Truth

Subject: Responses to transcript of Marilyn Parris interview with KGMB-TV.
Marilyn Parris: "We tried to accommodate the project for many years."

FALSE: Ms. Parris took over as superintendent in September 2005, two years into the five-year agreement with the NPS. Within just a few days, on September 26, 2005, she advised the Friends of Haleakala National Park (the non-profit 501(c)(3) handling donations) to remove the Argonauta Project from their website and discontinue accepting donations for the Project, effectively bringing any further progress to a halt. Before writing this letter, Ms. Parris had never met or discussed the Project with Friends of Haleakala National Park, the Argonauta Committee, the Kipahulu Ohana, the Maui Historical Society, the Hana Cultural Center, the Hawaii State Office of Historic Preservation, the Kipahulu Community Association, or any other individuals or organizations involved with the Project. When the contractor sent three employees to the site, they were escorted from the site by park rangers on Ms. Parris' instructions with the threat that they would be "arrested for trespassing" if they returned. When Project Chairman Greg Marshall attempted to visit the site, he was detained at the entrance to the park, then was met and escorted by an armed ranger. In all such cases, it was an embarrassing and intimidating situation for all concerned -- including the park rangers who appeared to be clearly uncomfortable with the orders they were receiving by radio from above. Numerous phone messages, faxes, and e-mails were sent to Ms. Parris, however she lacked both the courage and the courtesy to accept invitations to meet face-to-face with Project members for private meetings or as part of several organizations’ board meetings - and more noteworthy of her character, did not even respond to a single phone message, e-mail, or fax.

Along with the mystery of why Ms. Parris would elect to bulldoze a national treasure within just a few days of taking office, the question has repeatedly been posed, "how did someone as insensitive to the community as Ms. Parris become Superintendent of Haleakala National Park in the first place?" This becomes equally interesting. Her predecessor, Don Reeser, retired in July 2005 and Ms. Parris assumed the post in September 2005. From July through September, Ron Nagata was appointed Interim Superintendent. Mr. Reeser’s retirement had been known to the NPS for many months, giving the NPS over a year to conduct a search for a new superintendent. The normal process for such a search involves several steps: (1) Announcing the vacancy; (2) Advertising the vacancy; (3) Accepting applications for the vacancy; (4) Consideration of a qualified non-applicant from the NPS ranks for the vacancy; (5) Reviewing the qualifications of each applicant or potential draftee from the ranks; (6) Interviewing those most qualified; and finally, (7) Selecting the most qualified candidate. These seven steps were bypassed for no apparent reason when Mr. Jarvis elected to appoint Ms. Parris as superintendent. With a posting to Hawaii, especially Maui, being a sought-after posting, this of course caused no small amount of surprise and disappointment, and even anger among other qualified NPS staff members. Anyone with any connection to Hawaii understands that, aside from its distance from the mainland and natural beauty, the culture is unique and requires someone of sensitivity to understand not only the environment of the park, but also the culture of Hawaii’s diverse population. Ms. Parris, by her own choice in not accepting multiple invitations to community and organizational meetings, has elected to remain aloof from the community.

Whether any impropriety exists in Mr. Jarvis’ appointment of Ms. Parris as superintendent is a matter for review and, perhaps in-depth investigation. However, it is a well known and proven tenet for all organizations, governmental or private, that the appearance of impropriety can be as damning as any impropriety itself, and for such reasons one need only look to Robert’s Rules of Order, the UCMJ, the Benedictine Code, and the rules governing nearly any other organization of repute.

Mr. Jarvis, who appointed Ms. Parris to her post as superintendent, is virtually the only other person within the NPS who has responded to inquiries about Argonauta. Whether by coincidence or more likely by collusion, Mr. Jarvis March 31, 2008 letter to Senator Akaka is nearly a carbon copy of Ms. Parris’ March 24, 2008 letter.

Parris: "Whatever historical integrity the house may have had (and that is questionable) has been lost. The structure does not meet and cannot meet the criteria that qualifies for the National Register."

