001Good afternoon. Welcome to the Senate Committee on Education. Today is Friday, April 11, 2025. This is our 3:00 p.m. agenda and we are in hearing room 229. This meeting, including the audio and video of remote participants, is being streamed live on YouTube. You will find links to viewing options for all Senate meetings on the live and on demand video page of the legislaturator's website. In the unlikely event that we must abruptly end this hearing due to technical difficulties, the committee will reconvene to discuss any outstanding business on Monday, April 14, 2025 in room 229 and a public notice will be posted on the legislaturator's website. I'd like to take this time to remind our testifiers that due to time restrictions on our hearings, we will be limiting testimony to one minute per testifier per bill.
002For people participating remotely, please remain muted and video disabled until shortly before it is your time to testify. When I call your name, unmute yourself and your time will begin. After your minute is completed, staff will mute you so that we can move this hearing along in an orderly and efficient manner. Thank you. First on our agenda is GM779 advice and consent submitting for consideration and confirmation to the school facilities authority rubinatorial nominee Shelley Pa for a term to expire June 30th 2029. So to testify on this measure, Superintendent Keith Hayashi, Chair Hidani, Vice Chair Kim, members of the committee, Keith Aayashi, Superintendent testifying on behalf of the department of education. The dep stands on its written testimony in support of this measure. Miss Priv's experience experience managing largecale operations with diverse teams is directly
003applicable to the complexities of school construction projects. In particular, her experience in gathering community and stakeholder input will be invaluable. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. Thank you, Superintendent. Next to testify, Joshua Mueller, detective, HPD, individual in support. Miss online? Not present. Chair, are there any additional testifiers present who wish to testify on this issue? If not, members, any questions of the testifiers? Okay. Um, Shel here. Shelly. Aloha, chair, vice chair, you like to tell us a little bit about yourself, Shelley? Yes. I apologize that I cannot be there in person. I had a prior commitment on the mainland. So, thank you for um letting me testify via Zoom. Um I just want I just wanted to let you know that I retired in March 1st um of this year. I was um expected
004to just kind of chill, but I decided that I really needed to do something. And when the opportunity arose to be a part of this board, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to give back to the teachers and the students who um in our community who I truly value. Um, I've been in the community policing team for many years, but pretty much my entire career I've had to work with, um, the community stakeholders, organizations um, and many other people in order to get the jobs that we needed done. I value the input of those that um, are part of the projects that we will be involved in. And I think the the big um the big positive part that I will bring to this committee is that um I'm able I believe
005that my strength is to um collaborate um efficiently, effectively and with aloha with those um that will be involved. Thank you Shelly. There anyone else here wishing to testify on this nominee? Moving on to the next GM7. Oh, I'm sorry. Questions. Good afternoon, Shelley. Good afternoon. Um, I know we had a lengthy discussion about you serving and we certainly appreciate your willingness to serve. Um, so you realize that this position deals with a lot of uh construction facilities, infrastructure, that kind of thing. So, um, I know that that's not necessarily in your, um, resume. So, uh, do you feel that you can take this on and be able to, um, make decisions regarding facilities? Um, I absolutely, um, think that I can take this on. I believe in myself, I love to learn all the
006time. So, I may not have experience in construction, but I am not afraid to ask questions all the time if there's something that I need to know better to make a good decision. Um, I believe that many members of this board and the staff and the executive director have experience in that area and that what I will bring to this board is more the collaboration with the community, the the the um schools, the DOE, the BOE, the stakeholders, the students and decisions that I make will not only be representative of what is best for the construction side, but it will also take into account especially those that will be affected by the construction that we are doing. You deal with a situation where um there's a project being built and there's only x amount of
007dollars that is allotted for that uh project and it's not necessarily uh what the DOE wants or the location that they might want it in. Uh so there's a disagreement at the end of the day. How how would you as a board member help to deal with something like that? I think a lot of times um well in general you have to get the input of everybody involved. I believe that the board is just um we take on what the ledge um allows us to um build and when um there's a conflict between what the department of education or the board of education may want and what the board may also want. I think that's where I probably will be able because of the partnerships and the relationships that I've built be able to truthfully
