NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
MONDAY, MAY 19, 2025 at 6:00 P.M.
Kapālama Hale – Room 153
925 Dillingham Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96817
AND VIA WEBEX

This meeting location is open to public participation.
Other available options include participating by computer, phone or by video system.
WebEx and phone-in instructions are as follows:

Meeting Link: https://cchnl.webex.com/cchnl/j.php?MTID=mc9d65d15b7c6771c07982e9c227c3afb
Meeting Number / Access Code: 2484 125 6961
Password: NC00 (6200 from phones and video systems)
Join by Phone: +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll

Recordings of Commission meetings can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/@NeighborhoodCommissionOffice

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LS8mfBOkIKp5hqr6Fwr5Kn1HCYCURUu0

Rules of Speaking: Anyone wishing to speak is asked to raise his or her hand, and when recognized by the Chair, to address comments to the Chair. Speakers are to keep their comments under two (2) minutes. Public testimony taken on each agenda item. Please silence all electronic devices.

Note: The Commission may take action on any agenda item. As required by the State Sunshine Law (Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 92), specific issues not noted on this agenda cannot be voted on, unless properly added to the agenda.

I. CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDING OFFICER
A. Roll Call of Commissioners, Establishment of Quorum

II. PUBLIC CONCERNS – Limited to 2 minutes for items not on the agenda

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Monday, April 28, 2025 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record

IV. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REPORT
A. Update on NCO Survey to the General Public

V. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Elections Committee – Chair Claire Tamamoto. Members: Bill Clark and Richard Oshiro (Ex-Officio)
B. Survey Committee – Chair Steven Melendrez. Members: Mahealani Bernal, Claire Tamamoto, Larry Veray and Richard Oshiro (Ex-Officio)
C. Neighborhood Plan Committee – Chair Patrick Smith. Members: Mahealani Bernal, Steven Melendrez, Larry Veray and Richard Oshiro (Ex-Officio)

VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. Next Meeting: The Neighborhood Commission will recess in June 2025. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 28, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx.

VII. ADJOURNMENT OF SUNSHINE LAW MEETING

VIII. ADJUDICATORY MATTERS – The Commission will exercise its adjudicatory functions in accordance with HRS § 92-6.
A. 2025-02 Misakian v. Finley
B. 2025-03 Ruby v. Finley
C. 2025-04 Salcedo v. Endo, Wilbur, Jordan
D. 2025-05 Iwaki v. Finley, Henski, Cabanero, Wiencek

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 http://www.honolulu.gov/nco/boards.html

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 email nbtestimony@honolulu.gov.

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 at least three (3) business days before the scheduled meeting. It may not be possible to fulfill requests received after this date.

DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD
MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025 – 6:00 P.M.
KAPĀLAMA HALE CONFERENCE ROOM 153 – 925 DILLINGHAM BOULEVARD, HONOLULU, HI 96817
AND VIA WEBEX TELECONFERENCING

Video recording of this meeting can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUwyVV6GaGg

Meeting materials (Google Drive) can be found at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LS8mfBOkIKp5hqr6Fwr5Kn1HCYCURUu0

I. CALL TO ORDER – [0:00:12]: Chair Oshiro called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Quorum was established with 8 members present. Note – This 9-member commission requires 5 members present to establish quorum and to take official commission action.

Members Present: Mahealani Bernal, Bill Clark, James Logue, Steven Melendrez, Richard Oshiro, Patrick Smith, Claire Tamamoto and Larry Veray.

Members Absent: None.

Guests: Margaret Murchie, Michelle Matson (Diamond Head Neighborhood Board No.05); Robert Finley, Greg Misakian, Kathryn Henski, Louis Erteschik, Daniel Jacob, Ken Jacob, Sarah Worth (Waikiki Neighborhood Board No.09); Claire Santos, Ken Peck (Makiki Neighborhood Board No.10); Robert Armstrong, Kevin Lye (Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13); Germaine Meyers (Nānākuli-Māʻili Neighborhood Board No.36); Senator Sharon Moriwaki; Representative Adrian Tam; Daisy Murai, Jacob Wiencek, Bette Barber, Laura Ruby, Tom Heinrich (Residents); Executive Secretary Lloyd Yonenaka, Dylan Whitsell, Travis Saito, and Dylan Buck (Neighborhood Commission Office – NCO). There were 42 total attendees. Name not included if not legible on sign-in sheet, not signed in and/or not participated in discussion.

II. PUBLIC CONCERNS – [0:01:06]

Complaint Regarding Waikiki NB09 – [0:01:17]: Laura Ruby announced that she filed a formal complaint to the Neighborhood Commission against Chair Bob Finley (Waikiki NB09) regarding actions of the Waikiki NB09.

