NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 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=m4ed0ce4c5871978ea94a35efd24063d1
Meeting Number / Access Code: 2482 418 5050
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. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Monday, September 22, 2025 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record
III. PUBLIC CONCERNS – Limited to 2 minutes for items not on the agenda
IV. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REPORT
A. Summary of Chairs & Vice Chairs Meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025
B. Update on Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated minutes
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. Consideration of potential Charter Commission submissions regarding the Neighborhood Commission and Neighborhood Commission Office
B. Consideration of policy to require allowance of Board Member participation in public concerns on issues raised by the public
C. Discussion of agenda informational links
D. Review Committee appointments
VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Neighborhood Plan Committee – Chair Larry Veray
VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. Next Meetings: The next Neighorhood Plan Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 17, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 24, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT OF SUNSHINE LAW MEETING
IX. ADJUDICATORY MATTERS – The Commission will exercise its adjudicatory functions in accordance with HRS § 92-6.
A. 2025-11 Salenger v. Welch, Matson
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, SEPTEMBER 22, 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=1B5pWKCB2Ww
Meeting materials (Google Drive) can be found at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LS8mfBOkIKp5hqr6Fwr5Kn1HCYCURUu0
I. CALL TO ORDER: Due to technical difficulties, the recording of this meeting begins during item III. Public Concerns.
Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Quorum was established with 5 members present.
Members Present: Mahealani Bernal, Bill Clark, Angie Knight, Patrick Smith, and Larry Veray.
Members Absent: Christian de Quevedo, James Logue, and Harris Nakamoto.
Guests: Dale Vanderbrink (Ala Moana-Kaka’ako Neighborhood Board No.09); Kevin Lye (Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13); Mike Buck (Crisis Outreach Response & Engagement – CORE); Tom Heinrich, Jacob Wiencek, Greg Misakian, Daisy Murai (Residents); Executive Secretary Lloyd Yonenaka, Dylan Whitsell, and Travis Saito (Neighborhood Commission Office – NCO). There were approximately 16 total attendees. Name not included if not legible on sign-in sheet, not signed in and/or not participated in discussion.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Monday, August 25, 2025 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record: Chair Smith asked if anyone wished to offer amendments to the distributed minutes. Hearing none, the minutes were approved as written; 5-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Clark, Knight, Smith, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None).
III. PUBLIC CONCERNS – [0:04:56]
Requests for Information and Title 2, Chapter 11 process – [0:00:01]: Kevin Lye asked whether the Commission is following the Title 2, Chapter 11 information request process, cited pending info requests (e.g., whether a chair may materially change an agenda addition request; whether a member may recuse and still vote), and suggested that fulfilling information requests could avert some formal complaints.
Waikīkī NB No.09 agenda procedure and presentation scope – [0:03:24]: Greg Misakian reported recurring agenda placement/procedure issues at the 9/9/2025 meeting (Unfinished Board Business, Item 4). He raised concerns that the posted link was a minimal slide deck and lacked clarity on what was being voted on; said the public lacked a proper opportunity to speak and asked the Commission to encourage proper agenda descriptions across boards. On a related note, he opined a presenter may have strayed off the noticed subject at a recent meeting.
City Charter Commission schedule and relevance to Neighborhood Board System – [0:08:41]: Tom Heinrich noted the City Charter Commission’s next meeting (10/6/25) and island-wide community meetings in October 2025. Proposals are due by 11/7/25, and encouraged the Commission to track proposals that may affect the Neighborhood Board system.
IV. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REPORT – [0:10:45]
Request Form for NCO Support – Form for requesting Special/Joint Meeting support and Board participation in community events – [0:10:45]: Executive Secretary Yonenaka announced a new NCO request form is available on the NCO website for special/joint meetings and community event participation. He emphasized providing ample lead time to schedule venues and complete contracts; process will evolve as requests are received.
Questions, comments, and concerns followed:
1. Minutes retrospect and resource prioritization – [0:12:33]: Chair Smith relayed NCO’s position that retroactively generating minutes from past videos would not be an efficient use of city resources. Noted members of the public can use available videos and their own tools to analyze past meetings.
2. Recognition Certificates – [0:14:55]: Commissioner Veray thanked the NCO for updated certificates and Neighborhood Board logo; highlighted a commendation planned for an HPD officer.
3. Various Questions – [0:15:54]: Kevin Lye requested a screenshot of the candidate registration process (clarified his request is unrelated to litigation; suggested a third-party/special master if needed). He asked where “findings of fact”/rulings are posted on the revamped NCO website, and encouraged leveraging AI to generate searchable transcripts/minutes from prior videos to enhance archival searchability.
V. COMMITTEE REPORTS – [0:18:12]
Elections Committee – [0:18:12]: Chair Smith reported the Elections Committee has not met recently and activity is expected next year.