008honestly um be able to talk to both sides and be able to collaborate and come to an agreement. In my opinion, when a decision needs to be made, you have to look at who is the enduser and who is going to benefit from the project itself. So, the questions I base my decisions on would be um there's always four questions I ask. Is it best for the community? Is it best for the teachers? Is it best for the students? And is it best for all of those involved? If you could say yes to all of those questions, then it's a good decision. Um, I understand that there are going to be times where people are not going to agree, but I believe that I have several different ways of being able to communicate better so
009that we all should be wanting the same end result. And that is to give our students, our teachers, and the community the best facility for education that is a safe place for our students to be able to go to and our teachers to be able to go to to learn. Very well said. Thank you. Um but one area you left out is the financial aspect of it and so there is only so much money um that may be allotted and sometimes that may have to be the final decision making as to where we put things because if you know we have cost overruns we can't complete the project. I know there's a billion dollars worth of projects that is sitting incomplete at this point or been encumbered and can't go forward because of the lack
010of funding. Um so I think that is a key area that has to be balanced. Um similarly, you know, in our family budgets, we certainly want to give our family and our kids everything they want, but the budget is the budget and and we have to live within the means of the budget. So uh I think that's one factor that has to go in and uh you know what's realistic uh that we can actually build. So hopefully that will be taken into consideration. Definitely. I think it's just a matter of both parties coming to an agreement on what needs to be prioritized and at that point um it's whatever is within the budget. So if there's things that are different and in what they think is in priority then um that's when probably I believe
011that I can be the most beneficial in going to both parties and explaining both sides on how we have to meet this budget and what is your priority, what is the board's priority and coming to an agreement of listen we may have to cut this but we also have to gain this for your side. So it's never going to be one person is always going to get what they want. It's going to be do you understand that we have a budget so you're going to have to give and in turn the other person will give. Thank you. Thank you Senator. Thank you. Thank you Shelley. You have answered most of my questions but let's let me ask you um based on your experience in procurement and fiscal management what do you believe is key to
012keeping a project on track to completion? Uh well, based off of my experience, it's um it's the process from the beginning to end. making sure that those involved in the process, including myself and the um people who have our the money that's going forward, it's always being um in communication and making sure that the project doesn't stall anywhere because a lot of times in my in in my experience, there's always a stall in um the procurement process somewhere along the line, whether it's getting the quotes or whether it's looking for the vendors or whether it's actually um um going for a sole source or whatever it may be. Um being able to constantly be on track and keeping in communication saying why aren't we moving forward? What do we need to do to get this
013moving forward and not letting it go to the wayside and losing time and in fact um by the end of the budget year we end up losing money because we didn't spend it in time. Thank you. Other questions members? If not, thank you Shelley. Thank you. Moving on to GM777, submitting for consideration and confirmation to the school facility authority guminatorial nominee Robert Davis for a term to expire 6:30 2025 and also GM778 Robert Davis for a term to expire 6:30 2029. Bob, please. Oh, it's a little bit about yourself. Good afternoon. Thank you, chair. Thank you, vice chair and senate. Um, let's see. Where do you start? So, I've have a little over 30 years in the department of education. Uh, was a teacher, coach, counselor, vice principal at high school. I actually worked in
014the um personnel uh area for a few years and then I went on to a principal ship at an elementary school before retiring the last eight years as a complex area superintendent for the 20 schools in Leo, Milani and Wua. I really enjoy uh the area of facilities. Really started understanding it a little bit as a vice principal while I was at Leo High School. worked on many many projects, put up 15 classrooms, uh two-story building, uh field track and many other large scale projects for a campus. And then of course with the experience of being in the complex area superintendent, there are a lot of projects that were done within our area. Um ESR money came in and we were tasked with um utilizing it because of the pandemic. I think um uh the
015track record for LMW bodess well. We're able to not only successfully utilize the $14 million that we received, which was on top of our our normal budget, I think we were able to create systems in place that allowed the 20 schools and the students current and the students in the future to really benefit from that funding source. So much so where after we've proven that we could successfully utilize the funding, we were able to secure almost $5 more million for projects that we had to put on side because we utilized our budget. We weren't going to overspend. Um, and we were able to do so in less than two and a half years. Um, I think we've been able to expand our program our programs at the 20 schools. I think we're able to um
