Candidate Q&A Hub
Answers to Questions
01
What should happen when the First Hawaiian Bank lease comes up?
When the First Hawaiian Bank lease comes up for renewal, we need to ensure continued income to support Saint Louis School, which relies on these funds. The decision-making process for lease negotiations and related development ventures should adhere to core values. These include being open and transparent, bringing any agreement to a vote by the full membership, and committing to maintain ownership of real property in perpetuity. Selling the fee simple interest in the real estate under the SLAA clubhouse or the First Hawaiian Bank parcel is a non-starter, and we are committed to ensuring this does not happen if elected.
02
What are your thoughts on membership dues?
Since 2020, paid memberships have declined while non-paid/lifetime memberships have significantly increased. We believe that the SLAA should look to our Marianist values and welcome all of our brothers regardless of their ability to pay. Therefore, we propose eliminating membership dues for everyone and making an effort to enroll as many Saint Louis School alumni as possible for free. This will help us grow and better support each other and the school. Ultimately, we believe the minimal fees collected can be offset by well-planned donation drives targeted at a much larger and more inclusive alumni association membership.
03
How can we better financially Support the school?
​We can better support Saint Louis School by addressing the growing issue of housing for all employees, including teachers. Affordable housing has become a significant concern, and providing subsidized housing owned by the SLAA for SLS teachers would be a huge benefit. This initiative would help attract and retain quality educators, improve teacher satisfaction, and strengthen teacher relations.
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Additionally, growing and acquiring more real estate to support the school's long-term financial stability will further enhance its resources and infrastructure. By strategically increasing our real estate assets, we can ensure a steady income stream, grow the asset base of the association, and provide more support for the school community. Investing in housing solutions and expanding our property holdings will secure the future success of Saint Louis School.
04
How will you acquire these housing options?
We plan to acquire new teacher housing by saving a portion of our lease income from both residential rents and the First Hawaiian Bank lease payments. This will allow us to gradually build a fund to purchase small fee simple units as they become available. Additionally, we will launch an alumni donation drive, offering to set up legacy gifts for free to further bolster our housing fund.
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We also propose that any major improvements to the association include the addition of one or two rental units on top of the association building. This will enable us to quickly offer new housing options to teachers. The housing will be discounted and affordable, generating income to cover loan payments and other expenses.
05
What other ways can we support the school?
We can further support the school by becoming more actively involved, present, and engaging on campus where appropriate. For example, SLAA should support sports coaching activities and help host events like the Senior Luau and Career Day. Furthermore, we should aspire to get every SLS student to the clubhouse prior to their senior year rather than during their senior year, when they are more concerned about leaving school than the clubhouse.
06
How can we better support alumni after graduation?
Helping alumni after graduation starts during school when we introduce them to the association prior to their senior year, perhaps multiple times. Then, after graduation, we should envision a mentorship program where young alumni can reach out and we will help introduce them to like-minded alumni to help guide them in their life journey.