Neighborhood Commission Regular Meeting

NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION     REGULAR MEETING AGENDA MONDAY, MAY 18, 2026 at 6:00 P.M. Kapālama Hale – Room 153 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96817 AND VIA WEBEX This meeting location is open to public participation. Other available options include participating by computer, phone or by video system. WebEx and phone-in instructions are as follows: Meeting Link: https://cchnl.webex.com/cchnl/j.php?MTID=m7b7f11824acdb558c8e6385954cdceac Meeting Number / Access Code: 2483 145 2391 Password: NC00 (6200 from phones and video systems) Join by Phone: +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll Recordings of Commission meetings can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/@NeighborhoodCommissionOffice Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LS8mfBOkIKp5hqr6Fwr5Kn1HCYCURUu0 Rules of Speaking: Anyone wishing to speak is asked to raise his or her hand, and when recognized by the Chair, to address comments to the Chair. Speakers are to keep their comments under two (2) minutes. Public testimony taken on each agenda item. Please silence all electronic devices. Note: The Commission may take action on any agenda item. As required by the State Sunshine Law (Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes Chapter 92), specific issues not noted on this agenda cannot be voted on, unless properly added to the agenda. I. CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDING OFFICER A. Roll Call of Commissioners, Establishment of Quorum II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Monday, April 27, 2026 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record III. PUBLIC CONCERNS – Limited to 2 minutes for items not on the agenda IV. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY’S REPORT A. HNL 311 System – Use the HNL 311 website (HNL311.com) and mobile app to report city issues. The new mobile app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The HNL 311 mobile app lets users report issues, manage service requests, and receive notifications, all from their smartphone – anytime, anywhere. B. Board Member survey results and general updates regarding monthly meetings with Chairs/Vice Chairs V. NEW BUSINESS A. Response to Commission inquires 1. Request for Input Regarding Abstaining when Electing Board Officers B. Status report of Chapter 18 of the Neighborhood Plan (The Complaint Procedures) C. Update on Board visits VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Neighborhood Plan Committee – Chair Larry Veray VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS A. Next Meetings: The Neighborhood Commission meetings will recess in June 2026. The next Neighborhood Plan Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 27, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx. VIII. ADJOURNMENT OF SUNSHINE LAW MEETING A. 2026-01 Ezell v. Meyers, Manoa, Asinsin A mailing list is maintained for interested persons and agencies to receive this board’s agenda and minutes. Additions, corrections, and deletions to the mailing list may be directed to the Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) at Kapālama Hale, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96817, by telephone on (808) 768-3710, fax (808) 768-3711, or e-mailing nco@honolulu.gov. Agenda documents and minutes are also available online at http://www.honolulu.gov/nco/boards.html All written testimony must be received in the Neighborhood Commission Office 48 hours prior to the meeting. If within 48 hours of the meeting, written and/or oral testimony may be submitted directly to the Board at the meeting. If submitting written testimony, please note the Board and agenda item(s) your testimony concerns. Send to: Neighborhood Commission Office, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, HI 96817, fax (808) 768-3711, or email nbtestimony@honolulu.gov If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability or an interpreter for a language other than English, please call the Neighborhood Commission Office at (808) 768-3710 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or send an email to nco@honolulu.gov as soon as possible, preferably at least three (3) business days before the scheduled meeting. If a request is received with fewer than three (3) business days remaining before the meeting, we will try to obtain the auxiliary aid/service or accommodation, but it may not be possible to fulfill requests received after this date.   