Posted on: Saturday, April 23, 2005

Federal officials quiet about role in probe of city agency

Advertiser Staff

Federal labor investigators refused to comment yesterday on their involvement in the probe of O'ahu Workforce Investment Board, a city agency that contracts for job training and employment services using federal grant money.

Honolulu police raided the agency's Kapi'olani Boulevard offices and seized computers and boxes in December. The investigation is focused largely on overtime costs and the legitimacy of certain travel spending, officials said.

On Thursday, a Honolulu police spokesman said the federal Department of Labor also was investigating.

Catherine Gromek, a spokeswoman for the department 's Inspector General's office in Washington, D.C., said she could not comment on the matter. Gromek's office handles audits and investigations, she said.