But yeah, so I think the experience that I bring to the table regarding construction wise um is kind of right up my alley. Thank you, Damian. Members, questions? No questions. Was there any testify? Yes, I'm going to ask if you have no questions of him, then we'll ask our testifiers to come up. Well, let me see. [Laughter] Okay. You know, I get the last name Kim. That's fine. She told us you're you're her relative, so we can't ask questions. Just kidding. Superintendent. Hello, Cherani. Vice Chair Kim, members of the committee. Keith Aayashi, Superintendent testifying on behalf of the Department of Education. The department stands on its written testimony in support of this measure. Mr. Kim brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the construction and electrical industries. Additionally, his involvement in the WIPO High School IT advisory board and adult friends for youth illustrate his commitment to education.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. Thank you. Thank you, Superintendent. Anyone else here wishing to testify on this matter? Thank you. And members, I would like to say that I am also on the uh board of adult friends for youth and know uh Mr. him very well and his support of youth. Thank you, De. Okay, no further questions. I'm going to move along. Okay, next up is GM 586 and GM698 Jan Iwasi. This is for the um ruminatorial nominee for school facilities authority for a term to expire 6:30 2025 and the second term is to expire 6:30 2029. Thank you Janice.
So, I want to know how come Damian didn't have any questions and Well, you know what? I think you're right. So, when you get done, we'll bring him back. Okay, good. It's probably his last name is Kim. Okay. Is your middle name Kim? Unfortunately, no. But I did serve with her husband on city council. Okay. Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you today. Um, I began my career in 1973 as a Head Start teacher. And Head Start is a preschool program for disadvantaged children. It was a designed to give kids a head start so that when they go to kindergarten they can be successful and it was a really great experience. Then I was hired in the department of education. I worked at um Wheeler Elementary and at Holly um uh Miss Milly Lhani Ma Elementary which was the first high-tech school. I got into school administration and I ended my career as after 15 and a half year as um a principal at Halikula Elementary School which became Daniel Koi Elementary School and um during my tenure there we were very fortunate to apply for a federal DODA grant to um upgrade the facilities and the uh capacity at our school.
Um it was built in 1959 and there were no major changes to the school despite the um number of students who were and we are bursting at the seams with 14 affordable classrooms. So we were able to apply for that federal grant today grant it was an 8020 grant 80% 20% and thanks to Senator Kedani we got the $6.6 $6 million that we needed and the project continued and three years and four months later we have a beautiful 21st century campus. After I retired, I've kept myself busy. Um Randy is a full-time job. Yes, he is. I didn't want to say that. Yes, he is. But um you know relaxing, doing a little golfing, mentoring teachers at student teachers at uh West Aahu um wrote a couple of books and then I had an opportunity to join the SFA as an interim board member and it's been a really really good experience for me.
Um SFA has three projects that they are in charge of. One is the preschools for uh Lieutenant Governor Luke's Ready Kei program. And I think you know that I I'm passionate about the fact that we need preschools for our students, especially the ones who are most vulnerable. Uh the second project is the Central Maui School Project. um it's very necessary for a growing community that's going to continue to grow and that was exacerbated by the Lahina fires. So um we are working with DOE to plan that school and then the third one is the teacher workforce housing and it's in Millie Lani and I know that it's progressing as well. Um these are three issues that I'm very passionate about. Preschool education, uh good schools and nice facilities for our students and teacher workforce housing because as a principal there were times when um I offered a job to a young teacher and although they wanted to come to our school, they had to decline because they could not find housing.
and we hired some teachers who did come but after one or two years they could no longer afford to stay here. So I think teacher workforce housing is a ret um recruitment and retention issue and I think it's very necessary. So I'm very [Music] um I've been enjoying my time on the SFA and I think there's much more work to do and I would love to continue as a board member. Thank you Dan. Members questions. So, Jan, you're the only new member that we are um confirming that have been sitting Yes. on the board. And you've been there what about nine months, isn't it? I think a little more than that. A little more than so during that this time that you've been sitting. Um, what have you noticed that have caused concerns with DOE and and SFA and the need for DOE to have a seat and a voting seat as well as the BOE have a voting seat on SFA?
