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NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION
REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY, JULY 27, 2009
KAPOLEI HALE, CONFERENCE ROOM A, GROUND FLOOR
CALL TO ORDER: Commission Chair Pro Tem, Sylvia Young, called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Members Present: Sheila Apisa, Brendan Bailey, Bob Finley, Wilson Ho,
Members Absent: Ed Gall
Guests/Staff: Bert Narita (Chair, Diamond Head/Kapahulu/St. Louis Neighborhood Board No. 5); Jon Chinen, Debbi Glanstein, Linda Ure (Members,
ROLL CALL OF COMMISSIONERS: A roll call of Commissioners was administered with a quorum of seven (7) members present (Apisa, Bailey, Finley, Ho, Mobley, Nekota and Young).
ELECTION OF COMMISSION OFFICERS:
Chair Commissioner Finley nominated Commissioner Bailey as Chair. There were no other nominations. The nomination of Commissioner Bailey was approved by acclamation.
Vice-Chair Commissioner Apisa nominated Commissioner Young as Vice-Chair. There were no other nominations. The nomination of Commissioner Young was approved by acclamation.
Secretary-Treasurer Commissioners noted that past practice has been that these duties were assumed by the Executive Secretary of the Neighborhood Commission. Joan Manke will serve in this capacity.
SELECTION OF MEETING DATE, TIME AND PLACE:
By consensus, it was agreed that the Commission continue to meet as in the past on the 4th Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at
CITY MONTHLY REPORTS:
Executive Secretarys Report Joan Manke reported the following:
Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) Staff NCO is in the process of filling one of its vacancies for a Neighborhood Assistant position.
Commission Vacancy There is one vacant position to be appointed by the Mayor to replace former Chair
Summer Intern As a part of his summer internship program with the NCO, Sophan Seng is conducting an online survey focusing on the recent online elections. The survey is targeting those eligible voters in contested race districts. Results will be available in August.
Public Hearings Public hearings are scheduled for August 14, 2009 at Honolulu Hale, 6-9p; August 15, 2009 at Kapolei Hale, 10-12p; and August 15, 2009 at
PUBLIC CONCERNS:
Budget Considerations The Commission was asked to consider budgetary impacts in the matter of making minutes available online vs. mailing out hard copies of minutes. There is a need to take note of City Council procedures regarding electronic access to documents and boards and committees should work with their Neighborhood Assistant.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Regular Meetings The minutes of May 18, 2009 were approved as circulated.
Special Meetings The minutes of May 4, 2009 and May 26, 2009 were approved as circulated.
Executive Session Meetings The following Executive Session minutes were deferred April 20, 2009, May 18, 2009 and May 26, 2009.
COMMISSION BUSINESS:
Complaint #0404-34-9 (filed April 2, 2004) re Michael Golojuch, Jr. vs. Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale NB #34; Adoption of Findings of Fact (FOF) dated February 24, 2009 to Sustain Complaint Comments were presented by parties involved in the complaint, raising questions whether all evidence have been presented and reviewed by the Commission, and requesting that this matter be moved forward quickly for the record and to recognize that social behavioral issues continue for which future complaints will be filed. It was noted that the complaint dated back to 2004. Commissioner Nekota, who participated in the Commission's deliberation and action taken five years ago to sustain the complaint, gave a brief history of the complaint. A point of order was raised by Commissioner Mobley that Commissioners should focus its review on the contents of the FOF prepared by Corporation Counsel (COR).
Discussion followed noting that training for board members was not carried out as requested by the Commission; specifically, a class on communication. An objection was made with reference to statutes of limitation on this complaint; however, it was clarified that the purpose of the agenda item is to adopt the FOF prepared by COR and not to receive new testimony or review videotapes or evidence that parties had the opportunity to submit during a hearing that was held and action taken by the Commission four years ago.
Young moved, and Apisa seconded, to adopt the Findings of Fact dated February 24, 2009 to Sustain Complaint filed by Michael Golojuch, Jr. on April 2, 2004. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (AYE: Apisa, Bailey, Finley, Ho, Mobley, Nekota, Young).
Two Complaints #0404-34-10 A & B (filed April 7, 2004) re Carolyn M. Golojuch vs. Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale NB #34; Adoption of Findings of Fact (FOF) dated February 25, 2009 to Sustain Complaint The complainant expressed appreciation for the opportunity to move forward with the complaint and that concerns continue to exist.
Finley moved, and Young seconded, to adopt the Findings of Fact dated February 25, 2009 to Sustain both Complaints filed by Carolyn M. Golojuch on April 7, 2004. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (AYE: Apisa, Bailey, Finley, Ho, Mobley, Nekota, Young).
Deliberation and decision making on the "Neighborhood Commission Evaluation of the Audit and Task Force Report Recommendation" that was reported out from the Neighborhood Board System Audit Permitted Interaction Group (PIGroup) in its Findings and Recommendations Mobley moved for the approval of the Neighborhood Commission Evaluation of the Audit and Task Force Report Recommendation as reported by the Neighborhood Board System Audit PIGroup and that it be posted on the Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) website, as the PIGroup has completed its task. Discussion followed noting that the Training and Budget Committees would need to meet and discuss recommendations in the report, raising concerns that there are major errors in the Audit as there is no clear definition on how to judge effectiveness and public participation. It was clarified that there is no timeline to respond to the auditors in that it has already been done.
Commissioner Mobley explained that this document was initially provided to Commissioners in November 2008 for review. He noted that Robert's Rules of Order provides for a committee with at least two members to make a recommendation and that a second to his motion is not needed. It was also noted that there are two separate issues of posting or accepting the report. Commissioner Mobley withdrew his motion.
Finley moved, and Ho seconded, to receive the report from the Audit Permitted Interaction Group. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (AYE: Apisa, Bailey, Finley, Ho, Mobley, Nekota, Young).
Young moved, and Nekota seconded, to disband the Audit Permitted Interaction Group, for the record. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 7-0-0 (AYE: Apisa, Bailey, Finley, Ho, Mobley, Nekota, Young).
Discussion continued regarding the need for follow-up by the Training and Budget Committees and whether there is a need for public input at this time. A suggestion was made to set a timeline for the committees to review the report and set a target date so that the report can be finalized.
Finley moved, and Apisa seconded, to accept input to the Audit Report published on the NCO website no later than the February 2010 Neighborhood Commission meeting date. MOTION PASSED, 6-0-1 (AYE: Apisa, Bailey, Finley, Mobley, Nekota, Young; ABSTAIN: Ho).
A question was raised about the history of the Task Force with a suggestion that the audit is possibly obsolete. The Task Force introduced by the City Council looked at how the neighborhood board system operates. There is a need to look at the substantial budget cuts and the subsequent election, as well as the background discussions and history of the Audit.
REPORTS:
Training Committee (Jeanette Nekota and Ron Mobley) No report.
Budget Committee (Sylvia Young, Ron Mobley and Bob Finley) Commissioner Young announced that the Budget Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at 11:30 a.m. at the Board of Water Supply Cafeteria.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Commission will meet on Monday, August 24, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Submitted by:
Linnie Pascual
Neighborhood Assistant