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HART board agrees to discuss, vote on CEO's contract in upcoming meeting

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi (left) stands with HART Executive and CEO Lori Kahikina (center) and Transportation Services director Roger Morton (right) at Mission Memorial Auditorium on June 9, 2023.
Taylor Nāhulukeaokalani Cozloff
/
HPR
File - Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi (left) stands with HART Executive and CEO Lori Kahikina (center) and Transportation Services director Roger Morton (right) at Mission Memorial Auditorium on June 9, 2023.

A vote to extend Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina’s contract to lead Oʻahu’s rail operations could come in two weeks.

Last week the Human Resource Committee for HART's board decided it would discuss and vote on Kahikina’s contract in a full board meeting, which will take place on June 21. The committee also agreed to share testimony it had received on Kahikina’s contract with the full board for review.

During a recent meeting, some stakeholders publicly testified in support of extending Kahikina’s contract.

Official photo for HART Interim Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Lori Kahikina
Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation
Official photo for HART Interim Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Lori Kahikina

“HART as an organization has really become very focused and very streamlined. And it's all due to her — it's not by accident. There's no metrics to put this on, it's a soft science, but you can really feel the cultural shift there. Everyone's about the project,” said Brian Shin, a project manager for rail contractor Nan Inc.

Kahikina’s contract expires at the end of the year. While the board has scheduled talks about her expiring contract in recent months, there has been little resolution about her future.

The board’s latest commitment to take action on Kahikina’s contract comes after recent pressure from both stakeholders and the public.

In an impassioned exchange between Kahikina and HART board members in April over the resignation of project manager Nate Meddings, board chair Colleen Hanabusa questioned Kahikina’s efforts to retain Meddings.

Word of the argument made its way to the Honolulu City Council — and even Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. Blangiardi, in a June 4 letter to Kahikina and the board, noted that their relationship became “increasingly tense,” since he recommended that the board extend Kahikina’s contract in late 2023.

It’s even led to a city investigation into whether the board is “bullying” and harassing Kahikina.

Blangiardi, in his letter, asked that the parties “conduct all HART business in a professional and respectful manner, even when there is disagreement between HART leadership and the HART board.”

In the letter, he reaffirmed his support for Kahikina and asked the board to give her a multi-year contract extension.

Mark Ladao is a news producer for Hawai'i Public Radio. Contact him at mladao@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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