Okay. I've been I've been thinking a lot about that because I know that there is a legislation to um put those members on the board. Um I think there is a delineation between SFA and DOE in the sense that SFA only can do projects that are um legislatively or from the governor or the board of education. So far it's only been the legislature that has appropriated funds for the SFA. Um but we are working with the DWI in order to address the needs that that we talked about earlier. Um I think I think the question I would ask is this. If the BOE and the DOE get a seat on the board, what about the governor? Would he get a seat on two seats on the board as well? Would the legislature get two seats on the board as well? It is a five member board.
The only stipulation is that one person has to be in the construction industry. And um if these other people want to come on the board, then the five member board that you folks are confirming will be outnumbered. And so I I see that as a potential problem. I think that the SFA meetings are open. Um I think that we have committee meetings where they um can come and ask questions if they want to. Um SA has regular meetings with the DOE and I think we need to improve that communication. Um communication is is important between SFA and the DOE. Um but it is a two-way street. And I think that what I found from my time on the SFA is that the staff there is very much committed to getting the job done that they were assigned and getting it done on time and on budget.
And so they're looking at different ways of building schools. Um, and I think um, I'm not sure if you've sat in on the meetings, Senator Hashimoto, but they've included all the me I mean the Cass and principles and community members as they're planning and and I've seen their plans change as a result of those meetings. So there is communication. So why do they say that there's not and there's a need for them to I'm sorry. I don't know the reason, but I I can tell you that I think that there's communication and I think that we can do it better. Um, but if the SFA is going to do the job that you guys assigned them to do, then they got to move ahead. We can't keep hashing problems out. You think perhaps an exofficial exofficial membership on the board without a vote would would help solve that?
I don't know. I not sure and I I've never This is my first time on a board and I've not had exofficial members. So, I really can't tell you if that would help. It might, but at the same time, I think it But your meetings are open to the public. The meetings are open to the public, right? You're interested. There's Sunshine Law. We follow that. So, and um do you folks when you do the RFP and you put the RFP out? It is the it is public, right? Um so you're talking about the RFP for the teacher housing. Any RFP RFP, it's a public document. Yeah. Um I know that the one for the teacher housing was put out prior to, you know, my serving on board. So when I hear like they say, "Oh, we didn't know about the RFP or we didn't know it was an RFP." You know, I I say, "Well, that's part of the responsibility for the entity to it's a public public document." It is.
Yeah. Thank you. Further questions on those. So, Jan, when when you meet with um your SFA um members, the board um is anyone from SFA invited to the board meetings or do they come to the board meetings? Oh, they yes, they all come to the board meetings. You guys are um ask questions about current projects. Yes. And we have um subcommittee meetings that meet twice a month as well and that's a real good opportunity to ask questions and and um I'm I this is really new to me and so I ask a lot of questions even through email and I found that the staff has been very open about answering right away and you know making sure I understand what's going on. I'm sure Ricky appreciates that. Uhhuh. Members, yes. Thanks, John, for being here and thanks for your service on SFA. What what do you think um is the progress that we're making on the Ray Kiki side?
Do do you think that enough space is being made available for you know SFA to expand or you know is there issues that you're seeing with with the roll out or you know what are your thoughts in that area? You mean for the central Maui? No, no, for the Ready Kiki the preschool. Oh, Ready Kiki. Oh, I'm sorry. Well, it's I think the first year SFA opened 11 classrooms. The second year they opened 45 and um this year I think it's scheduled to be 25 more classrooms will be open. But um we know that all of these preschool classrooms can't be on DOA campuses. We have to look at other places where we can put. So SFA is looking at hubs, you know, maybe four classrooms um on city property or state property that they are working with those entities to um not just on Oahu but on the other islands as well.
