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NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION
MONDAY, MAY 18, 2009
REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
530 SOUTH KING SREET,
I. CALL TO ORDER: Commission Vice Chair Sylvia Young called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Sheila Apisa (arrived at 7:05 p.m.), Clara Ching, Bob Finley, Ed Gall, Ron Mobley, Jeanette Nekota, Sylvia Young.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Brendan Bailey, Grant Tanimoto.
GUESTS / STAFF: Jon Chinen (Member, Kailua Neighborhood Board No. 31); Greg Knudsen (Chair, Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board No. 1); Ron Lockwood (Chair, McCully Neighborhood Board No. 8); Bert Narita (Chair, Diamond Head Neighborhood Board No. 5); Linda Ure (Member, Kailua Neighborhood Board No. 31); Dave Saylors; Elizabeth Contrades (Deputy, Corporation Counsel); Joan Manke (Executive Secretary); Bryan Mick (Executive Assistant); Denise Saylors (Community Relations Specialist); Linnie Pascual, Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO).
ROLL CALL OF COMMISSIONERS: A roll call of Commissioners was administered with six (6) members present (Ching, Finley, Gall, Mobley, Nekota, and Young).
II. MONTHLY REPORTS:
A. Executive Secretary's Report – Joan Manke:
Neighborhood Board (NB) Elections – The NCO has been busy with elections and in getting the word out to vote. Ads were placed in the Star Bulletin (SB), Honolulu Advertiser (HA) as well as online. Last week, Manke had interviews with SB and HA reporters together with a representative from Everyone Counts; appeared on the KHON-2 Morning News with Jai Cunningham; and is scheduled to go live on several radio stations tomorrow morning.
Councilmember Charles Djou Introduced Bill 42 – Bill 42 assesses a fee ($250) for non-city entities when they attend NB meetings more than three times. Manke sent a letter to Councilmember Djou stating that charging a fee to participate in an open public meeting is contrary to the mission of the neighborhood board system. Neighborhood boards may no longer be completely informed if non-city entities are limited in their ability to communicate and network with the communities if they did not have the financial means to pay the fees. The current work load of the NCO would not allow for the additional responsibility of monitoring the attendance of non-city entities for all the boards and the collection of fees. Proceeds deposited into the general fund may not necessarily be a direct benefit to the NCO. No reply has been received from Councilmember Djou.
Apisa arrived at 7:05 p.m.; seven (7) members present.
B. Chair's Report – No report as Chair Tanimoto was not present at this meeting.
III. PUBLIC CONCERNS:
· Dissolution of Neighborhood Boards (NB) and the Neighborhood Commission (NC) – Concern was expressed that the NC should utilize the Neighborhood Plan (NP) in suggesting the termination of boards through their own initiative petition process. Boards should be trained in §2-19-101 through §2-19-103 of the NP. The NC was cautioned that they should assist boards with termination only if there is a lack of participation or for other valid reasons, and that the NC should not dictate to boards. Other sections in the Plan relating to the reconstitution of boards should also be utilized by the NC. It was noted that this topic has not appeared on the NC agenda and will affect the budget process.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
A. Regular Meeting – April 20, 2009: Deferred.
B. Executive Session Meeting – April 20, 2009: Deferred.
C. Special Meeting – May 4, 2009: Deferred.
V. COMMISSION BUSINESS:
A. Agenda Template and Minute-Taking Guidelines, Policies and Procedures – Update
Manke provided an update on the use of the template by the neighborhood boards. There are approximately eleven (11) boards that have used the template and are willing to try the new format. Other boards have adopted a resolution or motion opposing the template. There are six (6) boards that are still undecided. Manke requested that the Commissioners review concerns expressed by the boards so that the Commission can provide a response.
Manke received a written opinion from Corporation Counsel (COR) advising that the agenda template does not circumvent the responsibilities of the Chair and does not violate the Neighborhood Plan. Manke asked the Commission on how best to move forward in light of the concerns expressed by the boards.
B. Executive Session – Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 92-4 & 92-5(a)(4) & (8) for the purpose of consulting with the Neighborhood Commission's Legal Counsel on questions and issues pertaining to the Commission's powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liabilities.
Apisa moved, and Mobley seconded, that the Commission move into Executive Session. The motion was ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0-0 (AYE: Apisa, Ching, Finley, Gall, Mobley, Nekota, Young). By consensus, it was agreed that the Executive Session would convene at the end of the agenda.
VI. REPORTS:
A. Committees
1. Budget (Sylvia Young, Ron Mobley and Bob Finley) – The PIGroup has held three (3) meetings. Finley provided a brief summary of the PIGroup's report and requested the Commission's authorization to send the final report for cost-savings to each Neighborhood Board Chair for review, requesting a reply by July 1st.
Finley moved, and Mobley seconded, that the Neighborhood Commission send the survey out on behalf of the PIGroup to each Neighborhood Board Chair for review requesting a reply by July 1, 2009. The motion was ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0-0 (AYE: Apisa, Ching, Finley, Gall, Mobley, Nekota, Young).
2. Training (Jeanette Nekota and Ron Mobley) – The Committee has not met.
B. Permitted Interaction Groups (PIGroup)
1. Elections (Brendan Bailey, Ed Gall, Ron Mobley and Grant Tanimoto) – Bryan Mick has been manning the Elections help line and fielding calls attributed to the media publicity. The NCO has come up with ways to improve should this method be used in the future. Thus far, the vote tally is a little over 5,000. The NCO was complimented for their efforts with the Neighborhood Board elections.
2. Minute-Taking (Sheila Apisa, Ron Mobley and Grant Tanimoto) – The PIGroup is currently in its 6-month trial period until October 2009. A suggestion was made to monitor the time it takes a Neighborhood Assistant to complete a board's minutes.
For the new term 2009-2011, Finley suggested that an agenda template for the July meeting be used as a guide for the purpose of organizing the boards.
Finley moved, and Apisa seconded, that the Commission submit an agenda template to the Executive Secretary for the Neighborhood Boards to use as a guide for their July 2009 meeting only as it is an organizational meeting. The motion was ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY, 7-0-0 (AYE: Apisa, Ching, Finley, Gall, Mobley, Nekota, Young).
3. Neighborhood Board System Audit (Ed Gall and Ron Mobley) – A copy of the draft, Neighborhood Commission Evaluation of the Audit and Task Force Report Recommendations, was circulated. The Commissioners were asked for their comments on the revised draft dated May 18th by May 23rd so that it can be placed on the May 26, 2009 Special Meeting Agenda for action.
VII. EXECUTIVE SESSION: The Commission went into Executive Session at 7:15 p.m. and reconvened at 8:10 p.m.
VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS: A Special Commission meeting to certify election results will be held on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at Honolulu Hale.
IX. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Submitted by:
Linnie Pascual
Neighborhood Assistant