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http://www.honolulu.gov/nco/nb26/06/26_2006_02Min.pdf 
WAHIAWA NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2006
WAHIAWA RECREATION CENTER
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Ben Acohido called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. A quorum was present.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Ben Acohido, Sheri Bentley, Burt Iwata, Robert Kent, Silvia Koch, Mary Jane Lee, Kathy Masunaga, Irwin Yamamoto, Jyun Yamamoto.
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
GUESTS: Eugene Lee (Mayor’s Representative/DDC), Brandon Mitsuda (Council Chair Donovan Dela Cruz’s office), Zeny Muyot (Congressman Ed Case’s office), Laurence Lau (Governor’s Representative/DOH), Pat Jones (EMS), Lt. Mark Kawasaki (HPD), Duke Chung (BWS), Gary Kurokawa (City Budget and Fiscal Services), Captain Jim Donovan, LTJG Cody Mortensen and CW Clifton Jenkins (NCTAMS PAC), Rev. Jack Smith (Church of Nazarene/WCBA), Pam Mills-Packo (RMS), Rod Ohira (Honolulu Advertiser), Dr. N. Baysa, Paul Kobayashi, Lani Nedbalek, Rodney Sato and Dr. Edmund Whang (Wahiawa Hospital Association), Richard Camara, Ellen Hyer, Daniel Neyer, Benny Quiseng, Shige Tanaka, Steve J. Rodrigues (Neighborhood Commission Office Staff).
APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 23 2006 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES: Masunaga moved and Kent seconded to approve the minutes with the following corrections:
Page 4, under Property Tax and Car Fees, Concerns and comments, no. 2, first line, delete “elapsed” and insert “lapsed”,
Page 5, under Governor’s Report, Concerns and comments, no. 1, first line, delete “Wilikina Avenue” and insert “Whitmore Avenue”.
The motion carried unanimously.
(Board member Bentley arrived at 7:05 p.m.)
TREASURER’S REPORT: Iwata read the Financial Statement for the period ending January 31, 2006. The Operating Account expenses were $58.46, leaving a balance of $1,141.00. The Publicity Account did not incur any expenses, leaving the balance at $1,291.09. The Refreshment Account did not incur any expenses, leaving the balance at $120.00. The report was accepted subject to audit.
FIRST RESPONDERS – Reports and Concerns:
Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) – No report or representatives was available.
Honolulu Police Department (HPD) – Lt. Mark Kawasaki reported: 1) The statistics in the District for the month of January. There were 19 burglaries, 15 UEMV (unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle), and 27 thefts. 2) On January 14, an 18-year old male suspect was apprehended for Burglary I for entering an apartment on Ohai Street. 3) As a result of complaints of drug activity at a Aheahe Street address, District 2 Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) served a search warrant on January 23. Seven suspects were arrested and drugs were recovered.
Concerns and comments followed:
1) Lee asked how many officers are assigned to each beat. Lt. Kawasaki answered there are 12 beats from Mililani to the North Shore. They try to staff a minimum of 10 officers.
2) Koch had concerns about individuals loitering near the Kentucky Fried Chicken on California Avenue. Lt. Kawaski stated if it’s on private property the owner has to make a complaint, otherwise the police can’t enforce loitering laws. If you observe any illegal activity, call 911.
3) Irwin Yamamoto, who lives on Neal Avenue, said residents have concerns about go-carts and mini-motorcycles in the neighborhood. It’s a hazard. One of his neighbors almost ran into one of these individuals. Lt. Kawasaki noted it’s illegal to ride these type of vehicles on public streets. If you know where these kids live, officers could speak with their parents.
4) Iwata had concerns regarding vehicles parking and blocking the crosswalk on Glen Avenue. Lt. Kawasaki stated vehicles are supposed to park a specific feet away from the crosswalk. If you witness this violation, call 911 and an officer will respond and cite these vehicles.
5) Kent mentioned he’s been trying to get signs posted at California and Mango. Lt. Kawasaki suggested calling the City Department of Transportation Services (DTS). Kent said he has sent five letters to DTS.
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) – Pat Jones, District Chief for District 1, reported: 1) For the month of January, EMS received a total of 6,125 calls and had 7 MAST transfers. Wahiawa EMS received 319 calls and transported 218 patients.
A resident inquired about 911 calls for ambulance. Jones stated if an ambulance responds and you are not transported then there is no charge, but if you are transported to a hospital it would cost the patient between $400-$500. The State handles the billing.
Chair Acohido noted that the Neighborhood Plan allows the agenda to be taken out of order with a two-thirds vote. Kent moved and Koch seconded to take the agenda out of order (BWS report). The motion carried unanimously.