FALSE: Ms. Parris possesses no qualifications in historic preservation, nor has she provided a report from any qualified expert. By contrast, four highly recognized Hawaii firms with extensive experience in historic preservation have evaluated the project, three of them recently, and pronounced the project and materials historically significant. Multiple senior staff members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, along with many other qualified organizations and experts in Hawaii and from the mainland, have visited the site and stated clearly that Argonauta does meet the criteria for the National Register of Historic Places. Regardless, the purpose of the National Register is to protect structures in unprotected areas and there is no requirement that structures located on federal lands be placed on the Register, though it remains the intent of the Project to complete the renovation to Register standards.

On multiple occasions Ms. Parris has contradicted herself. In an interview she gave that appeared in the February 12, 2008 issue of “Haleakala Times”, Ms. Parris stated that “the NPS is federally mandated … to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and provide for the enjoyment of the same ….” Argonauta is clearly already within the park and should be preserved. She went on to state that “a standard of necessity is applied… as follows: 1) Does the activity contribute to visitor understanding and appreciation for the Park and its purpose and significance? 2) Does the activity enhance visitor experiences consistent with Park goals? 3) Does the activity assist in managing visitor use and educating park visitors? 4) Is the activity an essential service not available within a reasonable distance from the Park? 5) Does the activity conflict or disrupt park management or uses?” Since Argonauta fully meets all of these criteria that Ms. Parris presented in her interview, it is again difficult to understand her contradictory position. Ms. Parris was also interviewed for a December 5, 2005 “Environment News Service” article, as was NPS Pacific Area Director, Frank Hayes. The article, titled “Private, Corporate Donations Sought to Fund U.S. National Parks”, spoke of the shortfalls in budget for the National Parks. Congressmen Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case (both Hawaii) and Congressman Mark Souder (Indiana) testified to the need for funding. In light of this dilemma for all of the National Parks, and especially for Haleakala National Park, wherein improvements for the Kipahulu Visitor Center were put on hold due to budget constraints, it is unconscionable for Ms. Parris to prevent the donation of Argonauta to the Park. Turning away a free building, an historic one at that, remains a mystery to all concerned.

Parris: "It has no significance to the park, our mission, the reason the park was established."

FALSE: Ms. Parris is clearly ignorant about the history of Haleakala National Park. The only reason that Haleakala National Park even exists on the Kipahulu lands (Oheo Gulch and the Seven-Pools area) that extended the park lands from the top of Mount Haleakala to the ocean was due almost entirely to the efforts of Laurance Rockefeller and Charles Lindbergh who campaigned endlessly and donated funds to purchase the lands for their subsequent donation to the NPS. With only a few days' connection to Hawaii, Ms. Parris chose to proclaim herself an expert on a part of Maui she has little or no knowledge of. This cavalier attitude has created resentment against her and her dictatorial policies from staff, non-profit organizations, and private citizens, and reflects negatively on the NPS which, until her tenure, had an excellent reputation for acting in the public interest and in community relations.

Parris: "It is not culturally relevant to the rich Hawaiian culture or ties to the area."

FALSE: Ms. Parris is clearly unaware of Charles Lindbergh's 20+ years of effort in conservation, preservation, and protection of indigenous peoples throughout the world, with many of those last years of his life being spent in Kipahulu, and his close ties and respect for the Native Hawaiian community, their culture, the fragility of the ecosystem, and the history of the lands. This is reflected in both his writings and those of his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Ms. Parris is clearly unaware that architect John Theodore Jacobsen (1903-1998) is recognized as a leading Hawaii preservation architect. He researched and documented the Historic Church Survey of missionary churches on Maui and other islands for the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the Bishop Museum. He authored the Lahaina Architectural Stylebook for the Maui County Historic Commission - the only regulatory standard in the state protecting historic styling for new construction and renovation. He worked with Charles Lindbergh to include the historic and unique styling of the missionary churches in the design of Argonauta. The Kipahulu Ohana (the Native Hawaiian community organization with current cooperative agreements with the NPS) has voted in favor of the project for over ten years, most recently in July 2008, as has the Maui Historical Society, the Hana Cultural Center, the Kipahulu Community Association, and many other organizations and individual supporters.

On two occasions, shortly after the site was selected (on the anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s 100th birthday in 2002), and again at the actual groundbreaking in 2003, traditional Hawaiian blessings were conducted by members of the Native Hawaiian community. Also attending were the original builder of the home, Larry Shim, the widow of the architect, Florence Jacobsen, and several people who knew Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. It is quite arrogant for Ms. Parris to take it upon herself to undo such a noble endeavor.

