MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF JULY 24, 2006

KAPOLEI HALE, CONFERENCE ROOM A

1000 U’LU’OHIA STREET, KAPOLEI, HI 96707

CALL TO ORDER:  Chair Grant Tanimoto called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

Members Present – Clara Ching, Ed Gall, Bernard Kaahanui, Jeanette Nekota, Kalene Sakamoto, Grant Tanimoto, Roy Wickramaratna, Sylvia Young.

Members Excused – Sheila Apisa.

Guests – Gary Bautista (Ewa Neighborhood Board No. 23), Kioni Dudley (Makakilo-HonoKai Hale Neighborhood Board No. 34), Jon Chinen (Kailua Neighborhood Board No. 31), Cynthia K.L. Rezentes (Waianae Neighborhood Board No. 24), Jennifer Waihe’e (Corporation Counsel).

Staff – Joan Manke (Executive Secretary), Michelle Kidani, Marie Richardson, Nola J. Frank.

ROLL CALL OF COMMISSIONER: Eight commissioners answered the roll call (Ching, Gall, Kaahanui, Nekota, Sakamoto, Tanimoto, Wickramaratna, Young).

FOR INFORMATION

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REPORT:

Audit of the Neighborhood Board System – Executive Secretary Joan Manke reported the following:

Receipt of the draft audit for the Neighborhood Commission Office, and she has until August 7, 2006 to respond.  The response to the draft audit will be made public as part of the final audit.

Lack of Quorum at Neighborhood Board Meetings – The Kalihi-Palama Neighborhood Board has had lack of quorum issues for over a year. The Neighborhood Commission Office has been trying to assist the board in recent months by offering transportation to board members to attend board meetings.  These circumstances are not addressed in the Neighborhood Plan. Manke explained that ten members are needed for a quorum and for the board to take any action.  One individual has continually not attended the meetings leaving the board without a quorum.  Members of the community have shown interest in filling vacancies. It is hopeful that recruitment efforts in next year’s election will bring in more board members and quorum issues will be resolved. 

Questions, answers and comments followed:

1)      Nekota suggested changing the number of board representatives in the subdistricts or changing the entire board seats to at-large.  Manke replied that redistricting will be reviewed as an option.  Another option would be to hold a special election, which would not be cost effective (approximately $4,000 - $6,000).

New Commissioner – Manke announced the appointment of new Commissioner Robin Makapagal.

Executive Secretary Joan Manke was thanked for her report.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Budget – Committee Chair Sakamoto gave an overview of last year’s budget. She said the other Commission members are welcome to serve on the committee.  Sakamoto had previously discussed with Nekota the need to re-establish the Training Committee and to schedule training sessions for board members. It was suggested that both committees meet prior to the monthly Commission meetings.  The Budget Committee is scheduled to meet at 6:00 p.m. and the Training Committee at 6:30 p.m. This will commence with the August 28, 2006 Commission meeting at Honolulu Hale.             

Sakamoto mentioned that in last year’s budget for boards, the main concern is unused allocated funds. The boards are doing better budget-wise than the 2005-2006 fiscal year and she commended the NCO office for assisting the chairpersons.  Kidani advised she has created a new monthly statement format. Copies of the 2004-2005 regular statement were distributed which showed expenditures and balances.  A total of $24,000 was unspent.  

When the Budget Committee was first initiated the formula for the Publicity Account was based upon the number of residents and the bulk mail rate. The formula should be revisited with the help of Kidani.  Kidani explained that boards should be given enough funding to do a newsletter or to videotape their board meetings. Previously, monthly statements showed three separate amounts for Operating, Publicity and Refreshments. It is preferable to use one lump sum total with guidelines.

Questions, answers, and comments followed:

1)      Nekota said that she was confused because the previous Executive Secretary said money could not be transferred from one account to the other, such as from Publicity to the Operating. If boards are not utilizing their funds, she suggested cutting back on their budgets.  Kidani responded that this is not the case and boards have been allowed to transfer funds and that practice has continued into the new administration because boards should have access to total funds budgeted.

2)      Nekota also wanted to know which boards use bulk mail. Kidani responded that currently there are no boards utilizing bulk mail for the monthly agenda/minutes mailings unless they do a newsletter. Presently, boards doing newsletters are Diamond Head, Makiki, Aliamanu, Aiea, and Kaneohe. The Waipahu board does a monthly highlight in the newspaper. For this fiscal year, several boards have chosen to videotape board meetings. It was mentioned that the Mililani Mauka board does videotaping, but it is not shown on Olelo. Chair Tanimoto commented it is the practice that bulk mail is used for newsletters. Kidani advised that this year boards with a small budget for publicity were given a slight increase if they decide to videotape.