Various Concerns – [0:03:49]: Kevin Lye raised the following concerns: (1) inquired if the Commission reviewed testimony he submitted; (2) inquired as to what steps will be taken to ensure testimony properly submitted be posted and distributed to the Commission; (3) inquiries into 2 complaints he filed: 2024-32 and 2024-33; and (4) requested an opinion for the Commission regarding the Chairperson’s authority to edit agenda item requests of Board Members.

Day-to-Day Operations – [0:06:03]: Germaine Meyers reminded the Commission of Neighborhood Plan 2-11-201(b), which states that the day-to-day operations of the Neighborhood Board System is the responsibility of the Executive Secretary of the Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO).

Quorum Issues with Makiki NB – [0:09:01]: Tom Heinrich reported the following: (1) Chuck Prentiss recently passed away and honored him for his years of service with the Neighborhood Board System; (2) Senate Bill 405 (relating to NB meetings and discussion) is scheduled for final hearing; (3) Senate Bill 1651 (relating to Public Meeting Packets) is also scheduled for final hearing; and (4) the Honolulu City Charter Commission is now underway.

Complaint Regarding Waikiki NB09 – Continued – [0:11:40]: Greg Misakian echoed Laura Ruby’s testimony.

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – [0:13:27]

Monday, February 24, 2025 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record – [0:13:27]: [0:13:40] – Melendrez MOVED and Veray SECONDED to approve the Written Summary for Video Record as written. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Clark, Logue, Melendrez, Oshiro, Smith, Tamamoto, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [0:13:44]

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:14:00]

IV. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REPORT – [0:15:27]

Review of NCO Survey Results to Board Members – [0:15:27]: Executive Secretary (ES) Lloyd Yonenaka announced that the survey results are available on the NCO website and highlighted the following: a total of 372 Board Members were emailed the survey and 179 completed the survey; 72% of respondents were over 50 years of age; 90% of respondents believe 3 hours is enough time for NB meetings; majority of respondents believed that they have a good understanding of Sunshine Law, Neighborhood Plan and Roberts Rules of Order but felt that their fellow members did not; and these results will be reviewed in comparison to the results of the NCO survey to the public when finalized.
• Survey Results:
https://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-350404/NCO%20Survey%20to%20Board%20Members%202025%20-%20Results.PDF

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:19:20]

V. NEW BUSINESS – [0:35:50]

Makiki-Lower Punchbowl-Tantalus Neighborhood Board No.10 – Request to temporarily merge our 3 subdistricts into 1 at-large district, and to temporarily reduce the number of seats from 17 to 13 for the remainder of the 2023-2025 term to achieve quorum – [0:35:50]: Chair Oshiro introduced the item, noted that Nathan Char (Chair of the Makiki NB10) submitted his request in writing, and allowed Claire Santos (Makiki NB10) to provide testimony in opposition to this request.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:36:50]

[0:49:40] –Smith MOVED and Veray SECONDED to approve the request as submitted by the Chair of the Makiki Neighborhood Board No.10. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Clark, Logue, Melendrez, Oshiro, Smith, Tamamoto, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [0:50:42]

VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS – [0:50:57]

Elections Committee – [0:50:57]: Committee Chair Tamamoto opened with a question about voting and Deputy Whitsell (NCO) responded. Committee Chair Tamamoto proceeded with her report and highlighted the following: the voting period is open until Friday, May 16, 2025; if your Board or subdistrict election is uncontested, there will be no voting; and if anyone has questions you should call the NCO at 808-768-3710.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:53:01]

Survey Committee – [0:58:35]: Committee Chair Melendrez provided his report, with a focus on Neighborhood Plan amendments for consideration by the Neighborhood Plan Committee. As a result of the committee’s “Call for Questions” to Neighborhood Board Members, these were the topics discussed: (1) Communication by Commission and NCO; (2) Meeting Logistics; (3) Meeting Minutes; (4) NCO Roles and Responsibilities; and (5) Training for Board Members.
• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q_zf6ESTeexydc11M6Xv3eekaNEBXpKb/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:04:10]

Neighborhood Plan Committee – [1:10:50]: Committee Chair Smith reported that the committee is currently reviewing the Complaint Process and has drafted a proposal for consideration at the next meeting, scheduled for Monday, May 19, 2025.
• Unofficial Website: https://n-plan.org/

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:11:30]

VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS – [1:11:55]

Next Meetings – [1:11:55]: The next regular meeting is rescheduled for Monday, May 19, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. on WebEx and at Kapālama Hale. Due to the rescheduled date, the Neighborhood Plan Committee meeting is rescheduled to Monday, May 12, 2025.

VIII. ADJOURNMENT – [1:13:57]: The meeting was adjourned at 7:14 p.m.

Submitted by: Dylan Buck, Community Relations Specialist, NCO
Reviewed by: Dylan Whitsell, Deputy, NCO
Finalized by:

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.