Parris: "The site quite frankly is just a hazard. The materials have been laying on the ground for over five years."

FALSE: Aside from Ms. Parris' incorrect math (activity on the project was discontinued four years ago, with over half of that time due solely to Ms. Parris advising Friends of Haleakala National Park to cease fundraising and accepting donations). Key materials (interior walls, stairs, windows, etc.) are not "lying on the ground;" they have been securely stored in a weatherproof container. The masonry foundation, walls, electrical, and plumbing have already been installed at the new site. Only exterior materials such as lava rock and exterior lumber remains outside. For the most part, it was planned that the majority of exterior beams would be replaced since they were weather damaged before the house was moved, and other lumber was exposed to the asbestos shingles that had been discarded per EPA guidelines. No appreciable hazard exists, especially in comparison with other hazards within the park that continue to cause grave injuries and death that Ms. Parris could better be spending her time attending to.

Parris: "The park service went into a good faith agreement. None of those elements were met. The agreement expired. We were caught up in litigation. It is time to move on. And that is what we are trying to do. And will do." She stated that the NPS is behind her.

FALSE: Ms. Parris assumed a dictatorial position within just a few days of becoming superintendent. Without consulting any member of the Argonauta Project Committee, the community, historic preservation architects, or organizations, she unilaterally put a halt to the project on September 26, 2005. Generally this is described as exceeding the limits of position and expertise under color of authority. In law enforcement, this is referred to as being "badge-happy". Any backing that Ms. Parris may have from her superiors has clearly been garnered by her purveyance of such patently false and misleading statements as those contained herein.

Parris: "The site is not the right place for an administrative building, it's too far away from the park headquarters."

FALSE: Over a period of more than two years, five possible sites were considered by the NPS and others involved with the project. Topographical maps were reviewed; aerial and view plane photographs and surveys were taken; flood maps were reviewed; soil samples were taken; and an Environment Assessment made. Criteria used in selecting the present site included its close proximity to present and planned facilities (including improved handicap access), and the fact that it lies at a lower level, thereby blocking less of the view plane than the existing park structures.

Parris: "Every time you talk to those folks it (sic) comes up with a different use and a different thing."

FALSE: Since well before the Agreement was signed with the NPS, it was always the intent that Argonauta become a venue to promote conservation and preservation, hence the name that was selected: "The Kipahulu Conservation Center". This is clearly documented at every stage of the Project and within each piece of literature, on several websites, and in multiple documents. Senator Daniel Inouye’s letter to Laurance Rockefeller of March 28, 2001, written shortly after he joined the Argonauta Advisory Committee, also clearly states that the Lindbergh home was to become "The Kipahulu Conservation Center." It goes beyond the point of bizarre that Ms. Parris can be so aloof from reality that she can contradict a U.S. Senator along with dozens of organizations and thousands of individuals supporting the Project, and it brings to mind the fable of "The Emperor’s New Clothes."

Parris: "We have moved on and it's really time for everyone else to as well."

IRRATIONAL: The "we" that Ms. Parris refers to is composed solely of herself and the few others who would choose to go against the will of the community, historians, preservationists, and conservationists. To dictate that "everyone else" should follow her whim is not only arrogant, but is the pinnacle of an expectation that ego should triumph over reason. Somewhere within such expectation it is difficult to imagine that Ms. Parris is any part of a "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

"One danger in a society is that often some of its least qualified members rise to positions of authority in government, substituting rule for competence. Not every such threat comes in as obvious a guise as that of a diminutive Austrian corporal, but small or large, the threat is no less dangerous." Attempts to destroy instruments of history should never be tolerated, whether it be through the burning of books or by the bulldozing of historic buildings.

Parris: "The house is not really "free" because the park service will have to pay for its upkeep. The National Park Service is not to be a collection of odd and historic things."

FALSE: The fundraising that Ms. Parris effectively halted anticipated providing an endowment for maintenance. Regardless, any building that the NPS would employ would require upkeep. In the case of Argonauta, as opposed to most park buildings, it is constructed of solid lava rock, masonry, and has been upgraded during renovation to exceed current earthquake, hurricane, fire, and other safety standards. There is no reason why this structure should not provide hundreds of years of use while, at the same time, carrying forward a significant part of America’s history.