016benefit students for years to come so that money was not just used for lastminute items. We did do tutoring and things of that nature to catch our kids up and I think also the track record would show that you know our kids were pretty successful with um their growth and achievement. Very proud of that. Uh the the team in LMW did an excellent job. Um, I think we're also able to successfully work with not just the schools that are below us, but then the the various departments above us, you know, and and I feel very comfortable and confident that, you know, upon leaving that, you know, the the communication, the collaboration and our relationships uh were all positive. And so, you know, I think that that's something that I'm able to bring to the table
017to be able to communicate with folks um whether you agree or disagree, but you can do so in a manner where you know you treat each other with dignity and respect and then you um make things transparent so you can earn and build trust and then you can move forward hopefully in a positive area so you can successfully uh help the community. Thank you. Bob, having been on the early learning board, what were examples that you can share having uh productive communication with your board and dig? Okay. Yeah, I I was uh the designate for the superintendent for four years on the early learning board and it was a a new board because uh EOLE was relatively new at that time. Um, and so we were able to, I think, kind of help the executive
018director there with some guidance and were beginning to set some policy because it was a new board and they had not at that time set any policy um for EAL. Uh we're also able to successfully identify schools in the DOE where we could put in uh preK because that's basically the realm for the DOE to help facilitate that portion. Uh I was able to uh be participate with um setting the parameters for how we would be selecting the schools statewide. um because it was something so new um I feel we were successful in identifying the appropriate schools um because it's based on how many prek um programs were in the area what's the um the say the the poverty level within the area um how many students in the area generally go to uh prek
019etc. So there are numerous qualifications to be higher on the list. And so we started with the first 10 and then by the third year there were another 20 and then after I left the board they were continuing to identify more schools that would be on the list. Thank you. Members questions. Yes. Hi. Hi. Um we also had an extensive um discussion. Um, so having thought about everything, what what do you see as the biggest obstacles uh at SFA and what what do you as a board member can do to contribute to resolving that? Well, I think actually similar to um EOLE and being part on the early learning board, um being new, I I do think there's just growing pains. I think communication is a is a big part of that. knowing how and
020when to communicate the methodology, who to do it with. Um, kind of finding your footing and grounding yourself in in doing the work, but you can't do it alone. You got to do it with other people. So, ensuring that you you fold in the people that um should be at the table. Um, ensuring that people feel comfortable being at the table and and just really keeping that communication line open. Um, you got to really extend yourself, you know. So, as a board member, you got to extend yourself. No different than as a Cass, I would want the board of education to come and visit all of our schools, you know, so they can really see how the schools are doing at the ground level, you know. So, as a board member with SFA, it's a
021matter of going out and looking at some of the projects for ELB and actually understanding what is SFA's part and row and then the people they contract with it and how are they collaborating with the school, whether it's workforce housing, how they're doing the same and whether it's Central Maui schools, how is that that going? How much input is coming from the community and the educators in the area? And how well are we listening? um and then what can we give to the that part of the equation so it can be the most sensible decision-m I think it's important to understand um the history as to how SFA has evolved um you know having with DAGs and then having it at DOE and now having SFA do you think that's important to understand that to
022understand better uh what failed in the past and why it failed and and the kind of responsibility that you does FSA have to make it successful because if this thing continues to you know be divisive and and you can't get agreement then you know we as legislators have a way of curing that by coming up with another idea another brilliant idea on homicide sure I think it's an opportunity you know because these the three buckets for SFA are huge and those buckets were in the DOE prior so coming up with with uh the school facilities authority outside of the DOE allows a DOE and OFO to focus on some other priorities um participate with the priorities of SFA but it's SFA's focus with those big bucket priorities you know with housing with EEL and with
023central Maui schools you know so there still needs to be collaboration with the DEI without a doubt because SFA exists to support those primary needs um within education. Um but they have the the ball so to speak. Well, you you said a um key thing was that SFA is outside of the DOE. So if that's the case, then you know I guess I have some concerns about including all of DOE back into SFA because we're only going to back down the same road. So I think that's something cognizant that the board members sitting on SFA needs to understand. Um otherwise why even have SFA right? Right. But but similar to in the early learning board DOE was part of that non- voting but it was part of the board. So I think that's where the