DRAFT REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026 – 6:00 P.M. KAPĀLAMA HALE CONFERENCE ROOM 153 – 925 DILLINGHAM BOULEVARD, HONOLULU, HI 96817 AND VIA WEBEX TELECONFERENCING Video recording of this meeting can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avkU_NpETxk Meeting materials (Google Drive) can be found at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LS8mfBOkIKp5hqr6Fwr5Kn1HCYCURUu0 I. CALL TO ORDER – [0:00:06] Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Quorum was established with 5 members present. Members Present: Mahealani Bernal, Naomi Hanohano, James Logue, Patrick Smith, Larry Veray, and Angie Knight (6:03 p.m.). Members Absent: Bill Clark, Christian de Quevedo, and Harris Nakamoto. Guests: Clarissa Burkert (Kuliʻouʻou-Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board No.02); Michelle Matson (Diamond Head Neighborhood Board No.05); Bob Finley (Waikīkī Neighborhood Board No.09); Kevin Lye (Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No.13); Tom Heinrich, Gregory Misakian (Residents); Lloyd Yonenaka, Dylan Whitsell, Travis Saito, and Dylan Buck (Neighborhood Commission Office – NCO). There were approximately 16 total attendees. Name not included if not legible on sign-in sheet, not signed in and/or not participated in discussion. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – [0:00:52] Monday, March 23, 2026 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record – [0:00:52]: Chair Smith asked if anyone wished to offer amendments to the distributed minutes. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Amendment – Word "Legal" – [0:01:06]: Lye requested that the word "legal" be struck from the first sentence of the P259 discussion subsection on page three of the minutes, clarifying that he did not intend to characterize Tom Heinrich's comments as a legal analysis. 2. Additional Corrections – [0:01:48]: Whitsell noted two additional corrections identified by Commissioner Hanohano: a typographical error in Harris Nakamoto's name and the removal of Nakamoto's name from the vote tally for approval of minutes motion, along with a corresponding adjustment to the vote count. Hearing no further amendments, the minutes were approved as amendments; 5-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Hanohano, Logue, Smith, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [0:02:49] III. PUBLIC CONCERNS – [0:02:57] Commissioner Knight joined at 6:03 p.m.; 6 commissioners present. Waikīkī Neighborhood Board Conduct Concerns – [0:03:15]: Misakian raised continuing concerns about conduct at Waikīkī Neighborhood Board meetings, specifically: (1) a board member interrupted him by raising a point of order while he held the floor and had not been told by the chair that his time was up; (2) a separate board member objected to his comments and sought to have them addressed. He also noted ongoing Sunshine Law concerns he planned to raise at a future meeting. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Point of Order – [0:05:45]: Chair Smith acknowledged Misakian's concerns, clarified that board members may properly raise a point of order under Robert's Rules of Order, but agreed the distinction between appropriate and inappropriate use is relevant and merits further discussion. Testimony Deadline & Complaint 2025-12 – [0:06:30]: Kevin Lye raised three items: (1) testimony submitted for this meeting appeared to be mixed with testimony from the prior Neighborhood Plan Committee meeting and he asked staff to find a best practice to separate them; (2) he asked whether the 6:00 p.m. Saturday deadline for submitting written testimony is strictly enforced or batch-processed on Monday mornings; and (3) he inquired about the status of complaint 2025-12, which was last on the commission's agenda in November 2025, and about which at least half of the parties involved had not received any communication. Senate Bill 2397 – [0:08:49]: Tom Heinrich, speaking in his individual capacity, reported that Senate Bill 2397—which proposes to change the forum required for neighborhood board meetings—had been rescheduled for a conference committee hearing on Tuesday, April 28 at 10:00 a.m., and is available for live streaming or later viewing on the Senate YouTube channel. IV. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY'S REPORT – [0:10:49] HNL 311 System – [0:10:49]: Executive Secretary Yonenaka reminded attendees about the HNL 311 system and mobile app, encouraging all boards to promote its use at every meeting as a direct channel for residents to report city issues. General Updates Regarding Monthly Meetings with Chairs/Vice Chairs – [0:11:44]: Executive Secretary Yonenaka reported that the chairs meeting was skipped the prior month due to travel but will be held on May 4th. He shared plans for the NCO to produce concise one-page reference guides for board chairs on key procedural topics, such as how to nominate a board member and how to handle disruptive behavior. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Cheat Sheet Transparency – [0:12:47]: Misakian expressed concern that any such reference guides should be public and grounded in the Neighborhood Plan, cautioning against informal policymaking through non-disclosed internal procedures. Chair Smith confirmed the guides would be made publicly available once vetted. 