Board of Water Supply (BWS) – Duke Chung reported: 1) BWS has announced the 2006 Water Conservation Week Poster Contest for all students in kindergarten through 6th grade. Deadline to enter is March 9. This year’s theme is “Each and Every Day I Save Water My Way.” 2) March 5-11 is Detect-A-Leak Week. BWS is asking everyone to check for leaks at home and work. Promotional flyers and leak detection dye tablets were distributed. Entry forms are available to qualify for a free water audit. 3) Water Savings Tip: “Not turning off the water as you brush your teeth can use as much as four gallons of water each time.”
A resident complimented the crew working on the California Avenue water main project for doing a great monitoring the traffic.
The agenda resumed regular order.
U.S. Army – Schofield Barracks – No report or representative was available.
U.S. Navy – NCTAMS PAC – Captain Jim Donovan reported: 1) NCTAMS PAC received the 2005 Communications Information Technology Excellence award as well as multiple Navy Mission Area awards for outstanding performance in specific communications areas. These awards are the highest awards a Naval Communications site can receive. 2) NCTAMS PAC regrets to announce this is the final Board meeting for LTJG Cody Mortensen. On March 24, he will be leaving Hawai’i and reporting to COMPHIBRON 11 embarked on the USS ESSEX out of Sasebo, Japan. CW04 Clifton Jenkins will be his replacement.
RESIDENTS’ CONCERNS:
Bus Service – Chair Acohido said resident Mark Ohumukini requested bus service to include 1830 Wilikina Drive. There are many residents in his large residential complex, including people who are elderly, disabled, or parents of young children.
Wahiawa Neighborhood Board Name Change – Chair Acohido mentioned in the past there have been concerns from the Whitmore community why the Neighborhood Board isn’t called the Wahiawa-Whitmore Neighborhood Board since Whitmore is part of the community. Kent moved and Jyun Yamamoto seconded that the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board change its name, subject to approval from the Neighborhood Commission, to the Wahiawa-Whitmore Neighborhood Board. Discussion ensued. The motion carried, 8-1-0. Nay: Masunaga.
Masunaga noted that each Board member received a letter from the Neighborhood Commission Office that the Board should not be taking any action on the Pacific Health Center since its currently in litigation. The Board can’t even ask any questions. Chair Acohido said Rodney Sato is aware of the NCO issue. Other Neighborhood Boards have heard the informational update and have taken no action. He emphasized that the Board and audience will only listen to Sato’s informational briefing. Chair Acohido will not allow questions to be asked nor any Board action to be taken on the Pacific Health Center. Castle & Cooke will be requested to present an informational update on its Koa Ridge development. Again, that will be only a listening event without any questions or actions by the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board.
(Board member Masunaga departed at 7:45 p.m. prior to Sato’s presentation)
PRESENTATIONS:
Informational Update on Pacific Health Center – Rodney Sato circulated updated information on the Pacific Health Center. He introduced the Center’s Board members who were in attendance. In addition, he stated Pacific Health Center proposes to develop a master-planned health care community to serve the Central O’ahu and North Shore areas. It would be built on 210 acres at Koa Ridge Makai, bounded by H-2, Ka Uka Boulevard, Kamehameha Highway and Kipapa Gulch. They acquired the first 80-acre parcel in 2005 and construction is scheduled between 2006-2010. Acquisition of the remaining 130-acre parcel will occur in 2009 and construction slated between 2009-2015. The project will be organized into four zones of care: Health Care, Sports Care, Health Education/Research, and Senior Care. Three potential co-developers responded to their Request for Proposal (RFP).
Lee asked Sato if he is employed by Wahiawa General Hospital. Sato answered no. No other question was asked, and Chair Acohido thanked Mr. Sato and acknowledged the presence of Dr. N. Baysa, Dr. E. Whang, Ms. Lani Nedbalek and Mr. Paul Kobayashi from the Wahiawa Hospital Association.
Procedures for Real Property Assessments – Gary Kurokawa, City Budget and Fiscal Services, described the real property assessment process. Assessments were mailed out to homeowners by December 17. City ordinance requires property assessments at 100%. There are 240,000 residential properties on O’ahu. If you include hotels, inc. it would be close to 280,000 properties they assess. The department’s task each year is to assess property rates whether you plan to sell your property or not. Every building permit goes through their department. They have 40 appraisers and a staff of 107 employees. Appraisers go out and inspect the properties. Information is gathered annually and they come up with assessments. The computer system will find sales similar to the property. If you feel your assessment is not correct or you want to file an appeal, call their office. They cannot change the assessments; it goes to the Board of Appeals. The process starts all over again on January 15.