024communication lines real without right but again without moving it all on and making sure that you know well you know the issues and the problems. So I just hope that understanding that that you know we can avoid some of the the reasons why it failed while it was under DOE. Thank you. Thank you. Further questions. Thanks for being here. I I guess going off of Senator Kim's questioning, you know, how are you going to balance, you know, what the DOE wants and what the DOE is telling you? I know they're you're friends with them, but how do you balance that with what is practical and how are you actually going to get a something done, so what they're asking may not be you may not be able to do. What do you do in that
025situation? Well, again, I think it's important that um I kind of guide myself with being grounded in what is the right thing to do. I think I've always done that in my professional career. Um, I feel that there is an opportunity to ensure that we get schools on Maui, to ensure that we get more of our needy students in preschool, and to ensure that we increase and and really start with this workforce housing. I I really think that that in itself can really help with um sustaining our teaching cadre. Um and so looking at the overarching mission of ensuring that those three items are being accomplished um should be the forefront. I realize that there are times when say something is wanted by a school however it is not practical given the budgeting for it
026to occur then that's where I hope that my skill set is able to meet the needs of both parties and help to come to some kind of decision- making. So it doesn't necessarily halt or stall. Okay. So as I think one prime example is what are we going to do with this Milani teacher housing? I recently saw the memo that outlined all the things that the DOE wants, but the reality is if we do all that, we tank the project. So what do we do about those kind of things? I'd have to see that. I haven't seen it yet. Um so again, I think my hope is that my skill set is able to help work through that. Okay. So, so but you realize that you're on the SFA board, right? Yes. Not the DOE.
027Yes. Okay. So, as long as we're clear that you have to make this figure out how to make it work. Yes. You have a person, you know, you have an entity that you have to serve, but at the end of the day, you have to make sure some of these SFA projects move forward. Correct. Okay. Thank you, chair. Thank you. um to testify. Superintendent support. Hello, Chair Kadani, 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. Davis has served the department for nearly three decades holding roles as complex air superintendent, principal, vice principal, regional officer, counselor, and teacher. These experiences will help to provide the insight on school level impacts on decisions made
028by the school facilities authority. Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure? Next. Next on our agenda, GM780, submitting for consideration and confirmation to the school facilities authority nominee Michael Unavis for a term to expire June 30th, 2029. Can I call her? I don't have Sorry. Just a moment. Alan Oshima to testify. Is he here? Alan had written testimony in support. Is there anyone else here wishing to testify? If not, [Music] Yeah, superintendent. Well, chair, vice chair, members of the committee, Keith Aayashi, superintendent, testifying on behalf of the Department of Education. The department stands on its written testimony and support of this measure. Mr. Unbasami brings over five decades of public service experience, including leadership experience in facilities management, finance, and
029legislative affairs that will directly align with the responsibilities in helping to guide the facil school facilities authority. Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify. Thank you. Question. Anyone else here wishing to testify on this? Michael, please. He's so excited about this. I didn't realize until recently now that when he says five decades sure makes me old. Chair Gdani, vice chair. Fine. Thank you members of the committee. I know all of you and you all know me. Uh recently retired as the associate VP for administrative affairs for the community colleges serving in that position for 31 years a total of 56 at the university. One of those years was really at the DOE as well. Uh among all of the administrative responsibilities that I had in my position, one of the key elements was
030facilities planning, construction, renovation, repairs, and I had a great team to do all of that uh for the community colleges and I bring a lot of experience to this board in that area. Uh we've done a lot of work. I think we've done a lot of good work for the community colleges setting priorities living within budgets thanks to uh the legislature. We got appropriations for and directly for the community colleges and that basically was started by uh Chair Kedani uh back when she was CIP chair. Thank you very much for that. that has helped the community colleges immensely in terms of us addressing our priorities in working with the seven campuses. Uh the chancellor has basically also delegated the authority to make decisions about projects uh to me and my staff. So we work with
031the the campuses to understand their priorities and work within the funding levels that we get from the legislature and ensure that the needs of the campuses are met in in based on their priorities. So um I think I bring a lot of experience to uh this position on this board. Thank you Michael. questions. Any questions? You told me not to ask too many. And you're wow, you have a lot of power, Michael. There you go. Oh, okay. I agree. Okay. Okay. Well, then I I will ask questions. In question number three of the questionnaire you submitted, you stated, DOE is a client of the SFA. Please explain the comments. Sure. The SFA, like uh Senator Kim explained earlier, has a history in terms of how the DOE did its work when it came to construction.
