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Diamond Head Neighborhood Board Meeting OCTOBER 2022 Minutes
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NEXT MEETING - Click here to read next meeting agenda scheduled for 11/10/2022.

With Permission / Courtesy of: City and County of Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office

DIAMOND HEAD/KAPAHULU/SAINT LOUIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 5

October 2022 Minutes

DRAFT REGULAR MINUTES

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2022

ALA WAI CLUB HOUSE AND VIA WEBEX TELECONFERENCING

6:00 P.M.

Video recordings of Regular Meetings may be found at:

https://www.honolulu.gov/cms-nco-menu/site-nco-sitearticles/1657-board-meeting-video-archive.html

Written materials for this Regular Meeting may be found on OneDrive at:

https://1drv.ms/u/s!BIst49_N_u8YbJVHY5DlpKNlBnk?e=NbFRm1 with password "SchoolStarts"

CALL TO ORDER - Chair Salenger called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Quorum was established with three (3) members present via Webex Application and six (6) members at the Ala Wai Club House, total of nine (9) members. Note - This 15-member Board requires eight (8) members to establish a quorum and to take official Board action. Board members must be in-person or have video access.

Board Members Present: Julia Allen, Rafia Hasina (arrived at 6:10 p.m.), Margaret Murchie (arrived at 6:50 p.m.), Bertram Narita, Bruce Wong, John Beutel, Winston Welch (arrived at 6:02 p.m.), Wendell Murakawa, Dylan Whitsell, George West (arrived 6:29 p.m.), Andrew Salenger, Michelle Matson (arrived at 6:28 p.m.), Don Persons (via phone), Laura St. Denis, and Linda Wong (arrived at 6:22 p.m.).

Board Members Absent: None.

Guests: Lieutenant Leonard Nishimura and Lieutenant Dason Toma (Honolulu Police Department); Anton Krucky (Mayor Rick Blangiardi's office); Steven Norstrom (Board of Water Supply); Dean Carol Hoshiko (Kapiolani Community College); Council Chair Tommy Waters and office staff Adam Doo; Councilmember Calvin Say; Representative Bertrand Kobayashi; Representative Jackson Sayama; Lynn Robinson-Onderko (Senator Chang's office); Senator Les Ihara; Gary Mizushima and Lana Gimber (Harding Avenue Presentation); Tom Yamachika (Tax Foundation of Hawaii); Daniel Alexander (Complete Streets); S. Hutchison, Franklin Chung, Arleen Velasco, Austin Salcedo, C. Watanabe, Daisy Murai, Janel Denny, Joannie Dobbs, Judy Hernandez, Kaleo Nakoa, Keolu Peralto, Laura Ruby, Mahea, Marily Mick, Melvin Kawashima, Mr, Gauer, Mr. Toba, Noela, Randall Wakumoto, Robin Markle, Thomas, Travis S. (Residents); Executive Secretary Lloyd Yonenaka, Casey Ishitani, Jackson Coley, and Zhoydell Magaoay (Neighborhood Commission Office). Names not included will not be provided. 46 attendees total.

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD): [6:00 p.m., 6:03 p.m.] No representative, but a September 2022 report was provided by HFD on the OneDrive. There were five (5) activated alarms, 65 medical emergencies, three (3) motor vehicle crashes, and one (1) mountain rescue. Residents were advised to be careful with holiday lighting displays.

Honolulu Police Department District 7: [6:01 p.m.] Lieutenant Nishimura reported the following September 2022 statistics: 14 motor vehicle thefts, five (5) burglaries, 23 thefts, five (5) unauthorized entries of motor vehicles (UEMV) and 6,925 total calls for service. Residents are encouraged to sign up for the HNL.info app for updates and information.

Honolulu Police Department District 6: [6:02 p.m.] Lieutenant Toma reported the following September 2022 statistics: two (2) robberies, 23 burglaries, 204 thefts, 26 UEMVs, 44 assaults, eight (8) sex crimes, two (2) bicycles/skateboards on sidewalks, four (4) speeding violations, 2249 parking violations, 156 park-closure citations, and 12 park-closure arrests.

