HART Board Convenes for the First Time
The newly formed Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) officially began operations Friday, with its new board of directors conducting their inaugural meeting.
The board hit the ground running, selecting its new leadership slate and approving several key measures, including the transit authority’s capital and operating budgets for this fiscal year, and financial, procurement and transparency policies.
Carrie Okinaga, the city’s former corporation counsel, was selected board chairwoman; Ivan Lui-Kwan was named board vice chairman. Other appointed board members are: William “Buzz” Hong; Don Horner; Keslie Hui; and Damien Kim. Ex-Officio members are: City Department of Transportation Services Director Wayne Yoshioka; State Department of Transportation Director Glenn Okimoto; and City Department of Planning and Permitting Director David Tanoue. The City planning director serves as a non-voting member.
The board appointed the project’s current general manager, Toru Hamayasu, interim executive director, while a national search for a permanent executive director is conducted.
The board also created audit, finance, human resources, project oversight and transit-oriented development committees.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues and all stakeholders to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested wisely,” Okinaga said. “We are here to ensure the project comes in on time and on budget, and that it is well-managed.”