Um there is a hub planned for Ioa on the Big Island that's going to be run by a charter school. um they're presently building um four class I think it's four classrooms maybe it's more at the uh dorm that's coming up so um when entities say they want to host uh SFA I think then they look at whether they can the funding and all that and but I think that they are moving because we know that it can't always be on DOE campuses do you think we functionally capped out at DOE campuses or there's just some tension be on um moving forward at the DOE campuses. I don't know. Um I would like to think that we're not capped out. I mean, enrollment is going down at many schools, so hopefully there'll be space for preschool. Um but if Senator if Lieutenant Governor's goal to have all three and four year olds in preschool by year 2032, we need a lot more spaces and we need more um teachers and we need more um organizations that want to host or maybe run the program because SA doesn't run the program.
Right. Right. You're just facilities. We're just facilities. That's right. Okay. Well, I hope I hope you know we can figure out I think I think your statement on the communication was a good one. It's a good take to understand what you're thinking as the current board member of the of the dynamics. And so, you know, I appreciate your your calendar with us and I think all we want is facilities to get built on time under budget potentially, right? We want to work together. Absolutely. I think looking at the big picture, hopefully we'll continue to do that. I know your term is, you know, for many years to come. So, um, we we thank you for your commitment and continuing to to work at this process. Thank you, chair. Thank you. Other questions, members? And I have one more question. As um a current uh member of the board, have you um met with uh SFA with with Ricky on occasion or had a chance to ask questions about completing projects or status of projects?
all the time. Yeah. And he's very good about responding to me many times with pictures and slides and information that he knows that I need in order to make the decisions. So, how often has the board been meeting? The board meets once a month and the subcommittees meet twice a month. Okay. So, at the meetings, Rickia is present. you guys are able to ask about project status etc. And he has his project managers always give a little update on the projects and the progress of the projects. Yeah. Follow up. Sure. So, does a DOE come to these meetings? Um, I think there was a time when assistant superintendent Randy Moore came to a meeting cuz he had he was going to testify, but other than that, I have not seen. So, no, nobody comes. So, that's part of the problem with the communications that they're not there to hear what's going on or Well, we are two separate agencies.
So, I I don't know if we if they want to come or if they have conflicts with the time. So, I don't know. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Going to call for a short piece. and audience. I I totally forgot to get the testimony for uh nominee Janney Wasades. Is it Janney Was? Yes. Um and I think we had superintendent to testify. I see. Thank you, Chair. Hello, Cherani. Vice Chair Kim, members of the committee, Keith Aayashi, superintendent testifying on behalf of the Department of Education. The department stands on its written testimony in support of this measure. Missy was brings over 40 years of experience in public education to this position as a principal led her school through a campus modernization effort. Um, an experience that would directly relate to her responsibilities on the school facilities authority board. Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify.
Thank you members. Any questions? Thank you. Um did Mr. Iwasi want to testify? Thank you for the generous offer, Madam Chair. I guess I know where you're sleeping today. Okay. So, right into Okay, we're going to go right into decision making. So the re recommendation of the chair would be to um to advise and consent on all of our gubanatorial nominees and that would include um Shelley Piva for the school facilities authority, Robert Davis also school facilitator. authority, Damen Kim, School Facility Authority, as well as Jan Iwasi for um a term to expire 6:30 2025 and Jan also for a term to expire 6:30 2029. And yes, I'm sorry, Bob Davis, Robert Davis for a term to expire 6:30 2025 and a term to expire 6:30 2029.
Members, any questions? ready for the vote. Yes. So, we're going to have to take it um individually. So, for GM779 and this is for Shelley Py to expire 6:30 2029. Uh the recommendation is to apprise and consent. Chair votes I. Vice Chair votes I. Senator Himoto, Senator Kuha, Senator Cort. All five voting I recommendations adopted for GM777 also to advise and consent and GM778 to put together and this is for the confirmation for Robert Davis uh for two terms one to expire 6:30 2025 and then 6:30 2029 respectively. Any members voting on opposition? Any members voting with reservations?
Hearing none for both GM777 and 778. All five members then it affirms this and those are adopted. Moving on to GM780 for the confirmation of Michael Unasami for term to expire 6:30. Recommendation is to advise and consent. Any member voting no? Any member voting with reservations?
Hearing none. All five members voting I. recommendations adopted and GM781. This is for the confirmation for Damian Kim to expire 6:3029. Uh for advice and consent again members, anyone voting no. Anyone voting with reservations?