HART board approves contract deal for rail CEO, ending weeks of contentious debate
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Honolulu rail board ended the suspense Friday, offering CEO Lori Kahikina a multi-year contract after weeks of contentious debate.
The board voted Friday afternoon on the issue, agreeing unanimously to offer Kahikina a contract of at least three years and potentially to the end of the project.
The agreement ends weeks of speculation about Kahikina’s future at HART.
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Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and the federal government had pushed for a contract agreement, citing the need for continuity at a crucial point in building rail into the urban core. But complaints about Kahikina’s leadership surfaced privately, with some alleging that she had created a “toxic work environment” at HART.
After the vote Friday, Kahikina said she was relieved.
“At least there’s relief,” she said. “It’s stressful, not just for me but my staff.”
Exact terms of the contract deal, such as salary and goals, will be negotiated.
Kahikina said she’d like to see a deadline of August for the final deal.
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