Rail chief pledges openness

Newly arrived rail boss Daniel Grabauskas promised Tuesday to make the workings of the city’s $5.27 billion rail proj­ect more transparent, starting with an initiative to make more rail-related rec­ords available on the website of the Hono­lulu Authority for Rapid Transportation.

Grabauskas, the former secretary of transportation for Massachusetts who was selected last month as chief executive officer of HART, made the remarks at a news conference on his second day on the job.

Grabauskas said he has already heard a "passionate plea" from rail supporters who want city officials to do more to tell the story of the proj­ect and its benefits.

"Transparency and a culture of openness are among my top goals," Grabauskas said. "This is the largest public works proj­ect in Hawaii’s history, and taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent. We will consistently provide accurate information and increase the amount of information we make available to the public. We intend to show that we are good stewards of your tax dollars."

Grabauskas said the city will make available online information such as agreements between HART and other government agencies, and will also make available online an estimated 150,000 pages from the official administrative rec­ord for the rail proj­ect.

The city released that voluminous administrative rec­ord in February in connection with a federal lawsuit filed by rail opponents to try to block construction on the rail proj­ect. That administrative rec­ord has already been made available online by rail opponents.

A number of the documents from the administrative rec­ord have been redacted, and Grabauskas said he must rely on lawyers for the city to determine whether those should continue to be withheld.

RECORDS that would affect continuing litigation or negotiations with a contractor, sensitive personnel rec­ords and similar documents must be withheld, he said.

"There are going to be certain legal requirements that I’m bound by," he said. "In this case, I’m not an attorney, so I have to trust the lawyers that redacted (the documents) that it’s required by law."

Grabauskas also told reporters that there will be no more printing of coloring books for children to promote the proj­ect.

City Council members have questioned the use of public money for promotional products such as key chains and coloring books to help raise public awareness of the proj­ect. "No coloring books will be produced on my watch," Grabauskas said.

Grabauskas formerly served as general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, where he had oversight of a 6,100-employee operation and an annual operating budget of $1.4 billion.

He was hired to oversee the city’s proj­ect under a three-year contract that pays $245,000 a year plus a $36,000 annual housing allowance and a transportation allowance of $6,000 a year. He will also have an opportunity to earn a performance bonus of up to $35,000 per year.

The 20-mile rail proj­ect will extend from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center, and the full rail line is scheduled to open in 2019.