Palolo Neighborhood Board MAY 2025 Minutes

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Palolo Neighborhood Board MAY 2025 Minutes
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NEXT MEETING - Click here to read next meeting agenda scheduled for 7/9/2025.

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

PĀLOLO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 6

DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 at 7:00 P.M.

PĀLOLO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAFETERIA, 2106 10TH AVENUE, HONOLULU, HI 96816

AND VIA WEBEX

Video Recording of Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh2-ka6sBKg

Google Drive Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mRIiZ-kR00PVW8z-q2zHi9L60YE1mXmR

1. CALL TO ORDER -- [0:00:13]: Chair Ranell Asuega-Fualaau called the Pālolo Neighborhood Board No. 6 meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Seven (7) members present. Quorum was established. Note: This 9-member Board requires five (5) members to establish a quorum and to take official Board action.

Board Members Present: Randolph Hack, Kaleolani Leo, Dean McColgan, Darlene Nakayama, Earl Shiraki, Keenan Tydingco, and Ranell Asuega-Fualaau.

Board Member(s) Absent: Juanita Kawamoto.

Guests: Firefighter Kaulana Vares (HFD); Lieutenant Miura (HPD); Warren Mamizuka (Mayor Rick Blangiardi); Kiele Amundson (Governor Josh Green); Dominic Dias (Board of Water Supply); Representative Jackson Sayama (State House District 21); Kylie Tokujo (Councilmember Scott Nishimoto); Cyrus Howe (Hawaiʻi Green Growth); Kevin Lye (Downtown-Chinatown Resident); Leolani Iwaki (Kaimuki Resident), Mike Buck; Ron (Residents); Camilia Epa Gomes (Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO). Note: Name was not included if not legible. There were 20 total participants.

2. MONTHLY REPORTS -- [0:00:24]

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) -- [0:00:26]: Firefighter Kaulana Vares provided the report and highlighted the following: follow-up response for a question raised at last month's meeting; incident statistics for April 2025; and safety tips for the month regarding home fire sprinklers.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B_qb3hzgzsXX7GWCtFZVABicAlKKXth0/view?usp=drive_link

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) -- [0:03:53]: Lieutenant Miura provided the report and shared the crime statistics for April 2025 and the safety tip for the month is regarding tsunamis.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:05:30]

Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) -- [0:12:45]: Dominic Dias provided the report and highlighted the following: no water main breaks for the previous month; the Waiomao Homestead 8" waterline construction project is complete and awaiting chlorination before they activate the new water main; tips regarding summer water conservation; and follow-up for inquiry raised at last month's Board meeting.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BM5vKClmWylKVJe8mNZlciDOBCS0EA-f/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:14:29]

[0:15:30] -- Chair Asuega-Fualaau called a recess at 7:15 p.m.

[0:15:40] -- Chair Asuega-Fualaau called the meeting back to order at 7:23 p.m.

4. BOARD BUSINESS -- [0:15:46]

Approval of Regular Meeting Written Summaries for Video Record: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 -- [0:15:46]: Hearing no corrections, the Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record was approved as written; 7-0-0; (Aye: Hack, Leo, McColgan, Nakayama, Shiraki, Tydingco, Asuega-Fualaau; Nay: None; Abstain: None) -- [0:15:50]

NP §2-14-106 Three Absences Notice for Board Member -- [0:16:03]: Chair Asuega-Fualaau shared a 3-absence letter has been sent to member Kawamato. This item was deferred.

Filling of Vacancies -- One (1) At-Large Seat -- [0:16:10]: There were no volunteers at this time.

[0:17:08] -- Hack MOVED and McColgan SECONDED to approve the minutes for April 2025. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 7-0-0; (Aye: Hack, Leo, McColgan, Nakayama, Shiraki, Tydingco, Asuega-Fualaau; Nay: None; Abstain: None) -- [0:17:48]

5. PRESENTATIONS -- [0:16:50]

Hawaiʻi Green Growth -- [0:17:50]: Cyrus Howe (Operations Manager) from Hawaiʻi Green Growth (local non-profit) shared information on an initiative to educate community members about The Ala Wai Watershed (AWS). Hawaiʻi Green Growth is leading an AWS collaboration which is a network of community, government, and business partners committed to a more resilient AWS. The working group meets quarterly to discuss best practices and ways to improve the state and health of the AWS. A watershed is an area or ridge of land with water that separates waters flowing to different bodies of water such as into the ocean, rivers, or canals. A report (2019) was done to determine if it is feasible to create a Special Improvement District at the City & County of Honolulu level under ROH Chapter 28. Mr. Howe shared examples of green stormwater infrastructures that could be beneficial especially in the urban core of the island to help recharge aquifers and promote sustainability within our community instead of storm water becoming run-off and contributing to floods, polluting streams, and our ocean.

• Presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XpnbteQL5gZRZ6QSuZ9XiQFtDdoAqlpz/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:26:08]

6. RESDIENT/COMMUNITY CONCERNS -- [0:28:00]

Concerns for Neighborhood Board Elections -- [0:28:18]: Kevin Lye, who is also a Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board Member shared his concern on the election ballots and informed the public that they have been prepared incorrectly by the Neighborhood Commission Office acting as a proxy of the Neighborhood Commission. Mr. Lye shared there are certain portions of the Neighborhood Plan that this irregularity on the ballots is violating and mentioned it had occurred in the 2023-2024 Neighborhood Board election. Mr. Lye sent a letter to the Pālolo Neighborhood Board to consider adopting and using as a template to send to the Neighborhood Commission before their next meeting to consider.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:30:27]

7. ELECTED OFFICIALS -- [0:32:55]

Congressman Ed Case's Representative -- [0:32:57]: No representative present.