Concerns and comments followed:
1) Kent asked how could a $300,000 home with no improvements have the same assessment as a home sold for $1 million in the same neighborhood. Kurokawa said the $300,000 home shouldn’t have the same value as the $1 million home. Values will go up.
2) Lee inquired what happens when a new house is built. Kurokawa said someone will go out and check if it is built to the plans.
3) Iwata asked what percentage of values go down. Kurokawa answered approximately 20%-40% of residents who appeal their values get their $25 application fee back if they win their appeals.
4) Kent had concerns when property values go up a lot of people become homeless because they can’t afford to pay. Kurokawa noted that the policy issue is taken up at the City Council. The City has a circuit-breaker tax credit.
5) Chair Acohido mentioned the City Council has passed three bills for tax relief. There are concerns regarding the computer process. Land value drives the market, whether the home is old or new. Kurokawa said the computer is looking for certain characteristics of sale. When you value 240,000 units, you need a computer system.
6) A resident asked Kurokawa if he agreed with California’s Proposition 13. Kurokawa answered no because it would just shift the burden to someone else.
7) Jyun Yamamoto asked private contractors for military housing pay property taxes. Kurokawa said yes.
CORRESPONDENCE: Chair Acohido circulated the Board’s correspondence. In addition, he said he would like the correspondence to go directly to the affected Board committee chair.
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY GROUP REPRESENTATIVES:
Wahiawa Community Business Association (WCBA) – Rev. Jack Smith had no report.
Council Chair Donovan Dela Cruz – Brandon Mitsuda circulated Council Chair Dela Cruz’s monthly report and highlighted the following: 1) Council Chair Dela Cruz sends his regrets. 2) He also circulated the 2006 City Council Calendar. 3) Their office continues do conduct site visits in the community. Requests they submitted to the City administration include repainting crosswalks, especially fronting Ilahi and Wahiawa Elementary Schools; repainting graffiti at bus stops; fix potholes; monitor speeding; installing traffic signals at California and Nanea, and at California and Uuku; and inspecting that all newspaper stands have the official sticker. The door to the Wahiawa Recreation Center should be fixed tomorrow.
Chair Acohido mentioned funding for traffic signals for California Avenue was appropriated by the previous administration. Mitsuda stated a traffic study was done for California and Nanea. Residents said they already put in a request with the previous administration for California and Uuku. Their office is continuing to push the current administration.
Mayor's Representative – Eugene Lee stated: 1) The Mayor has submitted his FY07 budget to the City Council. It includes $1.5 billion for the Operating Budget and $629 million for the Capital Improvement Program Budget. Detailed information is available on the City’s website www.honolulu.gov. He will provide more information at next month’s meeting. 2) Neighborhood Assistant Steve J. Rodrigues circulated the Mayor’s monthly newsletter “Honolulu News”.
Kent inquired if the Board invited the Mayor to attend one its meetings, would he attend. Lee will follow-up.
Governor’s Representative – Laurence Lau circulated the “Governor’s Update” and highlighted the following: 1) The Governor accepted an Energy Star building award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the Kapolei State Building. The building is one of only 14 building in Hawai’i to be honored. 2) Follow-up items: a) City Revised Ordinances Sec. 15-13.6 states it is unlawful for an itinerant vendor, peddler or huckster to carry on or solicit business in one location on any street or on any public highway for a period of more than 15 minutes. HRS Chapter 264 states no person shall park or place a vehicle or structure wholly or partly on any highway for the purpose of selling the vehicle or of selling therefrom or therein any article, service, or thing, thereby creating a hazardous condition or a public nuisance or in reckless disregard of the risk of creating a hazardous condition or public nuisance. b) He will continue to follow-up on if the Haleiwa-bound, right hand lane of Kamehameha Highway approaching California Avenue in Wahiawa be striped to divide into two lanes. c) The delineators on the Wahiawa bridge have not yet been replaced.
Kent said he’s been trying to get three lanes of traffic as you enter Wahiawa on Kamehameha Highway. Chair Acohdio asked Kent to raise his question with the State DOT at the special meeting to be convened on the O’ahu Regional Transportation Plan.
Congressman Ed Case – Zeny Muyot circulated Congressman Case’s monthly newsletter and highlighted the following: 1) Congressman Case is on the airplane on his way back to Washington, D.C. Yesterday, he held his “Talk Story” in Wahiawa. His “Talk Story” continues until March 18 on the island of Kaua’i. 2) The Department of Defense’s Quadrennial Defense Report highlights Hawaii’s expanding role in our nation’s defense and affects a range of military and civilian operations in the islands. 3) Also circulated was list of services provided by Congressman Case’s office. For more information, please contact their O’ahu office at 541-1986.
