The Hawaii Tourism Authority's administrative committee reached a tentative salary agreement with interim Chief Executive Lloyd Unebasami yesterday and set about getting a search committee in place to find a permanent replacement for the post that was left vacant by the controversial resignation of its former head.

Former HTA CEO Rex Johnson resigned on Oct. 8 amid allegations that he had used his state laptop to forward racist and sexist jokes and pornographic e-mails to friends. The terms of Johnson's resignation have not yet been disclosed, but HTA Chairman Kelvin Bloom said that a signed agreement could be reached next week.

“;There have been no further updates, but I hope to have something by next week,”; Bloom said yesterday following a more than two-hour executive session.

In the meantime, the HTA's administrative committee has recommended that the organization pay Unebasami $200,000 and afford him the same compensation package as his predecessor, Bloom said. The full HTA board is slated to vote on the recommendation Nov. 6.

  Unebasami, who worked under Johnson as the HTA's chief administrative officer, will keep his old duties in addition to taking on responsibility for his former boss's duties.

“;We'll have to do some restructuring,”; said Unebasami, who formerly made $165,000. “;Some other staff members also will be taking on additional duties.”;

Bloom, along with HTA members Sharon Weiner and Doug Chang, plan to ask industry leaders to join them on a search committee to select a permanent HTA chief executive.

Unebasami, who recently turned 60, said he has not decided whether he wants to be considered for the job.

“;I haven't really thought about that yet,”; Unebasami said. “;I still have a very big job. The HTA has to get ourselves back on track.”;

State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert, whose name had been bandied about as a possible candidate, bowed out of the running early.