Friday, June 26, 1998

Secretive stance
might cost HHSAA

The cash-strapped association
could lose state funding for
operating behind
closed doors

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

The Hawaii High School Athletic Association's secretive way of choosing a new executive director indicates the choice was "predetermined," a state lawmaker suggested yesterday.

"If they're operating with the doors closed, I think there is a strong argument to be made that the selection was predetermined and they only went through the motions," said Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua).

Keith Amemiya, who has no athletic administrative background, was chosen on Monday to be the HHSAA's new executive director in a meeting on the Kamehameha Schools campus. He was presented to the media that afternoon in a hastily called press conference at the HHSAA's headquarters, Stevenson Intermediate School.

Amemiya, a 32-year-old attorney, is the son of former state attorney general Ron Amemiya. Chosen from an original field of 18 candidates, he met few of the criteria stated in the job description to head the body that operates 22 state tournaments.

The board has met behind closed doors since it officially broke away from the state Board of Education last year.

"We are uncomfortable with this secrecy," said Board of Education chairperson Karen Knudsen, who acknowledged her body no longer controls the HHSAA.

"It raises suspicions that there is something to hide. Our board has to operate openly and that makes for better decision-making."

Knudsen said she thinks the HHSAA, which has final authority in all statewide athletic matters, is jeopardizing any public funding it gets.

She said she has not heard from parents yet, but would consider looking into the matter if parents were to contact the Board of Education.

Thielen also criticized the role of four public school principals -- from Leilehua, Laupahoehoe, Baldwin and Waimea high schools -- in barring access to meetings held by the HHSAA.

"I would think they'd be the first to stand up and say the process should be open," said Thielen. "And I really question why they weren't."

Kamehameha Schools secondary principal Anthony Ramos is the president of the HHSAA and the fifth voting member of the executive board.

"Certainly the meetings should not be held on a campus (Kamehameha) where entrance is limited or restricted," said Thielen.

The seven-member selection committee was chaired by Aiea High School principal Gary Griffiths. University of Hawaii athletic director Hugh Yoshida also had a hand in the closed selection process.

Thielen said her colleagues need to send a "hard" message.

"We must look at their funding and re-examine their private status," she said.

The HHSAA calls itself a private nonprofit 501(3)(c) corporation, but it receives $38,000 in grant money from the state, operates at a state facility, uses state property to conduct tournaments, exacts HHSAA membership dues from public schools, and makes decisions affecting public school athletes.

"When you get decisions being made like that without input from the affected community, and without an open forum, you wind up with newspaper headlines," said Thielen.

"The Hawaii Visitors Bureau is also a quasi-private entity but its proceedings are open."

Sen. Rod Tam (D, Downtown, Pauoa, Nuuanu) said, "I am surprised they (HHSAA) don't want to share information."

Tam, co-chair of the state Senate Education Committee, said the fact the HHSAA's actions affect public schools concerns him.

"I don't understand when someone doesn't want to share information that could be beneficial to the public," he said.

Sen. Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai, Aina Haina), a member of the Education Committee, said he thinks it's incumbent upon lawmakers to take a stand.

"They're (HHSAA) enforcing it (secrecy), but those of us who are in public office should say absolutely we are not going to permit it," he said.

Slom said one way the state could force the HHSAA to comply with "sunshine laws" would be to draw up a new list of guidelines for the use of the public facilities used by the association.

"Any time we are talking about use of public facilities, we should demand full and open disclosure," he said.

Thielen said she thought the HHSAA had learned its lesson from two incidents early this year when clandestine executive board decisions were reversed under public pressure.

The $25,000 sellout of the girls' state soccer tournament date at Aloha Stadium to a Mariah Carey concert, and then the 11th-hour decision not to hold a state girls' wrestling tournament voted by the athletic directors, were met with heavy protest from parents of affected students.

Gov. Ben Cayetano intervened to keep the soccer tournament from being moved to Maui.

Meanwhile, Rep David Stegmaier (D-Kalama Valley, Hawaii kai, Koko Head) said that an unwillingness to open their meetings could influence the Legislature to refuse the HHSAA's future money request.

Stegmaier chairs the House Education Committee.