Winston Welch joined at 6:02 p.m. 10 members present.

CITY AND STATE ADMINISTRATION REPORTS

Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Office: [6:03 p.m.] Community Services Director Anton Krucky reported the following:

• Mayor's Newsletter: The Mayor's newsletter may be found at https://www.oneoahu.org/newsletter.

• Leahi Avenue: Conditions are improving, trucks have been removed, and a meeting was held with the Leahi Street Committee regarding parking spaces.

• Makalei Beach Park: This is a State park and State land, not under City jurisdiction. The City is working with the State to address resident's concerns.

Questions, comments, and concerns: Residents voiced concerns that some trees on Leahi Avenue were planted below utility lines and could grow into the lines causing problems. Concerns were voiced regarding Bill 27 and the potential for alcohol to be served on sidewalks.

Rafia Hasina joined at 6:10 p.m. 11 members present.

Governor David Ige's Office: [6:12 p.m.] No representative, no report.

Board of Water Supply (BWS): [6:12 p.m.] Steven Norstrom reported no main breaks in September 2022. BWS is preparing for their One Water Forum on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

Kapiolani Community College (KCC): [6:13 p.m.] No representative, no report.

RESIDENTS INTERESTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS [6:14 p.m.]

Ala Pono Bridge: [6:14 p.m.] Opposition was voiced to the planned Ala Pono Bridge over the Ala Wai Canal.

Primary Urban Core Development Plan (PUC-DP): [6:17 p.m.] Concerns were voiced regarding the PUC-DP.

Makalei Beach Park: [6:19 p.m.] Concerns were voiced regarding Makalei Beach Park.

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Council Chair Tommy Waters: [6:21 p.m.] Chair Waters noted that the City has taken control of Leahi Avenue.

Linda Wong joined at 6:22 p.m. 12 members present.

Michelle Matson joined at 6:28 p.m. 13 members present.

George West joined at 6:29 p.m. 14 members present.

Councilmember Calvin Say: [6:37 p.m.] Councilmember Say provided his newsletter, which may be found online at https://www.honolulucitycouncil.org/district-5-say.

Representative Bertrand Kobayashi: [6:48 p.m.] Representative Kobayashi provided his newsletter and reported that there will be no special session regarding the Grand Jury System.

Margaret Murchie joined at 6:50 p.m. 15 members present.

Representative Jackson Sayama: [6:51 p.m.] Representative Sayama reported efforts are underway to expedite the State's hiring process.

Senator Stanley Chang: [6:56 p.m.] Lynn Robinson-Onderko, Senator Chang's office, reported on Senator Chang's efforts to address housing shortages.

Senator Les Ihara, Jr.: [6:58 p.m.] Senator Ihara reported a Special Session will be held by the State Senate regarding judge nominees.

Rafia Hasina departed at 7:07 p.m. 14 members present.

BOARD BUSINESS & PRESENTATIONS

Safety Concerns on Harding Avenue between 2nd and 3rd: [7:04 p.m.] Residents Gary Mizushima and Lana Gimber provided a presentation and reported the following:

• The Problem: Safety concerns were voiced regarding the section of Harding Avenue between 1st Avenue and 5th Avenue. Concerns include speeding, head-on collisions, and collisions with properties.

• Solutions: Residents and Board members advocated for speed calming measures such as four-way-stops, raised crosswalks, speed humps, or other alternatives.

L. Wong moved and B. Wong seconded the Motion that the Board write a resolution addressing the traffic on Harding Avenue for the Neighborhood. [7:18 p.m.]

Discussion: Murchie and B. Wong suggested increasing the scope of the area covered by the resolution. Whitsell asked who would write the resolution and Chair Salenger offered to write the resolution.