Commissioner Kalene Sakamoto was thanked for her report.

Chair Tanimoto announced that Commissioner Clara Ching was honored by the Associated Chinese University Women (ACUW). A photo of Dr. Ching appeared in the July 21, 2006 issue of the MidWeek as ACUW Distinguished Woman during their 75^th Anniversary Celebration. She was selected for her dedication in promoting Chinese culture, community service and programs and leadership in biomedical research at the Medical School. She was also recognized as a Neighborhood Commissioner and Board member.

PERMITTED INTERACTION GROUP (P.I.G.) – Chair Tanimoto reported the following:

1)      The Saturday P.I.G. meetings have been progressing with the assistance of Commissioners Gall and Young on an informal basis.

2)      The meetings will recess for the next two weeks due to other commitments of the P.I.G. members.

3)      An update will be provided at the next Commission meeting.

FOR ACTION

ELECTION OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION OFFICERS FOR 2006-2007 TERM:

Chair Tanimoto announced that the election of a chair would be taken up first, followed by the election of a vice-chair.

Election of Chair – Ching nominated the current Chair and Vice Chair; seconded by Kaahanui.  Young questioned whether the election of the Chair would be taken first. Chair Tanimoto reiterated the election of Chair would be taken up first. Kaahanui withdrew the second.

Young moved and seconded by Gall to nominate Grant Tanimoto for Chair. Gall moved and seconded by Young to close the nominations. There were no objections. By acclamation, Grant Tanimoto was elected Chair by acclamation.

Election of Vice Chair – Gall moved and seconded by Sakamoto to nominate Sylvia Young for Vice Chair. Wickramaratna moved to close the nominations. Without objections, the nominations were closed. By acclamation, Sylvia Young was elected Vice Chair

APPROVAL OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 26, 2006: The following correction / additions were made:

• Agenda, Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes should read: “...June 26, 2006...”
• Agenda, delete: “...Executive Session...”
• Page 1, Roll call of Commissioners should read: “...Wickramaratna...”
• Page 1, Guests should add: “...Reid Yamashiro (Corporation Counsel)...”
• Page 2, Formation of a Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) of Less than a Quorum of Commission Members Pursuant to Section 92-2.5, HRS, to review and make recommendations regarding the Revised Neighborhood Plan (RNP) draft, ninth paragraph, third sentence should read: “... A report from the PIG would be provided at the July 24 and August 28 Commission meetings, held on the fourth Monday of each month...”
• Page 2, Discussion followed should read: “...All members expressed interest to attend the meetings to be held on the consecutive Saturdays for the next two months...”
• Page 3, top, add: “...6) PIG group members are Gall, Tanimoto, Wickramaratna, and Young...”
• Page 3, should read: “...Gall moved and seconded by Sakamoto that the Neighborhood Commission concurs with and agrees with the formation of a Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) as outlined in III.C, Formation of Permitted Interaction Group (PIG of less than a quorum of Commission members Pursuant to Section 92-2.5, to review and make recommendations regarding the complaints filed with the Commission...”
• Page 4, delete: ”... Executive Session...”
• Page 4, Discussion followed, end of sentence add: “...(Gall, Tanimoto, Wickramaratna, Young)...”

Wickramaratna moved and seconded by Young to accept the June 26, 2006 Commission Meeting Minutes as amended. The motion carried 6-0-2, with Nekota and Kaahanui abstaining.

Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board No. 34 Election of Officers for the 2006-2007 Term – Board member Kioni Dudley stated a letter of complaint dated June 6, 2006 was sent to Executive Secretary Joan Manke and the Commission which raised concerns about the election of officers held at its meeting in May 2006. He stated that according to the Neighborhood Plan, the election is to take place annually and that every election of officers since the board was formed had been held in June, except for this year. He questioned the chair’s reason for scheduling the election in the month of May. Dudley requested that the Commission direct that the Board be chaired in interim by the highest vote getter in the last election, who is George Yamamoto. A copy of the letter was distributed by Dudley.  Chair Tanimoto asked Dudley if he had previously filed complaints and was familiar with the process.  Dudley responded in the affirmative.  Chair Tanimoto stated that his complaint would be processed as provided in the Neighborhood Plan.

ADJOURNMENT

Wickramaratna moved and seconded by Young to adjourn the meeting. There were no objections. Chair Tanimoto adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m.

Submitted by, Nola J. Frank

Neighborhood Commission Office Staff

Reviewed by Chair Grant Tanimoto