CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM The state DOE supplies warehouse received failing grades yesterday from state Auditor Marion Higa, whose report cited inefficiency, mismanagement, wasted money and poor inventory records. Above, storeroom employee Daniel Kirk filled out orders yesterday.

State auditor
trashes schools’
supply system

The DOE agrees that the central
storeroom should be shut down

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By Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.com

The state-run system that supplies public schools with everything from pens to basketballs is mismanaging taxpayers' money and should be shut down, according to state Auditor Marion Higa.

In a report released yesterday, Higa cited slow distribution, loose inventory controls and "excessive ordering" resulting in obsolete goods such as moldy clay and 166 termite-eaten American flags.

"There's just a whole host of problems with no real improvement and no real reason to keep the storeroom going," Higa said, referring to a 1996 audit that found similar problems.

Dennis Kajikawa, the supervisor for procurement and distribution, said problems do exist, but added that if the objective is to make supplies available to all schools at low prices, "We're doing that."

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM New trash cans stood ready for classroom customers.

"Whenever you're looking for something wrong, you'll be able to find it," said Kajikawa, a former principal.

"We have made changes -- that the draft didn't mention -- to rectify some problems we're having."

The 30-year-old buying and distribution system is run by the Department of Education in Waipahu. The department has joined Higa in asking state lawmakers to abolish the central storeroom, which receives $2 million a year to serve more than 260 schools.

Pointing to the availability of so-called "big box" retailers statewide, department spokesman Greg Knudsen said, "In general ... the purpose of the storeroom has reached a point where it's no longer the most efficient way to deliver the office, custodial and school supplies."

One bill before lawmakers would repeal the system July 1.

Among other things, the report found the storeroom takes an average of three to four weeks to deliver supplies to Oahu schools and six to eight weeks to deliver to the neighbor islands.

Some teachers had no complaints about the quality of goods or timeliness of deliveries.

"Over all these years ... I've been happy," said Rex Dubiel, a third-grade teacher at Sunset Beach Elementary School.

Sandra Ishihara-Shibata, principal of Royal School, said the prices are good, but supplies have to be bought at the storeroom if offered there, and take a while to get to the school.

"I'm not sure how this change will be, but clearly if this would mean that materials and supplies will come faster, if we can get it directly from the stores, that would be really good," she said.

"There's pluses and minuses," she said.