032And through its evolution, the SFA was created because DAGs was not able to effectively do what was expected. Uh the DOE did not accomplish the things that they were expected to do and so the SFA was created. I still believe firmly that the DOE is the one that should be making priority decisions on new construction work based on the needs of the students in their system. whether it's uh you know for any K through 12 uh programs it's the DOE's responsibility to identify and share those priorities right now with the SFA it's the SFA's duty to then meet those priorities and have an exchange with them and collaboration with them in terms of the funding that's available the priorities that they set and to see whether we are all in agreement to move forward. But
033again, the client to me is the DOE. It's their programs. It's their students. They know their students needs, their teacher needs, their facilities needs. I think better than the SFA. We're there to implement uh and do the construction design and construction work for them. Thank you, Michael. Members, any questions? Just follow up real quickly. So, you talked a lot about school facilities, but some of this is not just school facilities, it's workforce housing, it's uh teacher housing and so forth. So um in in that situation uh you yes they're the client but I mean there's other factors right it's not just classrooms and what the students correct and I think we need to understand what those other kinds of the needs are because they're all related to how the DOE delivers its product to the
034students questions I guess kind of going off of that that you know the unique thing about school facilities authority is that currently how what what the statute says is that you know they get assigned projects right and so how do you think the workflow should be in a in an ideal world where the legislature makes the final decision through the funding mechanism to make things happen. So we have to be okay giving that money to SFA for them to work on it but then so we have to give the appropriation actually move forward but then the DOE you know at some point yes they have some say but really it's the legislature how how does that relationship all work now you involve us because even though you know the DOE is saying we need this
035but we have to then say okay yes you need it and then we'll put in SFA versus putting in a DOE is how do you how do you you know be that client if we we're in the middle being the referee because we can be like, "No, Keith, we don't we don't want that. We're going to give you something else and we're going to give it to SFA." Which kind of is what happening right now. How do you deal with that? Initially, as the DOE sets its priorities for new construction and related construction uh that they feel are needs to meet their needs, uh they should be collaborating with the SFA. If we agree on moving forward with the legislature to ask for and request funding for certain kinds of projects, then that's what we
036would do. The legislature in their wisdom has the authority to then take what we request and make decisions on how much and whether they're going to fund certain kinds of projects. It is not and this has happened at the university as well when I was there that there are legislative add-ons that are the wishes of the legislature that may not be part of our priorities but if it's uh priorities that the legislature sets for us in certain areas then we would proceed with those kinds of projects as well. So while I say that yeah it's uh the DOE is the client in all of this the initial uh collaboration between the DOE and the SFA has got to be there to initiate these kinds of things going forward to make those kinds of requests known.