Neighborhood Plan Committee – [0:36:52]: Committee Chair Veray reported that the last meeting lacked quorum due to excused absences and technical issues; requested adding commissioners to avoid future quorum failures.
Hearing no objections, Committee Chair Veray tentatively appointed Commissioner Nakamoto as a committee member (subject to his willingness to serve) – [0:20:44].
Hearing no objections, Committee Chair Veray confirmed Commissioner Knight as a committee member – [0:21:04].
Questions, comments, and concerns followed:
1. Committee Membership Clarification – [0:22:01]: Tom Heinrich asked if member Cross Crabbe had been previously appointed and inadvertently omitted in the latest meeting notice.
2. Request to convene and review concerns – [0:22:58]: Greg Misakian urged the Elections Committee to meet, review testimony and concerns (including issues raised in 2023 and 2025), and report publicly (with executive session only as warranted).
3. Prior cycle meetings and records – [0:25:29]: Kevin Lye asked whether the prior-cycle Elections Committee actually met and, if so, why there are no written records.
VI. NEW BUSINESS – [0:27:30]
Request from Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St. Louis Heights NB No.05 to change Sub-District 2 seats to At-Large – [0:27:30]: Chair Smith reported that NB05 requested converting two (2) Sub-District 2 seats to At-Large for the remainder of the term. Chair Smith noted that NB05 inquired whether the Commission would require prioritizing a subdistrict resident if two candidates appear simultaneously (one from within the subdistrict); Chair suggested leaving such prioritization to the Board’s own judgment rather than embedding it in the Commission’s action.
Questions, comments, and concerns followed:
1. Concerns – [0:28:53]: Commissioner Veray stated his support of the request but opposed any condition that could displace an At-Large appointee mid-term; clarified discussion was about simultaneous candidates.
2. Board Perspective – [0:29:24]: Commissioner Knight noted that NB05 expected the Commission to decide the structural change and anticipated the Board would handle any prioritization internally.
[0:30:04] Bernal MOVED and Veray SECONDED to approve the request of converting two Sub-District 2 seats to At-Large for the remainder of the term. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 5-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Clark, Knight, Smith, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [0:30:10] There are now 3 At-Large seats on NB05 that were converted from Sub-District 2.
Discussion on the Proposed Modifications to the Complaints Provision (Chapter 18) of the Neighborhood Plan from the Neighborhood Plan Committee – [0:31:54]: Chair Smith opened the floor for final questions before moving to submit the full Chapter 18 proposal to Corporation Counsel for legal review.
• Proposal: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_ulKcXeoEj4i5LYSO_cgfuWQ73WxUxj3
Questions, comments, and concerns followed:
1. Process, Access, and Formatting – [0:32:46]: Tom Heinrich requested posting the latest working draft prominently on the NCO website and clearly labeling draft versions (e.g., add a “D” prefix and date) to avoid confusion among multiple documents. He recommended not delaying submission by requiring Ramseyer formatting at this stage; could be prepared later if requested. He also urged exploring a faster front-end resolution path (e.g., early feedback from the affected board), while preserving contested-case appeal rights.
2. One Month Review – [0:45:50]: Commissioner Veray supported a one-month hold to circulate a side-by-side comparison to Neighborhood Board Chairs for input before sending to Corporation Counsel; also helps orient new Commissioners.
3. Sensitivity Analysis and Timing Concerns – [0:48:27]: Kevin Lye sought analysis of how changes to Chapter 18 interact with other potential Neighborhood Plan updates; asked about Commission authority regarding HRS §92 matters and any impacts on the complaint form. He expressed concern that a 10-day complaint filing window may disadvantage residents relying on ʻŌlelo broadcasts or USPS-mailed summaries; urged real-world modeling of proposed timeframes.
4. Draft Availability – [0:52:28]: Greg Misakian noted the draft wasn’t in the current meeting’s shared folder (located in last month’s folder); recommended allowing additional time (possibly two meetings) to finalize a committee draft with public input; and reiterated concerns about the 10-day filing period.
5. Urging Closure – [0:55:32]: Jacob Wiencek encouraged concluding the Chapter 18 revision process soon to allow attention to other Neighborhood Plan needs.
Hearing no objections, the Commission referred the item back to the Neighborhood Plan Committee for one more review cycle, broader outreach, and a recommendation on timing and next steps (including when to transmit to Corporation Counsel) – [0:57:40]
VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS – [0:58:38]
Next Meetings – [0:58:38]: Chair Smith announced that the next Neighborhood regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx. The next Neighborhood Plan Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 20, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT OF SUNSHINE LAW MEETING – [0:59:22]: The meeting was adjourned at 7:03 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.
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