Regents weigh ethics
on Maui project
Maui developer Everett Dowling's proposal to build a research center for the University of Hawaii continued to raise conflict-of-interest concerns yesterday, despite his resignation from the Board of Regents last week.
UH interim regent Ted Hong said after a regents meeting that he planned to look into whether Dowling would be violating ethics regulations on doing business with the state even after leaving the board.
The regents will vote on the proposal to purchase Dowling's land and develop the UH Institute for Astronomy's Advanced Technology Research Center on the slopes of Haleakala, which the board's committee on finance and facilities unanimously recommended yesterday.
Dowling resigned July 3 after allegations of conflicts of interest arose from a proposed deal that would have the institute purchase more than two acres of his property and build new offices and a base laboratory facility.
The institute hopes the new facility could tip the scales in its favor to persuade the National Solar Observatories to build a solar observatory atop Haleakala. Haleakala is one of six sites being evaluated by the National Solar Observatories, which is funded by the National Science Foundation.
The observatory with advanced technology solar telescopes would cost between $80 million and $100 million.
Dowling offered to sell the parcel at $1.795 million, a 4.5 percent discount on the $1.83 million appraised value of the parcel, if he could develop the project for about $8.4 million, according to UH Construction Manager Sam Callejo.
UH legal counsel Walter Kirimitsu said after the meeting yesterday that despite Dowling's resignation, he should not be involved in any direct communication in working with the university or on the project. Kirimitsu said that Dowling cannot use any inside information he gained as a regent to his personal advantage.
However, Kirimitsu said that the Dowling company that was formed just for the project, Kulamalu Science, could be allowed to proceed with a deal.
During yesterday's committee meeting, Hong questioned how much the university had researched other possible sites.
Callejo said it was Dowling who approached the institute's former assistant director, Larry Sakima, in 2001 about his parcel.
Sakima told the Star-Bulletin in May that he had been looking for a site in 2001 when Dowling, then a board vice chairman, mentioned at a regents meeting that he had commercial property in Kula that was available.
Dowling later recused himself from any regents discussion on the deal, and the state Ethics Commission ruled a year ago that there would be no conflict of interest if Dowling withdrew from all discussions and decisions involving the project.
Michael Maberry, the institute's spokesman, said the institute had looked at other parcels, including its own Kula property, but they did not meet all the institute's needs. Institute officials said the Dowling property was the only suitable option, with the proper zoning, water and infrastructure and location.