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The board overseeing
Honolulu’s rail project spent another 2-1/2 hours Thursday discussing its CEO’s job performance behind closed doors but didn’t have anything to report publicly afterward.
Dan Grabauskas, the
Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s executive director, has already agreed to two 60-day extensions dating back to April for the board to weigh his annual job evaluation. The latest extension expires Aug. 21. So far, board members have spent nearly 10 hours discussing the matter in private, HART records show. That’s far more time than they dedicated to any of Grabauskas’ prior three evaluations.
“There is no indication that we’ll seek another extension after that,” board Chairwoman Colleen Hanabusa said of the Aug. 21 deadline after adjourning Thursday’s meeting. “Other than that time limit that we do have, it is a personnel matter, and we’re not at liberty to discuss,” Hanabusa added.
The board’s closed-door discussion on Grabauskas was its only agenda item for the meeting. Grabauskas did not attend because he’s out of state, according to a HART spokesman.
In years past, Grabauskas has received high marks in his evaluations and received $35,000 bonuses in 2013 and 2014 for meeting predetermined job objectives. This year’s evaluation coincides with the rail project’s second major budget crisis, which could dramatically change the size, scope and functionality of the transit system.
It also follows a shake-up in the board that’s seen several key Grabauskas supporters — such as Ivan Lui Kwan, Carrie Okinaga and former First Hawaiian Bank Chairman Don Horner — leave in the past year or so.