Kent had concerns that there aren’t enough National Guard soldiers to take care of Hawai’i if there is a natural disaster. Muyot will follow-up.
Senate President Robert Bunda – Chair Acohido said Senate President Bunda sends his regrets. His monthly report was submitted.
Representative Marcus Oshiro – No report or representative was available.
Wahiawa Action Initiative (WAI) – Iwata stated WAI has an ongoing community project to repaint bus stops throughout the community due to the weather or graffiti. If anyone knows of any sites that need repainting, please let them know.
Wahiawa Satellite City Hall – No report or representative was available.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Task Force for Wahiawa Community Garden – Chair Acohido said farmers from the Wahiawa Community Garden have formed a neighborhood security watch program. He will ask Pamela Torres (former Board member) to sit on the Wahiawa Community Garden Task Force.
Traffic Management – No Parking Hours along Kamehameha Highway (Wahiawa Business District) Coordination with WCBA – Chair Acohido announced that Council Chair Dela Cruz will hold a meeting in his office tomorrow to discuss transportation issues in Wahiawa
Iwata asked if a letter was sent to WCBA regarding this issue. Chair Acohido will follow-up.
Appointment of Committees – Chair Acohido circulated a list of committee appointments. Education & Human Services – Koch; Community Relations & Economic Development – Iwata; Community Organizations – Bentley; Transportation & Traffic Management – Kent; Environment & Conservation – Lee; Planning & Zoning – Acohido; Public Safety & General Welfare – Irwin Yamamoto; Military Affairs – Jyun Yamamoto; Governmental Affairs & Legislative Affairs – Masunaga. All, except Masunaga because of her absence, accepted their respective appointments as committee chairs.
Legislative Proposal Request for Soldiers/Veterans Relief – Transmitted to Hawai’i District, Veteran of Foreign Wars for Next Legislative Session – Chair Acohido mentioned he will be leaving for Washington, D.C. on March 4 to discuss this issue. He will be attending as a Veteran of Foreign Wars.
NEW BUSINESS:
Special Meeting Proposed on 2030 O’ahu Regional Transportation Plan (ORTP) – Chair Acohido stated he attended the O’ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO) Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on the 2030 O’ahu Regional Transportation Plan. Federal money is available for transportation projects. The plan is broken down into the first 15 years and the second 15 years. Wahiawa has two projects in the second 15 years (i.e. Wahiawa Bus Transit System and a Second Access for Wahiawa). These projects are very important to the community. A lot of planning goes into this process. He suggested holding a special meeting on the ORTP. The plan needs to be addressed and there is a need for community input. Comments are due March 15, but OMPO/CAC is willing to give the Board an extension.
Pam Mills-Packo reminded everyone that what happens in Whitmore affects everyone in the lower watershed (i.e. North Shore). She suggested inviting the North Shore Neighborhood Board to the Special Meeting.
Lee moved and Kent seconded that the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board No. 26 hold a Special Meeting on March 29 to discuss the ORTP, 7:00 p.m., site to be determined. The motion carried unanimously.
Community Ceremony on Deployment on an Element on the 25th Infantry Division – Chair Acohido said soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division will be deployed soon to the Middle East. He suggested a very simple ceremony and inviting the leaders from each unit and all the community organizations. The Board could purchase a banner to show appreciation to the soldiers. Jyun Yamamoto moved and Iwata seconded that the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board No. 26 use its Publicity Account funds to purchase a banner to honor the deployment of 25th Infantry Division soldiers. The motion carried unanimously. Chair Acohido will spearhead a simple community “send-off” ceremony.
Time and Place for Regular 2006 Monthly Meetings, with Two Recess Months to be Determined – Chair Acohido asked the Board to reconsider its motion made at last June’s meeting to recess in July and December. Kent moved and Lee seconded that the Wahiawa Neighborhood Board recess in June and December. The motion carried unanimously. In addition, Chair Acohido announced that the Board will meet in Whitmore in April and October. At April’s meeting, he requested the Navy to give an update on HRSOC and to give an unclassified briefing on what the Navy’s does.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1) The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be held on Monday, March 6, 2006, Wahiawa Recreation Center, 6:30 p.m. 2) The next Regular Meeting will be held on Monday, March 20, 2006, Wahiawa Recreation Center, 7:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT: 8:52 p.m.
Submitted:
Steve J. Rodrigues
Neighborhood Assistant