037Thank you. Thank you. So Mike, where does the accountability fall? the accountability on uh project and I'm I'm thinking you know about Maui the school we built in Maui which everybody said I don't know if everybody but engineers that they chose a site where the rock was really hard it was going to cost us extra money to build a school there but it was insisted insisted insisted insisted and it costs double what a school would cost and then we didn't even put in the overpass and there were all these problems so where does accountability really lies when something like that happens because you know what for too long everybody points the finger and nobody's accountable for that. Yeah, this you know I don't know whose decision was that they wanted the school there if it
038was DOE was a legislator of the district whatever but in this case SFA now have that respons sole responsibility so accountability will lie with SFA I think in the end the accountability is with SFA because we're the ones that's doing the construction we're the ones that that's making ultimately the final decision but there has to be a lot of collaboration with the DOE with the uh design consultants with, you know, and those decisions are made together and hopefully we come up with a good decision, the right decision in the end. But there has to be that kind of uh collaboration, good communication and hopefully we can all agree to something in the end uh that we can all live with within the allocations. And there are times that we will have to come back and
039say in order to get this project project done for this purpose we need more money than what what was initially appropriated. I mean we've done that in the past as well. So it's a matter of presenting things, understanding things, communicating uh what the project entails, but it's also um being clear about what's needed to be done because so many times we run out of money because we come in with change orders because the entity changes their mind. They don't like the shutters. They don't like the way this window should have been on the other side. You know, the drainage isn't draining correctly. Um, and I don't know it's because it's change orders or because the plans wasn't done correctly or we rushed it, but there's always pro problems with construction and and and the contractor
040and the contractors bid knowing that there's going to be changes. They know government already and they know going to be changes and so when the change orders come, the price goes up, right, for those change orders. So, I'm hoping that SFA is going to also be looking at these areas to make sure that we go in with good plans that we bird dog a lot of the problems and that when the entity or the client comes in and say, "Well, now that we think about it, you know, it' be great if we had two fans in this room instead of one, you know." So, those are the things that that if I'm here, I'm going to question if you guys come in and need more money or you can't finish the project. Thank you. I
041hate change orders. I do too. Question. Question, please. Mike, thank you for being here. Um, are you noticing in your capacity that uh, Department of Education is collaborating well with SFA because in the past projects have kind of been dragged along um, possibly because DOE might not necessarily maybe maybe it's a time issue, maybe it's a disagreement issue. Um, but are is SFA and DOE on the same page as far as the projects that you folks currently have in place? And do you see DOE being a part of the delay um for completing these projects? Senator, sorry. Um, this is my first introduction to SFA, so I'm not Oh, sorry. You know, the way you were talking, I was just like, "Oh, this guy knows it all." So, I was over here learning No, stay
042stay. Thank you. But just of what you know and if you if you can't answer that's fine but I would have to look at you know some history in terms of what has been going on and uh you know it's a board of five people. Uh they have maybe seven maybe seven. Um I'm not familiar with the staff of the SFA. Uh, I've I've seen the website. Uh, I'm hoping that I'm sure we have good staff. Uh, the board will have to depend a lot on staff work. So, even in answering Senator Kim's question about accountability, I depended a lot on my staff. They're the experts. Yeah. Great. Um well just in your capacity uh if you move through in the confirmation process I would like to encourage you to take a look at that
043um because the whole reason that SFA was put in place was to relieve um DOE from these types of projects but then to expedite the process as well. So no sense we create create entity after entity if it's just continuing to slow the process down. So, um, sounds like you come with a good wealth of knowledge and I know you'll have insight to look into those kinds of things. So, thank you. Thank you. The questions members? If not, thank you, Michael. Thank you. Moving on to GM781, submitting for consideration and confirmation to the school facilities authority rubinatorial nominee Damian Kim for term to expire June 30th, 2020. For the record, I don't have a conflict. We're not related. Well, we're not related. We may be somewhere down in the family tree. You want to tell
044us a little bit about yourself? Sure. First of all, thank you for the privilege of being here and being nominated. Um, I have 38 years of experience in the electrical field as an electrician in the state of Hawaii, licensed. Uh prior to that I worked for electrical engineering firm doing um drafting and uh electrical designing. Uh I've worked in a field um on school projects uh throughout my career. Um got into the union position where I deal with developers, contractors. Um sat on the heart board which I believe is harder than this one going to be. So I'm thinking this is not as bad. Yeah, I did nine years of that. Um, hard head to to stay on that. But yeah, so I think the experience that I bring to the table regarding construction wise
045um 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
046for 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
047last 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
048became 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
049that. 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
050DOE 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
051time 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
052the 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
053industry. 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
054they'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
055on 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
056serving 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
057so 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
058opened 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
059host 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
060doesn'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
061questions, 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
062a 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
063Chair 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
064our 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
065together 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? Hearing none. All five members voting nine. Recommendations adopted. And finally, GM586, GM698 for the confirmation for Jan Iwasi to expire 6:30
0662025 and then 6:30 2029 respectively to advise and consent. Members, anybody voting no? Anyone voting with reservations? Hearing none, all five members voting I on both resolutions, recommendations adopted. Chair Welcome. Thank you. Congratulations. Congratulations all. Members, um, for the deferred 3:01 p.m. agenda, the governor has withdrawn the GM775. Therefore, we will defer this measure. This concludes our hearing.