NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION

NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION

CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING

OCTOBER 12, 2004

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

CALL TO ORDER/COMMISSIONER ROLL CALL: Chair Roy Wickramaratna called the meeting to order with a quorum present at 6:40 p.m.  Kelley Santiago administered the commission members’ roll call.  There were five members present at this time.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Roy Wickramaratna, Ben Sanchez, Clara Ching, Ed Gall, and Kalene Sakamoto.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Pohai Ryan, Ben Gudoy and Jeanette Nekota.

GUESTS: Clifton Takamura (McCully/Moiliili Neighborhood No. 8), Daisy Murai, Al Furuto. Diamond Head/Kapahulu/St. Louis Heights No. 5: Michelle Matson, Bert Narita, Karen Ah Mai.

PUBLIC INPUT:

Tom Heinrich expressed disappointment that two of the proposed City Charter amendments that affect the Neighborhood Commission were not placed on the agenda for discussion.

On behalf of the McCully/Moiliili Neighborhood Board No. 8, Clifton Takamura presented a certificate of Recognition to Terry Morris and Elwin Spray of the Neighborhood Commission Office, David Tanouye and Seth Harris of the City Corporation Counsel and Gail Gomes, ex-chairperson of the Neighborhood Commission for their hard work and service provided by Neighborhood Commission to the Board.

Wayne Gau made a response to the appeal for consideration of Michelle Matson’s complaints.

APPROVAL OF REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF AUGUST 10, 2004:

Ching noted that the Commission has not yet approved the Minutes of the July 13, 2004 meeting.

Kama stated that the July 13 minutes would be revised as requested and distributed to commission members for their approval.

Sanchez moved seconded by Sakamoto to approve the August 10, 2004 Regular Meeting Minutes as submitted.  The motion failed, 4-0-1.  Abstain: Gall.  A majority of votes (5) was not achieved, therefore, the motion failed.

Matson stated that she had some corrections to the August 10 Minutes and would be submitting her corrections to the Neighborhood Commission Office.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE: None.

COMMISSIONER REPORTS:

Chair – Wickramaratna reported attending the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board No. 34 Regular Meeting in September.

Commission Members – No report.

Commission Concerns – Ching indicated that at least six members of the Manoa Neighborhood Board No. 7 did not receive a meeting notice.

Kama stated that he would follow up on the concern.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REPORT: Kama reported that Rachel Glanstein is the new Election Clerk at NCO.

Guests were asked to exit the room, as commission members prepared for  Executive Session.

Executive Session – Exective Session began at 7:10 p.m.

Executive Session ended at 7:30 p.m.

The meeting resumed.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Boundary changes for McCully/Moiliili Neighborhood Board No. 8:

Elwin Spray of the Neighborhood Commission Office distributed a revised map of the proposed changes for the board.

Takamura stated that the board continues to support its original proposal as submitted to the Neighborhood Commision.

Al Furuto noted his disappointment with the board for not placing the board’s boundary changes on its September meeting agenda.  The issue was placed on the board’s October Regular meeting agenda.

Heinrich also noted his support for the board’s original proposal.

Gordon Furuto requested that the seat distribution for each subdistrict should be made as equitable as possible.

Ed Gall supported the boards original proposal and noted that the board has worked on the project for several years and recommended that the Commission support the boards proposal as submitted.

Gall moved seconded by Sakamoto that the Commission support the original proposal as submitted by the board.

Discussion followed:

Sanchez raised concern of the original petition not being an equitable distribution of seats in each subdistrict.

The motion failed, 4-1-0.  Nay: Sanchez.  A majority of votes (5) was not achieved, therefore, the motion failed.

8:00 p.m. - Wickramaratna called a recess.

8:02 p.m. - The meeting resumed.

Sanchez moved seconded by Sakamoto that three proposals be sent back to the McCully/Moiliili Neighborhood Board No. 8 for their consideration and recommendation and for the Commission to accept the recommendation.

Discussion followed:

Sakamoto recommended that the previous motion be amended to state the Commission will take the board’s recommendation “under advisement”.

Sanchez accepted the amendment.

The amended motion reads:

Sanchez moved seconded by Sakamoto that the three proposals be sent back to the McCully/Moiliili Neighborhood Board No. 8 for their consideration and for the Commission to take the boards recommendation “under advisement”.

The motion carried unanimously, 5-0-0.

Sakamoto moved seconded by Gall to enter Executive Session.  The motion carried unanimously, 5-0-0.

Guests exited the room as commission members prepared for Executive Session.

Executive Session began at 8:15 p.m.

The meeting resumed at 8:26 p.m.

Complaint appeal by Michelle Matson – Sakamoto moved seconded by Gall to recess the decision-making on the appeal until Tuesday, October 19, 2004.  The motion carried unanimously, 5-0-0.

NEW BUSINESS:

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Neighborhood Plan – Gall reported that the third draft fo the Revised Neighborhood Plan has been submitted to Corporation Counsel for review.

Budget – No report.

Elections – No report.

Training – No report.

SCHEDULING OF THE NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING: The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, November 9, 2004.

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Ching distributed an informational brochure regarding The Jade Ribbon Campaign of Hawaii to fight Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer.

ADJOURNMENT:

Sakamoto moved seconded by Sanchez to recess the meeting until October 19 for the decision-making of the Matson appeal.  The motion carried unanimously, 5-0-0.

Wickramaratna recessed the meeting until Tuesday, October 19.

Submitted by:

Kelley Santiago