Former Kaua'i High School football coach Keli'i Morgado has enlisted the services of Honolulu attorney Eric Seitz to investigate the circumstances of his contract not being renewed for the 2007 season.

Morgado, who guided the Red Raiders from the bottom of the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation to four straight league championships in his eight years at the helm, was told on March 16 that he would not be the coach in 2007.

Along with every other coach in the Red Raiders' athletic department, Morgado was told in late January that he needed to re-apply and interview for his position. He did, and was conditionally offered the job on March 15, pending agreement on seven stipulations.

Morgado said he expressed concerns about some of the conditions being "unrealistic" and unreasonable, and originally was given two weeks to agree to them. About 24 hours later, the offer was rescinded.

JV coach Derek Borrero was promoted to replace Morgado on March 21.

The episode left many in the community upset about the turmoil, and about 150 people attended a "town hall" type meeting Thursday night at Lihu'e Neighborhood Center to voice their concerns.

According to Kaua'i High football booster club president Duane Girard, about 30 people took the microphone, expressing support for Morgado and questioning the procedures carried out by the school's administration.

"The parents spoke their mind and wanted to see Morgado get his job back, but realistically I don't know if that can still happen," Girard said. "But we do want to address the process and make sure this doesn't happen to any other coach in any other sport. The system has flaws."

Morgado said Seitz, who also represents Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada in his Iraq deployment case against the U.S. Army, sent letters yesterday morning to Kaua'i High School principal Linda Smith, Department of Education superintendent Pat Hamamoto and District superintendent Daniel Hamada notifying them that he will be investigating Morgado's situation.

"The No. 1 priority is these young men (Kaua'i High football players), and that's what has been lost in this," Morgado said. "They've said it loud and clear that the vast majority of them want us back to coach them."

Among the speakers Thursday night were former Red Raiders players, Kaua'i County Council member and former mayor JoAnn Yukimura, and former football coach Tom Rita of Waimea High School, Kaua'i's arch rival.

Of the seven stipulations attached with Morgado's original job offer, he had concerns with three in particular.

One involved his part-time job teaching driver's education, and another had to do with his leaving practice to pick up his son from pre-school. Morgado is a single parent.

The third established a "zero tolerance" policy on profanity, which Morgado said is an unrealistic expectation.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.