Flea Market operator alleges
retaliation in search for
new contract

By Helen Altonn
Star-Bulletin

The Aloha Stadium swap meet will be under new management Oct. 1 unless a court blocks a Stadium Authority decision not to extend Aloha Flea Market Inc.'s contract.

Despite strong and often emotional testimony yesterday from vendors supporting Edward Medeiros' lucrative 20-year operation, the authority voted unanimously to end it when his contract expires Sept. 30.

Medeiros was scheduled to be in state court this afternoon with attorney Robert Merce arguing that the authority violated the Sunshine Law in making its decision.

He also is asking the U.S. District Court to halt the process, arguing that his First Amendment rights were violated.

Medeiros contends that he's the target of political retaliation because he supported Republican Linda Lingle in the 1998 gubernatorial election -- a claim strongly refuted yesterday by Authority Chairman Michael Green and board member Ross Kagawa.

"It's not about Republicans or Democrats," said Kagawa. "We're trying to be fair."

Green said after the meeting that the board wants "more presence" in the swap meet management because of alleged state and federal criminal violations connected with the operation. He said a large-scale investigation has been under way for at least a year by legal authorities.

Carl Varady, one of Medeiros' attorneys, said no one has told them of any such investigation.

"It's a perfect counter-attack when allegations about the stadium manager have been made, an ethics complaint filed against the stadium manager, to start accusing the other side of engaging in wrongdoing, unsubstantiated," Varady said.

The deadline for new management proposals was 2 p.m. yesterday, which Varady said was moved up from Wednesday "so it wouldn't look like they had made their mind up."

Medeiros said he wouldn't bid on the contract because it "will allow the flea market to fall apart."

As it is now, he pays rent to the authority -- $3.8 million last year -- and collects all the rental fees from vendors at the Wednesday and weekend swap meets. About 3,000 to 4,000 vendors pay up to $42.75 per stall per day.

Under the new contract, the authority will retain control and collect the revenue, paying a fee to someone to run the operation.

An evaluation committee with stadium board members and others will review the proposals and make a recommendation to the authority, said Lloyd Unebasami, state procurement officer.

He said he couldn't disclose any information about the proposals -- a rule intended "to allow the state to be able to have the upper hand if we have to negotiate."

He said the process will follow a tight schedule aimed at putting someone in charge by Oct. 1.

Meanwhile, Varady is preparing to go back to federal court to seek a restraining order to prevent the authority from awarding a new contract.

A third lawsuit also is pending in the case, with Medeiros alleging a breach of contract because the authority refused to provide clean bathrooms and other amenities needed at the flea market.

"There's no doubt in my mind that this is retaliation of the worst kind," Varady said, "and that they will pull out all the stops to try and discredit Ed Medeiros and Aloha Flea Market."

Many of the several hundred vendors at yesterday's heated meeting described how Medeiros supported their business efforts.

Speaking through tears, a woman known as "the picture lady" said she is a single mother supporting three children with her products. "I'm not on food stamps. I'm not on welfare. I'm not dependent on the state," she said to loud applause from the crowd.

Lingle pointed out that not one person spoke against Medeiros and said that if the decision was not to extend his contract, "It will not be the end of the issue. It will be the beginning."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Green said, drawing boos from the vendors. He pointed out that Lingle wasn't at one of the earlier meetings where vendors were in tears because they were unhappy with the swap meet.

He said later that many vendors have called him and other board members about problems at the swap meet but are afraid that if they speak openly they'll be thrown out of their spaces.

Green tried to assure vendors that the stadium board wants to lower their rents and make things better. "If I thought any decision this board made would take away jobs, I'd get off the board," he said.

Jim Cablay stood on a chair after the meeting, asking fellow vendors to "be strong because whatever they think to do, they need our help to do it."

He encouraged them to get leaders together "so we can form a good solid plan. Let's see them back up their mouth when they say they're gonna take care of us."