2. NCO Survey Results – [0:14:49]: Lye asked when results of a recent NCO survey would be released and requested that a data analysis plan be established before the analysis is conducted to ensure integrity. Executive Secretary Yonenaka indicated results would be published the following Monday and noted that term limits for board members were included as a survey question. V. NEW BUSINESS – [0:16:35] Response to Commission Inquiries – Past Elections – [0:16:42]: Chair Smith introduced this item, noting that at the October 2025 meeting he asked Lye to resubmit a series of written inquiries to the commission to be addressed. Chair Smith provided responses on behalf of the commission to election-related questions that had been submitted. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Election Software – [0:17:27]: Chair Smith stated that the specific election software and version is an NCO matter, not a commission matter, and may not be public information for security reasons. 2. Election Violations – [0:17:50]: Chair Smith noted the commission is not aware of any compiled list of violations. The elections committee, when formed later this year, will undertake a review focused on identifying systemic problems rather than relitigating individual cases. 3. Draft Ballots – [0:18:54]: Chair Smith acknowledged that draft ballots may not have been made publicly available as required under Section 2-17-301D, and stated the elections committee would follow up. 4. Election Challenges – [0:19:32]: Chair Smith noted the commission is aware of only one challenge—filed with the State Supreme Court—and directed interested parties to the public court filings directory. 5. Signature Collection Reference – [0:20:14]: Chair Smith stated he was unclear on Lye's reference to a collection of signatures, noting that no signatures are required to run for a neighborhood board seat. 6. Lye Response – [0:20:55]: Lye acknowledged the compiled responses and recognized that some matters have been addressed peripherally by Executive Secretary Yonenaka via email. His overriding question was whether these responses were discussed by the commission in open session. Chair Smith clarified they reflect his own views based on extensive prior commission discussions, and invited other commissioners to add or object. He also noted the election complaint form would be addressed by the elections committee. 7. Comments on Election Priorities – [0:23:07]: Misakian expressed that the commission should have prioritized elections issues over revisions to the complaint process. He argued that the root problem was misconduct in administering the complaint process, not the process itself, and that the newly proposed 10-day complaint filing window is problematic. He disclosed he filed with the Hawai'i Supreme Court due to uncertainty about where to direct election-related concerns, and described a specific vote-counting issue in which a first-time voter was allegedly misled by NCO staff. 8. Commission Response to Priorities – [0:26:02]: Chair Smith acknowledged Misakian's disagreement with the commission's priorities, reaffirming the commission's forward-looking approach and inviting commissioner comment. Hearing none, the commission moved to the next sub-item. Response to Commission Inquiries – Chair Procedural Actions – [0:26:18]: Chair Smith addressed a series of questions from Lye regarding chair authority and procedural conduct at board meetings. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Agenda Modification – [0:26:35]: Chair Smith stated it is his view, as a current and former chair, that a chair may not unilaterally change the content, phrasing, or tone of an agenda item submitted by a board member, with a narrow exception for minor wording assistance done in collaboration with the submitter and with appropriate disclosure. Commissioner Veray agreed. 2. Duplicate Agenda Requests – [0:27:59]: Chair Smith addressed the hypothetical of two members submitting related agenda requests, noting each situation must be judged on its merits. The chair should work with board members to seek agreement; if unclear, the item should be placed on the agenda and the board allowed to decide. Commissioner Veray added that the chair and vice chair should explain any rationale for not including an item. 3. Recusal – [0:29:23]: Chair Smith noted that while the Neighborhood Plan (Section 2-13-105) provides that members shall recuse themselves when a qualifying conflict condition exists, recusal is largely self-determined and there is no clear enforcement mechanism to compel it. A chair can call attention to a potential conflict but cannot force recusal. 4. Lye Clarification on Recusal – [0:31:22]: Lye clarified that he was describing a situation in which a board member self-recused and then voted on the measure anyway, with the vote counted over objection. He asked whether the chair's responses constitute authoritative guidance on the Neighborhood Plan moving forward. Chair Smith said tonight's responses represent general guidance; specific instances brought to the commission would receive formal pronouncements. 