahui" and “collusion” as "work done in secrecy for the benefit of a few with self serving intentions," urging trustees to explain the process and the basis for leadership salaries.
Myers said the board’s chief of staff "was awarded a salary of $170,000" and that amount made the chief of staff the…
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