KAILUA NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 31

PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND CIVIL DEFENSE (PSPHCD) COMMITTEE
MEETING AGENDA
Thursday, July 16, 2026
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
In-person at the Kailua District Park Multipurpose Room or District Meeting Room

Chair: Jeremy Treskon. Members: Bruce Andrews, Bill Hicks, David Laeha, Levani Lipton, and Malie Thoemmes; Kailua Alert & Prepared (BOD), Community Member Claudine Tomasa.

1. Call to order/Approval of minutes

2. Announcements/New Issues/Community Concerns
a. Kailua Alert & Prepared

3. Update/Report on Continuing Issues
a. Public Health & Safety
(1) Securing our Schools.
(2) Water Quality-Continuing initiatives and leaching from the old Kapaa Landfill.
(3) Invasive Species/Little Fire Ants and Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB)
b. Civil Defense updates – David Laeha
(1) Community Point of Distribution (CPOD) update
(2) Disaster Preparedness (Flash Floods / Tsunamis / Wildfires / Hurricane shelters)
(3) Potential plans for rebuilding the Kailua Library to include a resilience hub

4. Motion adopted by the Kaneohe NB on May 21, 2026: Urging Greater Focus on Pre-Disaster Planning and Mitigation, and Community Resiliency Planning in Hawai’i

5. Adjournment

A mailing list is maintained for interested persons and agencies to receive this board’s agenda and minutes. Additions, corrections, and deletions to the mailing list may be directed to the Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) at Kapālama Hale, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96817, by telephone on (808) 768-3710, fax (808) 768-3711, or e-mailing nco@honolulu.gov. Agenda documents and minutes are also available online at https://www.honolulu.gov/nco/boards.

All written testimony must be received in the Neighborhood Commission Office 48 hours prior to the meeting. If within 48 hours of the meeting, written and/or oral testimony may be submitted directly to the Board at the meeting. If submitting written testimony, please note the Board and agenda item(s) your testimony concerns. Send to: Neighborhood Commission Office, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, HI 96817, fax (808) 768-3711, or complete the form on https://www.honolulu.gov/nco/board-testimony.

If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability or an interpreter for a language other than English, please call the Neighborhood Commission Office at (808) 768-3710 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or send an email to nco@honolulu.gov as soon as possible, preferably at least three (3) business days before the scheduled meeting. If a request is received with fewer than three (3) business days remaining before the meeting, we will try to obtain the auxiliary aid/service or accommodation, but it may not be possible to fulfill requests received after this date.

Kailua Neighborhood Board No. 31

Public Safety, Public Health, and Civil Defense Committee
June 2026 Meeting Report
Chair: Jeremy Treskon

1. A committee meeting was held in-person on June 18, 2026, chaired by Bill Hicks and attended by committee members David Laeha and Claudine Tomasa.

2. Community Point of Distribution (CPOD). We are awaiting confirmation for a meeting with Central Union Church Windward representatives, Reverend Sinnaduray and Troy Tomita. Plan: Bill will notify the group once a response or confirmation is received from Reverend Sinnaduray. An updated version of the Kailua CPOD Plan Presentation provided by Clem will be used during meetings with interested CPOD site landowners.

3. Hurricane Shelters and the June 29 Elected Officials Kailua Town Hall Meeting. Kailua currently lacks designated emergency hurricane shelters. To address this critical public safety gap, the following actions and background information are provided:
a. Background: Please refer to the 2024 correspondence from Chair Hicks and former PSPHCD Chair Carol Miyashiro. On November 7, 2024, KNB #31 unanimously adopted a resolution requesting that elected officials obtain Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funding to retrofit and harden previously designated hurricane shelters in Kailua.
b. Town Hall Meeting: A meeting is scheduled for Jun 29, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the Kailua District Park Multipurpose Room. This meeting serves as a vital opportunity for the community to engage directly with elected officials regarding disaster readiness.
c. Subcommittee Action: The KNB #31 Disaster Preparedness Subcommittee is drafting formal inquiries for each official regarding their specific strategies for constituent disaster readiness and community resilience. Officials are requested to provide responses during the June 29 meeting or submit a comprehensive written response by the Jul 2, 2026 KNB #31 meeting. Additionally, the subcommittee is exploring the potential use of secured Department of Education (DOE) classroom buildings at Kailua and Kalaheo High Schools as designated hurricane refuge areas. Urgent Situation & Question(s):
(1) The 2026 El Niño cycle is expected to increase the risk of hurricanes, extreme temperatures, and droughts. Kailua has been without designated shelters for over five years, and current CIP funds for the Kalaheo High School retrofit are insufficient to complete the project, which remains in the Planning and Design phase.
(a) Are there specific plans available to expedite the establishment of hurricane shelters in Kailua?
(b) Do these plans consider identifying former designated shelter sites deemed deficient by the State in 2020 and 2021 that could be the easiest to remedy/retrofit while awaiting additional funds for the Kalaheo High School project?
(c) Will officials collaborate on legislative initiatives to provide tax relief incentives supporting residents in developing personal safe rooms for home-based sheltering?
(d) As demonstrated by the devastating Maui wildfires, failing to act proactively leads to unnecessary loss of life and property. We must ensure the safety of Kailua’s approximately 50,000 residents.

4. Wildfire Management and Protection Planning. Discussion: Councilmember Kia’aina is planning a meeting in August with Kailua and Neighboring communities. I’m not aware of interest expressed by Kalaheo Hillside residents. They are more concerned about potential development plans by DHHL. Plan: Work with Councimember Kia’aina and affected community.

5. Meeting with Kailua High School Principal. Bill will contact the Principal and keep Clem informed of prospective meeting(s).

6. Potential plans for rebuilding the Kailua Library to include a resilience hub. The proposed Community Resilience Hub outlined in the Kailua Library Resolution offers significant community benefits during both stable periods and emergencies. Senator Chris Lee has indicated a willingness to propose legislative funding and support if the community participates in the planning process.
a. Collaboration and Oversight:
(1) The PSPHCD Committee will collaborate with PZ&E Chair Donna Wong, as the resolution encompasses development and land-use zoning ordinances.
(2) Maintain contact with Senator Chris Lee regarding project funding mentioned at the March 5th Board meeting.
b. Safety Considerations and Site Alternatives:
(1) Safety Concerns: The current library site and adjacent facilities (Fire Station, HPD, Kailua District Park) are located within an Extreme Tsunami evacuation zone.
(2) Vertical Evacuation: To remain at the current site, any new structure would likely require a design of 10 stories or more to enable vertical evacuation to the fourth floor or higher.
(3) Recommended Alternate Site: Following consultations with Clem Jung, an amendment is proposed to relocate the resilience hub to a safer site, such as the property located behind the Olomana Honolulu Fire Department Station.
(4) Additional Site Options: Other proximity considerations include Maunawili Elementary School and the Hawaii Youth Facility.

To view agenda and minutes, visit our board website.

Event shows physical location; however, other options of participation may also include WebEx and phone.  If available, instructions for WebEx and phone can be found at the top of the agenda.