5. Prospective Communication – [0:33:01]: Lye asked how this guidance would be conveyed to board members going forward. Chair Smith indicated the Executive Secretary can address it at chairs' meetings. Commissioner Veray added that lessons learned—such as the need to clarify that a self-recused vote must not be counted—should be incorporated into the Neighborhood Plan. 6. Member Guidebook – [0:34:32]: Lye referenced the Oʻahu Neighborhood Board System Member Guidebook, which had served as a reference tool for over a decade before being discontinued, and asked whether a new cheat sheet could similarly be withdrawn. Chair Smith acknowledged the guidebook is being reconsidered and NCO staff explained the challenge of distinguishing binding policy from best practice, noting they are working to retool it accordingly. 7. Agenda Clarity – [0:39:23]: Misakian commented that the agenda item was vague and unclear as to whether it applied to commission or board chairs, and suggested more descriptive language in future agendas. Chair Smith acknowledged the feedback and committed to being more meticulous. 8. Public Access to Board Minutes – [0:40:23]: Misakian raised a concern that at a recent Waikīkī Neighborhood Board meeting, the chair stated that approval of the meeting minutes is an administrative matter and that he, as a member of the public, could not offer potential amendments or corrections. Misakian stated this was incorrect. Chair Smith agreed it was improper and indicated he would take the matter up with the chair. Response to Commission Inquiries – Past Complaint Issues – [0:42:21]: Chair Smith addressed a series of questions from Lye regarding specific past complaints. Chair Smith noted that the commission focuses primarily on policy, not individual complaint application, but addressed these questions as generally as possible. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Decisions 2020-07 and 2020-08 – [0:42:46]: Chair Smith stated that most current commissioners were not on the commission at that time and he does not have the information to address those decisions, suggesting Lye follow up directly with NCO staff. 2. Complaints 2024-32 and 2024-33 – [0:43:25]: Chair Smith declined to rehash the specific complaints in detail, but addressed Lye's question about a 146-day delay in sending a notice to the complainant (letter dated January 19 but postmarked June 24). He acknowledged this was not appropriate or consistent with commission policy and was likely a mistake. 3. Complaint Form and Notification Procedures – [0:44:36]: Chair Smith stated he was unclear on a question referencing the violation of a specific legislative section of the complaint form, and acknowledged that a failure to notify the complainant of the process may have been a mistake, though he was unsure why it occurred. He encouraged Lye to contact the NCO or the commission directly for future specific complaint concerns. 4. Response on Documentation – [0:46:24]: Lye acknowledged the responses and suggested some items may be better addressed in a formal letter. He raised a 2020 incident in which the commission adopted a decision before receiving a complainant's appeal to a hearings officer report, which he argued was noncompliant with the Neighborhood Plan. He also noted that complaints 2024-32 and 2024-33 were never clearly labeled on commission agendas and that findings of fact for adjudicated complaints should be logged and accessible. 5. Comments on Complaint Process – [0:49:59]: Misakian described a pattern in which complaints he filed while serving on the Waikīkī Neighborhood Board went unacknowledged for long periods and were then dismissed without explanation, while baseless counter-complaints against him were allowed to proceed to a hearing. He characterized the hearing process as procedurally improper and called on the commission to ensure the complaint process is conducted properly going forward. He reiterated concern about the 10-day complaint filing window in the revised Chapter 18. Formation of Permitted Interaction Group to Provide Recommendations on the Reporting of Adjudicated Complaints – [0:53:12]: Chair Smith introduced the proposal to form a Permitted Interaction Group (PIG) to address unresolved questions about how the commission reports out adjudicatory decisions, including what to report, how much detail to include, and in what format. The group would provide recommendations to the commission within one to two months. Chair Smith proposed the following membership: Lynn Otaguro, Kevin Lye, Commissioner Hanohano, Chair Smith (ex officio), and Lloyd Yonenaka (NCO). NCO staff Dylan Buck and Dylan Whitsell would participate in an advisory capacity. [0:56:05] – Hearing no objection from Commissioners, the Permitted Interaction Group was formed and the appointments were confirmed; 6-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Hanohano, Knight, Logue, Smith, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) Report on City Charter Proposals – [0:56:22]: Chair Smith reported that written commission testimony on the five advanced City Charter proposals had been submitted and is available in the commission's shared Google Drive and on the City Charter Commission's website under testimony. He noted that Senate Bill 2397 is tied to Proposal P003 (quorum requirements) and the Charter Commission is reserving action on P003 pending the outcome of the Senate bill. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. P003 Status Clarification – [0:57:48]: Heinrich clarified that P003 had initially been tabled for further review but was subsequently advanced and is now under review by the Charter Commission's Permitted Interaction Group No. 1, which covers government organization and governance issues. He noted that P003's broad application to all city boards—including those with ex-officio non-voting members counted in quorum calculations—creates complications beyond the neighborhood board system. He described the Senate bill as the cleaner path for addressing the neighborhood board quorum issue specifically. 2. Google Drive Access Concern – [1:01:26]: Misakian expressed concern that he was unable to find a 2026 folder in the commission's shared Google Drive over the weekend, and that one appeared to have been created the day of the meeting. He noted this raises a potential Sunshine Law concern if documents to be discussed at a meeting are not made available to the public sufficiently in advance. Chair Smith noted that the applicable rule requires a three-day notice with a packet distributed to commission members, and he does not see a reference to shared online drives under current law. He acknowledged that both OIP and the law may be behind the times in this respect and asked Misakian to send him a specific reference if one exists. Lye stated that in 2024, OIP sent a letter advising that if a board packet is distributed to members, it must simultaneously be posted on the board's website for public access, with potentially a 48-hour notice requirement. He indicated he would send the reference. Chair Smith noted this may not apply if no formal packet was distributed to commission members, but agreed to follow up. Advice to Board Prior to Chair Elections – [1:05:12]: Chair Smith explained that at a recent Chinatown Neighborhood Board meeting, the outgoing chair made representations that NCO had approved certain procedures that did not appear to comply with the Neighborhood Plan or the Sunshine Law. Rather than relitigating that situation, Chair Smith requested commission approval for him to address the board briefly before their upcoming chair election to convey best practices and proper expectations for the role of chair, followed by a separate short meeting with the new chair, Chair Smith, and Commissioner Veray. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Scope of Pre-Election Comments – [1:07:43]: Lye asked whether Chair Smith's pre-election comments would include guidance that a chair election may be subject to Sunshine Law requirements and that public testimony may not be entirely excluded without the board's consent. Chair Smith confirmed he would address with the new chair which matters require public comment and agenda placement, while avoiding public criticism of the prior chair. Lye sought clarification that the intent is to orient the new chair properly, not to influence the outcome of the election itself. Chair Smith confirmed the intent is to convey that the chair is a meeting facilitator, not a decision-maker, and that the commission will hold the new chair accountable. [1:09:57] – Hearing no objections from Commissioners, Chair Smith was authorized to address the Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board prior to chair elections on behalf of the commission; 6-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Hanohano, Knight, Logue, Smith, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) Discussion of Strategies for Disruptive Behavior – [1:10:12]: Chair Smith noted that disruptive behavior at board meetings—involving both board members and members of the public—has been a recurring issue. The NCO is developing strategies and reference materials for chairs to address these situations and will present a formal proposal at next month's meeting. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Meeting Management and Training – [1:11:32]: Commissioner Veray emphasized that mutual respect is essential and that chairs must manage meetings efficiently. He stressed that speakers should be held to time limits and that board members who monopolize meeting time should be called to order. He expressed support for training on both sides—for chairs and for the public—to improve meeting conduct. 