Councilmember Scott Nishimoto -- [0:33:07]: Kylie Tokujo provided the report and shared City Council meetings are still underway for the Budget Committee to deliberate on the City budget funding. Ms. Tokujo provided follow-up responses for concerns raised at last monthʻs meeting regarding the speeding on Kiwila Street and illegal trash dumping at the intersection of Carlos Long St. and Palolo Avenue.

• To sign-up for Councilmember Nishimoto's e-blast please go to: http://eepurl.com/dl6xMz

• For questions or concerns please email: kylie.tokujo@honolulu.gov or call the office at 808-768-5005

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:34:15]

Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Representative -- [0:36:40]: Warren Mamizuka provided the following highlights from the Mayorʻs monthly newsletter for May 2025: City and State leaders recruit more Gaurdians Ad Litem to help with Assited Community Treatment programs for Oʻahu homelss community; Mayor Blangiardi signs bills into law on Wakīkī street festivals and outdoor dining rules; recreational fishing returns to the world-famous Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens; City leaders unveil a massive new solar canopy at the Blaisdell Center to celebrate Earth Day in Honolulu; and details on the first Mālama ʻĀina Day at Kalaeokaunaʻoa (Kahuku Point) on Oʻahu's North Shore. Mr. Mamizuka shared that the City Department of Parks and Recreation is getting ready to offer a summer of fun classes at City parks and gardens. Follow-up responses were provided for concerns raised at last month's Board meeting.

• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yYAQhou-qO9Ud_R7IgZVtzW0LyLCwLHG/view?usp=drive_link

• The 2025 Summer Fun sites, and which ones offer Summer Plus, are indicated on the interactive Summer Fun map: https://bit.ly/SummerFunMap

• Looking for a fun parttime job this Summer? This popular program still needs plenty of motivated workers to enrich our keiki with positive and empowering activities. For more information, and to apply online, visit: https://bit.ly/summerfunjob

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:40:45]

Governor Josh Green's Representative -- [0:43:46]: Kiele Amundson provided the report and highlighted the following: the State Department of Health launched the Hawaiʻi Health and Media Survey to learn about how people access and respond to health related information; on Saturday, April 12, 2025, an amnesty program was executed by the Department of Law Enforcement, where residents turned in an estimated 367 firearms in exchange for nearly $338, 000 in Foodland gift cards; Governor Green traveled to American Samoa to join the community in commemorating the 125th Flag Day celebration; on Friday, May 2, 2025, Governor Green traveled to California to attend the annual Milken Institute Global Conference; and the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency is circulating a Hawaiʻi Community Preparedness Survey; The Hawaiʻi State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Inusrance Division would like to remind consumer to evaluate their insurance policies before hurricane season which starts June 1; and the Hawaiʻi State Department of of Business Economic Development and Tourism announced that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March was at 2.9% compared to 3.0% in February; and provided numbers requested for the Governorʻs expedited Operation Hire Hawaii Program.

• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OBpsY2JHgCYvBmqdA7ixlMhV3TYFrvOi/view?usp=drive_link

• Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Community Preparedness Survey: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s7mPaJXVV9M50n05wvqdpHatiVgbfw3z/view?usp=drive_link

Representative Jackson Sayama -- [0:48:00]: Representative Sayama provided the report and highlighted various State budget line items that were distributed to: Maui wildfire settlement trust fund; affordable housing; deferred maintenance for the State Department of Education properties; providing free school meals for students who are eligible; Kauhale initiatives; healthcare education loan repayment program; skilled nursing services; pre-school open doors program; bio-security initiatives to address invasive species, e.g., coqui frogs, Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles, Little Fire Ants; labor programs, i.e., Great Jobs Youth Corps and Hele Imua State of Hawaii Internship Program; illegal firework sting operations; an explosive and firearms laboratory for safe storage and disposal of illegal fireworks; and an e-bike regulation. During interim, Representative Sayama will be leading a task force relating to paid family leave to address cost of living issues for families.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:56:25]

Senator Les Ihara, Jr. -- [0:58:55]: No representative present.

8. ANNOUNCEMENTS -- [1:02:04]

Next Meetings -- Pālolo Neighborhood Board No. 6 -- [1:02:08]: Chair Asuega-Fualaau announced the Pālolo Neighborhood Board No. 6 will recess in June. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at Pālolo Elementary School and online via WebEx.

ʻŌlelo Rebroadcasts: Rebroadcasts of the Pālolo Neighborhood Board No.6 meetings are scheduled each month on ʻŌlelo channel 49 on the fourth Thursday at 9:00 p.m. and the first and third Sundays at 12:00 p.m. and that an archive of meetings may be found online.

9. ADJOURNMENT -- [1:02:20] The meeting was adjourned in at 8:07 p.m.

Submitted by: Camilia Epa Gomes, Neighborhood Assistant, NCO

Reviewed by: Dylan Buck, Community Relations Specialist, NCO

Finalized by: Darlene Nakayama, Secretary, Neighborhood Board No.6

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Palolo Neighborhood Board MAY 2025 Minutes

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