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

ALA MOANA - KAKA‘AKO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 11

DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD

TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025 at 6:00 P.M.

MAKIKI CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 829 PENSACOLA STREET, HONOLULU, HI 96814

AND VIA WEBEX

Video Recording of Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rvgfdepups

Google Drive Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JHxLyEI1wm7cUgm9ayIl2Q6OLWSbPBCV

1. CALL TO ORDER -- [0:00:17]: Chair Kathleen Lee called the Ala Moana-Kakaʻako Neighborhood Board No. 11 meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Quorum was established with six (6) members present. Note: This 11-member Board requires six (6) members to establish a quorum and to take official Board action.

Board Members Present: Rodney Chang, Emma Davis, Lori Farinas, Kathleen Lee, Lynn Mariano, Dale Vanderbrink, and Jeanne Rice (6:08).

Board Member(s) Absent: Karen Cheung, Dyson Chee, and Caroline Faringer.

Guests: Captain Randall Gibo (Honolulu Fire Department); Sergeant G. Mochizuki (Honolulu Police Department); Ben Sullivan (Mayor Blangiardi); Harry Cho (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART); Robin Henski (Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam); Sophia Anderson (Councilmember Nishimoto); Joseph Kopshy (Senator Moriwaki); Representative Adrian Tam (House District 24); Representative Ikaika Olds (House District 23); Kate Ozawa (Representative Kim Coco Iwamoto -- House District 25); Ashton Stallings (Governor Josh Green); Myoung Oh, Lois Langham, Francine Murray (HCDA); Sophia Anderson, Jana Martin, Ian M. Washburn, Reyn Tsuru and Quinn Hashimoto (Shingon Mission); Ronald Higa (Liliha Neighborhood Board No. 14); Michele Opitech, Jayden Hakunti (Residents); and Camilia Epa Gomes (Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO). Note: Name was not included if not legible. There were 22 total participants.

Roll Call Attendance -- [0:01:00]: Chair Lee called for a roll call, which was conducted by Neighborhood Assistant Camilia Epa Gomes.

2. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS -- [0:01:47]

Honolulu Fire Department -- [0:01:50]: No representative present. A representative arrived later during this meeting.

Honolulu Police Department -- [0:02:00]: Sergeant G. Mochizuki provided the report and highlighted the crime statistics for June 2025.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:04:00]

Rice arrived at 6:08 p.m., seven (7) members present.

Honolulu Fire Department -- [0:11:00]: Captain Randall Gibo provided the June 2025 report and fire safety tip regarding a new public data tool.

• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DwNuBtmFRtweiMbtNfyg7MYwpoDd6czx/view?usp=sharing

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [0:13:55]

3. PRESENTATIONS -- [0:19:55]

Prosecutorial Neglect & Community Safety Concerns -- Sugar Sugar Hawaii -- [0:20:00]: No representative present.

4. BOARD BUSINESS -- [0:20:22]

Approval of the Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Meeting Minutes -- [0:20:22] [0:20:30] -- Farinas MOVED and Rice SECONDED approval of the April 22, 2025 meeting minutes with ammendments. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 7-0-0 (Aye: Chang, Davis, Farinas, Lee, Mariano, Vanderbrink, Rice; Nay: None; Abstain: None) -- [0:20:37]

Attendance at other meetings -- [0:20:47]: Vanderbrink reported attending a City Council meeting, where he provided testimony.

Action Committee Report -- [0:22:45]: Committee Chair Davis shared information from the last meeting, including the transition for a new action committee chair. The board selected interim committee chair Rice to preside the July 2025 committee meeting, and Vanderbrink as the interim vice chair, until the new committee chair can be formally selected at the board's regular meeting.

Consideration of resolution regarding the Korean Language Program for Public School Students within the Kaimuki-McKinley-Roosevelt Complex (presented by Jessica Lee in February 2025) -- [0:30:25]: Chair Lee introduced the resolution and suggested a few grammatical changes. Discussion followed.

• Resolution: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nMUfiofmELCqkKdSvIau4xqp34u69b7O/view?usp=sharing

[0:35:05] -- Mariano MOVED and Rice SECONDED to defer the resolution until the next regular board meeting. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED with unanimous consent; 7-0-0 (Aye: Chang, Davis, Farinas, Lee, Mariano, Vanderbrink, Rice; Nay: None; Abstain: None) -- [0:35:26]

Acknowledgement of outgoing/incoming board members -- [0:35:50]: Chair Lee announced the end of the 2023-2025 board term, and the 2025-2027 board term begins in July 2025. Departing board members shared a brief message.

5. SUBDISTRICT REPORTS -- [0:45:09]

Second Vice-Chair Jeanne Rice (Subdistrict 3) -- [0:45:20]: Rice provided the status of McCoy Pavilion construction and the Public Storage located at 1067 Kapiolani Boulevard.

Other -- [0:53:22]: Member Vanderbrink reported on pedestrian safety, and recent close-calls. Farinas reported on Hawaii Public Housing Authority's section eight housing lottery, and the Hawaii Health Harm Reduction Center's food distribution. Davis suggested drivers use hazard lights to alert other drivers of pedestrians in the roadway. Chang mentioned the Kakaʻako Waterfront Park was recently transferred to the Department of Parks and Recreation, and commented on the McCoy Pavilion. Chair Lee commented on graffiti near the former Ross building. Discussion followed.

6. RESIDENTS' AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS -- [1:05:30]

Introduction -- [1:06:00]: Resident Jayden Hakunti introduced himself as a resident of Kakaʻako.

YMCA Zone Change -- [1:07:11]: Resident Ian Washburn raised concerns that residents near the property did not receive notice from R.M. Towill Corporation regarding the presentation provided at the May 2025 regular meeting. Washburn also raised concerns regarding the overall rezoning of the Central YMCA building. Discussion followed.

8. ELECTED OFFICIAL REPORTS -- [1:17:45]

Mayor Rick Blangiardi's Representative -- [1:18:00]: Ben Sullivan provided the report and highlighted the following: pedestrian safety, Kakaʻako Waterfront Park, updates from Mayor Blangiardi's newsletter, and responses from concerns raised at a previous meeting.

• Newsletter: https://www.honolulu.gov/mayor/newsletter/

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:22:00]

City Councilmember Scott Nishimoto (District 5) -- [1:31:10]: Sophia Anderson provided the report and provided an update on McCoy Pavilion.

• For questions and concerns please email scott.nishimoto@honolulu.gov or call (808)768-5005

• To subscribe to Councilmember Nishimoto's weekly e-blast, please go to http://eepurl.com/dI6xMz

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:32:20]

City Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam (District 6) -- [1:33:15]: No representative present.

• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wZCEwymDiHeIvpcN5gdtTMccAwAJTd1g/view?usp=sharing

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:33:23]

State Representative Ikaika Olds (District 23) -- [1:34:40]: Representative Olds provided the report and highlighted the following: House Bill (HB) 943 (relating to homelessness); and a legislative priorities survey distribution.

• To stay connected with Representative Olds, sign up for his email blast: https://mailchi.mp/capitol/email-sign-up

State Representative Adrian Tam (District 24) -- [1:35:53]: Representative Tam provided the report and highlighted the following: noise disturbances from feral chickens, and Hawai'i Tourism Authority update.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:37:12]

State Representative Kim Coco Iwamoto (District 25) -- [1:46:46]: Kate Ozawa provided the newsletter.

• Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/4404fd5528ff/section-8-enrollment-lotteries-are-reopening

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:47:47]

State Senator Sharon Moriwaki (District 12) -- [1:49:15]: Joseph Kopshy provided the report and updates on Capitol Improvement Projects.

• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BdBmboueaER6ezuukLI9M3JGPfpqPuHV/view?usp=sharing

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:50:50]

Governor Josh Green's Representative -- [1:52:00]: Ashton Stallings shared the Governor's June 2025 newsletter.

• Newsletter: https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsletter/

7. AGENCY REPORTS -- [1:53:42]

Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority (HCDA) -- [1:53:53]: Francine Murray provided the report.

• Newsletter: https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/hcda/files/2025/06/June-2025-Community-Connection.pdf

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) -- [1:55:19]: Harry Cho provided the report and information regarding a design workshop for the Chinatown rail station.

• To sign up for HART's weekly newsletter, please visit: https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001DFTCDgfTjag6k-qOH81D1A%3D%3D=

Questions, comments, and concerns followed -- [1:57:06]

Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS): No representative present.

9. ANNOUNCEMENTS -- [1:57:53]

Upcoming events -- [1:57:55]: Honolulu Night Market, July 19, 2025 -- For information on upcoming events/street closures, visit: https://www8.honolulu.gov/dts/2025-events/

Social Media -- [1:58:00]: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlaMoanaKakaakoNB11; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alamoanakakaakonb11/

Next Meetings -- [1:58:03]: The next Action Committee meeting will be on Thursday, July 10, 2025. The next regular Board meeting will be on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

The ʻŌlelo Broadcasts -- [1:58:25]: Recordings of the meetings are broadcast on ʻŌlelo 49 on the first and third Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m., and every second Sunday at 6:00 p.m. The full schedule is at https://olelo.org/tv-schedule/). Recordings may also be viewed at https://www.honolulu.gov/cms-nco-menu/site-nco-sitearticles/1657-board-meeting-video-archive.html

10. ADJOURNMENT -- [1:58:32]: Chair Lee adjourned the meeting at 8:01 p.m.

Submitted by: Camilia Epa Gomes, Neighborhood Assistant, NCO

Reviewed by: Dylan Buck, Community Relations Specialist, NCO

Finalized by:

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