Parris: "We've got major construction that's going to be taking place there hopefully as early as October. We've got to get those materials out of the way."

FALSE and/or CONTRADICTORY: No such "new" plans have been published or budgeted. The only published plans are those that were coordinated with the Argonauta Project in 2002-2003 and included Argonauta within the layout for parking, access, plumbing, and electrical. Do such plans for new construction exist? If so, they have not been made public. However, in television and newspaper interviews in March and before Judge Kevin Chang in May, Ms. Parris stated that the object for the tearing down of Argonauta was to "restore the site to its natural condition." Which is it?

Parris: "The agreement expired. It died a natural death. Only the park service made its end of the agreement. It's time to move on, and based on the history, there's no way we're going to enter a new agreement and pursue this. All these things that were outlined. None of it's happened. Except now after the agreement expires, "Oh no we've got the money. We've got the will," (they say.) Oh, here we go. It's too late."

FALSE: The park service, that is, Marilyn Parris, did not keep its end of the agreement: It is distinctly not a "natural death" when Ms. Parris chose to render the agreement impossible to perform when she advised Friends of Haleakala National Park to cease fundraising and accepting donations in 2005 and remove Argonauta from its website. It is distinctly not a "natural death" when Ms. Parris chose to render the agreement impossible to perform when she directed park rangers to threaten contractors with arrest if they re-entered the site. In fact, no new agreement is necessary: The original 5-year agreement has provision for renewal, which Ms. Parris has blocked. It is clear in contract law that when performance is rendered impossible by the acts of others (in this case, the NPS), the other party to the contract (the Argonauta Project committee and Mr. Marshall) is not responsible for the default - at this juncture, it rests solely with Ms. Parris and the NPS.

KGMB-TV: In response to a question about what she would say to the people who worked so hard and donated so much money to get the house into the park, Ms. Parris replied:
Parris: "We met our end of the agreement to the letter. So I don't think the burden's on the National Park Service that this failed or it's not gonna happen. This is not in the government's interest to pursue."

FALSE: As stated above, Ms. Parris, sometimes referred to by staff as the "Queen of the Mountain" (Haleakala) has a reputation for heavy-handed approaches to issues and using intimidation in dealing with staff and private organizations that have cooperative agreements within the park.

For the Argonauta Project, which Ms. Parris chose to halt within just a few days of coming on the job, there were many years of effort, legal fees, and other costs in obtaining state and county permits and, on the NPS level, an Environmental Assessment, and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), disassembly of the home, etc. - over $600,000. Hundreds of supporters were involved, and dozens of meetings and presentations held throughout the state and on the mainland. Volunteers came from all islands to assist, including personnel from the U.S. Army, the Air Force, the Hawaii National Guard, and the Marine Corps. Members of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Rotary Clubs from Maui and Honolulu joined in. Senator Daniel Inouye joined Greg Marshall in writing personal letters to Laurance Rockefeller, bringing not only his support for the Project honoring his friends, Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, but also a donation of $50,000. Cordelia May, a philanthropist and part-time Maui resident, read about it in the International Herald Tribune and also donated $50,000. Both died before the project was completed, and it would be disrespect of the first order for Ms. Parris to bulldoze not only the structure that they paid in part for, but at the same time dishonoring their wishes and their memory. Certainly both of them, with their donation of hundreds of acres of land that are now part of Haleakala National Park and their years of association with Maui, were far more qualified to determine the fate of Argonauta than Ms. Parris. It is sad to note that, since her arrival on Maui, Ms. Parris has continued the same cavalier attitude toward other individuals and organizations.

What exists here is a severe breach of the public trust. An out-of-control public servant apparently backed (in some cases) by one or two superiors who are themselves culpable if they would choose to back such a drastic measure as the destruction of a national treasure without conducting a full investigation into the impact of such an irretrievable decision. Some have proposed that a breach of the public trust of this order warrants a full Congressional investigation - that may not be beyond the realm of possibility, but would require substantial support.

