Wednesday, June 24, 1998
HHSAA
secrecy begins to
draw fire
Rep. Stegmaier warns
By Pat Bigold
that the group's status could
easily be revoked
Star-BulletinA day after it chose a new director in secrecy, two state legislators called for the Hawaii High School Athletic Association to comply with the "sunshine laws."
Meanwhile, the HHSAA's executive board disclosed that it has vetoed the state athletic directors' proposal for a state riflery tournament next season and released a list of AD recommendations that were approved.
Also, 47-year-old Curtis Saiki, who was athletic director of Molokai High School for six years and is now the AD at Hana High, revealed last night he was one of the three finalists rejected for the HHSAA executive director position.
Saiki said he was told that he was the only athletic director who made it to the final four.
HHSAA president Anthony Ramos, secondary principal of Kamehameha Schools, has refused to release the names of any of the unsuccessful candidates.
Keith Amemiya, a 32-year-old Honolulu attorney with no athletic administration experience, was chosen Monday afternoon by the executive board to head the association, which conducts 22 state tournaments for public and private school athletes.
Amemiya is the son of former state attorney general Ron Amemiya and is related by marriage to Sen. Randall Iwase (D-18th district, Waipahu, Crestview, Mililani). Both relatives expressed surprise Monday over Amemiya's selection and said they had no influence on the executive board's process.
The HHSAA has defended its closed-door policy with media, saying it is a 501(3)(c) private corporation since it became independent of the state Department of Education.
But two legislators, who played active roles in persuading the HHSAA to reverse an unpopular decision to move the girls' state soccer tournament to Maui last winter, blasted the association for its secrecy.
"I think since there are public school principals sitting on the executive board that they should be accountable for their decisions," said Sen. Marshall Ige (D-24th district, Kaneohe, Maunawili, Enchanted Lake).
Four of the five members of the executive board are public school principals (Leilehua's Norman Minehira, Laupahoehoe's Jane Uehara, Baldwin's Wallace Fujii, and Waimea's Wallace Kawane). The fifth is Ramos.
"I find it repugnant they would decide to act in private when decisions they make have an impact on the public schools," said Rep. David Stegmaier (D-15th district, Kalama Valley, Hawaii Kai, Koko Head).
"To the extent they're unilaterally acting arrogantly and thumbing their noses at the media, the public -- through the Legislature -- can take their authority away from them. They only have private status because public institutions gave it to them."
The HHSAA requires dues from member public schools, receives a $38,000 grant from the Legislature and has its headquarters in a public facility, Stevenson Intermediate School.
"I will call them and ask them what they're doing," said Ige. "I think there is a rumbling in the community about the leadership of the HHSAA. I think they should be open about everything."
Ige said he will also seek a legal opinion on whether the HHSAA can skirt the sunshine laws.
In action taken on items passed by members of the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association earlier this month, the HHSAA executive board:
Rejected a state riflery tournament for 1998-99 because no format or procedures have been established. It will be reconsidered for 1999-2000.
Hawaii became the first state to conduct a separate girls' wrestling tournament in February. It was a "pilot" program, according to the HHSAA.
The executive board had originally rejected the ADs' recommendation for the event but reversed itself under pressure from parent groups.
"It's sad the girls won't get to play at Aloha Stadium," said Dianne Wong, a Kaiser High parent group leader who opposed the HHSAA's plan to move the 1998 girls' tournament off Oahu.
She said the HHSAA is bound to lose revenue sending the event to Maui.
"I don't have any problem with the move because it is done with forewarning this time," Stegmaier said.
Stegmaier, Wong and other soccer parents complained that the HHSAA gave late notice of a move to Maui to accommodate a Mariah Carey concert at Aloha Stadium. With the intervention of Gov. Ben Cayetano, the tournament was returned to Aloha Stadium this year.
In other decisions, the board:
