Posted on: Friday, July 13, 2001
Four trustees boycott vote on Namuo contract
By Yasmin Anwar
Advertiser Staff Writer
The $85,000 contract of new Office of Hawaiian Affairs administrator Clyde Namu'o was approved yesterday amid accolades and controversy over his selection.
After three hours of heated discussion, Haunani Apoliona, Colette Machado, Donald Cataluna, Oswald Stender and John Waihe'e IV voted to approve the two-year contract.
Namu'o, 49, has served as state deputy courts administrator since 1990. He starts his new job Aug. 1. His contract is identical to that of former OHA administrator Randall Ogata, who was paid $85,000 a year, plus $15,000 in fringe benefits.
"I'm really looking forward to this. I really want to do this, and it's not about the money," said Namu'o, who will make the same amount that he earned at his previous job.
More than a dozen supporters of Namu'o, including retired Judge Walter Heen and former state lawmaker Terence Tom, sang his praises at yesterday's public comment session, calling him a gentleman and exemplary administrator.
"He's a quick study. He's a great communicator. Most importantly, he's honest and he's caring," Tom said.
However, four trustees who did not support Namu'o's nomination, Clayton Hee, Charles Ota, Rowena Akana and Linda Dela Cruz, continued to attack the selection process as being secretly rigged, among other complaints. All four left the room during yesterday's vote. The remaining five trustees voted unanimously to hire Namu'o.
Those who walked out said that they had been denied the opportunity to discuss the motion to appoint Namu'o before his selection was ushered through. Moreover, Hee questioned why the consulting firm that screened the candidates failed to disclose Namu'o's March 1991 arrest on a petty misdemeanor lewdness charge. Namu'o was arrested for exposing himself to an undercover police officer near Diamond Head, was fined $75 and ordered to abide by conditions similar to probation for 60 days. His no-contest plea was expunged from his record.
After Hee repeatedly alluded to the incident at yesterday's meeting, Namu'o attempted to discuss it openly, but was hushed by Hee.
After the meeting, Namu'o told reporters that the consultant responsible for the search for an OHA administrator told him she would conduct a record check. When the incident was not raised, he assumed, perhaps wrongly, that it was not a concern. He said he regretted the incident, but said it had not affected his ability to do a good job.
"It was a difficult emotional period for me 10 years ago, and I exercised poor judgment," Namu'o said. "As to the disclosure issue, I believe I could have been more affirmative, but I was not."