In such matters as these, one must always consider the source. Don Reeser has an unblemished record of over 18 years as Superintendent of Haleakala National Park, and after his retirement remains one of Maui's most respected citizens and is a major proponent of the Argonauta Project. He has been elected President of the Maui Rotary; President of the Maui Historical Society, Vice-President of the Friends of Haleakala National Park, and is deeply vested in the Maui and Native Hawaiian Community. For the Maui Centennial Year 2005, he was selected as one of "100 Mauians (living or dead) Most Effective in Protecting, Preserving, and Promoting Maui’s Precious Heritage and Lifestyle". During the ceremony, the mayor presented those still living or the relatives of the deceased with a certificate of appreciation entitled "Maui County Centennial Honorees." By contrast, Ms. Parris has few community connections (by her own choice in declining invitations), and had only a few days in Hawaii before she began her heavy-handed restrictions and cancelations of cooperative agreements with multiple organizations. Her career with the NPS pales in comparison to that of Don Reeser's or, for that matter, her other predecessors.

Certainly, within the NPS, there must exist more qualified and, more importantly, more sensitive persons to assume such an important post as Superintendent of Haleakala National Park. In the interim, such actions as Ms. Parris has taken against the Argonauta Project should be reviewed and the Agreement to complete the construction of Argonauta honored by the NPS. Once an historic structure is destroyed, it is gone forever. Such decisions should never be within the province of those of Ms. Parris' ilk, who might choose to destroy a part of America's historic inheritance with the stroke of a pen and a series of unsustainable statements in such fashion that it will diminish our country's exquisite and diverse tapestry of history forever.

I cannot speculate on Ms. Parris’ motives - for the most part they remain a mystery to all since the reasons she has given to date are both feeble and false. But many, many others have posed the opinion that Ms. Parris harbors resentment for the reputation of her predecessor, Don Reeser, whose shoes she can likely never fill since, by choice, she has elected not to participate in the community. According to one newspaper article on the subject (Maui Weekly, April 3, 2008) , "It’s times like these when we all wish Don Reeser had never retired." On this basis, one might consider Ms. Parris to be a candidate for "poster child" for Friedrich Nietzsche, "Resentment is the most complex and least understood of human emotions. Those who cannot achieve success on their own merit will go to exceptional lengths to tear down the accomplishments of others."

It has recently been stated that Haleakala’s Chief Ranger, Mark Tanaka Sanders, will be transferring, and it is the understanding within the park that Ms. Parris intends to assume that position herself, in addition to her duties as Park Superintendent. In a park with the size and responsibilities of Haleakala National Park, it is quite unusual for a single person to hold both positions. A Chief Ranger is the Division Chief responsible for law enforcement and the special sector of rangers that are armed and have powers of arrest. While Ms. Parris had some background in this area at another park some years back, it is not clear if she currently holds a law enforcement commission. Regardless, should Ms. Parris go through with this, it is yet another basis for resentment among park staff in that she has self-appointed herself to another position within Haleakala National Park, ignoring standard protocol and taking yet another step toward near dictatorial power within the park. At some point, it is incumbent upon the public and Ms. Parris’ supervisors to remind her that Haleakala National Park is a legacy to the citizens of the United States, and not her own insular, sovereign nation.

A meeting between the parties was conducted on May 8 in the chambers of Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang at the Prince Kuhio Federal Court Building - the first time that Ms. Parris agreed to a meeting. To demonstrate clearly her disdain for having been asked to join in such a meeting, Ms. Parris chose to arrive in casual slacks and a canary yellow polo shirt - all others showed their respect for the court by arriving in appropriate court attire. As the meeting wrapped up, during which the NPS lawyers and Ms. Parris remained intransigent in their plan to remove Argonauta, Greg Marshall proposed to Ms. Parris that they might meet again in a less formal setting, and asked her if she could agree to be more honest in her statements to the press. Her response was a veiled threat, "Well, you shouldn’t talk to Maui Rotary," referring to talks Mr. Marshall had given to Maui Rotary (along with several other organizations). At this point attorney Harry Yee put his hand on her back in the manner of a puppeteer and she immediately ceased speaking.

In summary, I believe it appropriate to quote Albert Einstein: "Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either." I believe that Ms. Parris has more than crossed the line and that it would be appropriate for the NPS to remove her from her position as superintendent of the park. Meanwhile, the Argonauta Project should be allowed to proceed.

"As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and no man rebelled, those wrongs would last forever." - Clarence Darrow
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Link to KGMB segment and interview with Greg Marshall.

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