The Motion WAS ADOPTED by UNANIMOUS CONSENT, 14-0-0; (AYE: Allen, Murchie, Narita, B. Wong, Beutel, Whitsell, Murakawa, Welch, West, Salenger, Matson, Persons, St. Denis, and L. Wong; NAY: None; ABSTAIN: None). [7:22 p.m.]

Property Tax Benefits for Residents Residing on Generation Owned Property like California's Proposition 13: [7:22 p.m.] Tom Yamachika, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, reported the following:

• Tax Information: Yamachika answered various questions regarding general excise tax (GET) revenue, the difference between GET and sales tax, and which levels of government can impose which taxes.

• California's Proposition 13: Only counties can set property taxes in Hawaii, therefore any action similar to California's Proposition 13 would have to come from Hawaii's counties.

2601 Kapiolani Boulevard 1005-Unit Housing Project: [7:44 p.m.] No representative, no report.

Neighborhood Resilience Hub Liaison: [7:46 p.m.] Dean Carol Hoshiko, KCC, reported upcoming in-person workshops for the neighborhood resilience hubs, designed to provide resiliency for kupuna and keiki. Chair Salenger stated the Board is looking for someone to act as a liaison for this project.

Ala Wai Boulevard Complete Streets Project: [7:50 p.m.] Daniel Alexander, Department of Transportation Services (DTS), reported the following:

• Complete Streets: Complete Streets intends to provide safe streets for all modes of transportation including motor vehicles, bicycles, and foot-traffic.

• Ala Wai Boulevard Changes: The Street will be resurfaced, at this time changes will be implemented. Changes are still being finalized. A list of proposed changes was provided and will be fully outlined at upcoming community meetings including a virtual meeting on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: Residents and Board members voiced opposition to the proposed changes. Chair Salenger asked and Alexander clarified that the Ala Pono Bridge is a separate project, however the two (2) projects are coordinating with each other.

Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) Update: Minutes and Decorum: [8:18 p.m.] Executive Secretary Lloyd Yonenaka, NCO, reported the following:

• Board Minutes: Minutes of Board meetings are the Board's responsibility to draft and edit. The NCO prepares a draft copy of minutes as a courtesy and is not required to do so.

• Sunshine Law: The State Sunshine Law clarifies that minutes do not need to be word-for-word. Sunshine Law applies to Boards but does not apply to the NCO.

• Order & Decorum: A Board's Chairperson or the majority of a Board can expel disruptive participants from Board meetings.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed: West voiced agreement. Matson and L. Wong voiced opposition to the presentation and dissatisfaction with Board minutes. Welch asked if extra funding could incentivize the NCO to draft longer minutes and Executive Secretary Yonenaka responded no.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Welch Moved and Matson Seconded the Motion to not approve any sets of minutes until the minutes have a chance to be corrected. [8:44 p.m.]

Discussion followed: Welch voiced concerns regarding the drafted minutes and proposed having the Board Secretary amend the minutes. West asked who would correct the minutes, Whitsell recommended having more people than just the Board Secretary correct the minutes. Beutel voiced opposition to the Motion, stating that too many changes leads to dispute. Beutel suggested using the video recordings for complete records of meetings. Matson voiced disapproval of current draft minutes and noted that minutes are required for public meetings under the State Sunshine Law.

The Motion WAS NOT ADOPTED LACKING QUORUM VOTE, 4-9-1; AYE: Welch, Persons, Matson, L. Wong; NAY: Allen, Narita, B. Wong, Beutel, Murakawa, Whitsell, West, St. Denis, Salenger ABSTAIN: Murchie). [8:52 p.m.]

The meeting was adjourned at 8:56 p.m. due to facility closure, all other Agenda Items were deferred.

Submitted by Jackson Coley, Senior Clerk

Reviewed by: Lindon Valenciano, Public Relations

Reviewed by: J. David Beutel, Secretary, Neighborhood Board No. 5

Final approval by

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Diamond Head Neighborhood Board Meeting OCTOBER 2022 Minutes

DIAMOND HEAD/KAPAHULU/SAINT LOUIS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 5

Kaimuki Hawaii
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