§279E-5  Staff and funding.  EachMPO shall have a full-time staff independent of state and county agencies.  TheMPO policy committee shall appoint all members of the staff, none of whom shallbe subject to chapter 76.  All other benefits generally applicable to theofficers and employees of the State shall apply to staff members of the MPO andbe retroactive to the effective date of initial hiring for existing staff. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit the MPO from utilizing, throughcontractual arrangements, the staff resources of other local agencies, stateagencies, and other quasi-public or private organizations to assist the MPO inits functions.

During the remainder of fiscal year 1975 andduring fiscal year 1976 each such MPO is authorized to have not less than theequivalent staff positions authorized for the present organizations responsiblefor metropolitan transportation planning and designated in accordance with theprovisions of 23 United States Code 134.

There is established in the state treasury forthe department of transportation a revolving fund of $30,000 to be known as theOMPO revolving fund which shall be administered by the director oftransportation.  The moneys in the fund shall be appropriated from the highwayfund, and may be expended by the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization forits operation.  The OMPO revolving fund shall be replenished when OMPO receivesreimbursements from federal agencies. [L 1975, c 180, §5; am L 1976, c 37, §2;am L 1978, c 186, §1; am L 2000, c 253, §150]