2. Remote Participant Visibility and Timer – [1:13:37]: Misakian noted that some disruptive behavior at Waikīkī Neighborhood Board meetings has originated from board members, including profanity heard on a hot microphone at a prior commission meeting. He raised the concern that WebEx participants cannot see a countdown timer, making it difficult to track speaking time remotely. He recommended displaying a visible timer during virtual meetings, consistent with practices at the City Council and the Legislature. 3. Chair Smith Response – [1:17:05]: Chair Smith summarized that the commission takes the issue seriously, acknowledged the limitations posed by the Sunshine Law, and confirmed a report with proposed strategies would be presented next month. Approval of Proposed Chapter 18 of the Neighborhood Plan (Complaint Procedures) – [1:17:49]: Chair Smith explained that the proposed revision to Chapter 18 of the Neighborhood Plan, governing the complaint procedures, if approved, will move to Corporate Counsel for review and anticipated markups. The chapter would then require at least two public meetings before the mayor could sign it into effect. This vote is not final and the chapter will not take effect immediately upon commission approval. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Agenda Clarity and 10-Day Filing Window – [1:18:56]: Misakian commented that the agenda item was vaguely worded and suggested future agendas phrase it as a motion to adopt. He also objected to the reduction of the complaint filing deadline from the prior 45 days to 10 days, calling it unacceptable and burdensome for working community members. He characterized the reduction as discouraging complaints and said 30 days was his suggested minimum. 2. Tabletop Exercise Request – [1:20:48]: Lye recommended the commission conduct a tabletop exercise to test the revised complaint process against the most common types of complaints received in recent years, to identify bottlenecks before the process is finalized. He expressed concern about the concept of asking the same body where a complaint originated to resolve it in a subsequent meeting. [1:22:37] – Veray MOVED and Logue SECONDED to adopt the revision of Chapter 18 of the Neighborhood Plan, to be forwarded to Corporate Counsel. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 6-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Hanohano, Knight, Logue, Smith, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [1:22:54] Update on Board Visits – [1:26:41]: Chair Smith reported that he continues to visit neighborhood boards, finding the process valuable for identifying and sharing best practices. Commissioner Veray reported completing six board visits during the month despite a demanding schedule. He outlined planned May visits: Waianae, Salt Lake, Makakilo, and Mililani, with two additional boards pending scheduling due to conflicts with commission meeting dates. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Community Appreciation – [1:28:33]: Chair Smith noted that several board chairs expressed appreciation for the visits, stating they had never previously received a visit from the Neighborhood Commission. He thanked Commissioner Veray for his dedication to the visits. Kaimukī Neighborhood Board No. 04 – Request to Temporarily Change One (1) Subdistrict 1 Vacant Seat to At-Large for the Remainder of the 2025–2027 Term – [1:29:01]: Chair Smith introduced the request from Kaimukī Neighborhood Board No. 04 to temporarily convert one Subdistrict 1 vacancy to an at-large seat for the remainder of the current term. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Background and Context – [1:29:31]: Heinrich expressed general support for the proposal but raised questions about the broader context, including the commission's ongoing discussions about board size and uniformity in the Neighborhood Plan process. He asked about the board's current quorum situation and absenteeism rate, and noted that the commission has received a substantial number of similar at-large conversion requests over the past two years, suggesting the issue merits a broader systemic discussion. [1:32:28] – Veray MOVED and Logue SECONDED to approve the Kaimukī Neighborhood Board No. 04 request to convert one Subdistrict 1 vacancy to an at-large seat for the remainder of the 2025–2027 term. Hearing no objection, the request was APPROVED; 6-0-0 (Aye: Bernal, Hanohano, Knight, Logue, Smith, Veray; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [1:32:42] General Discussion on Board Member Term Limits – [1:32:49]: NCO staff introduced this item for general commission discussion, noting it had not advanced out of the Neighborhood Plan Committee and was brought to the full commission so all members could share their views. The question was not a specific proposal but whether commissioners are generally open to discussing term limits for neighborhood board members. Questions, comments, and concerns followed: 1. Value of Long-Serving Members – [1:34:33]: Commissioner Veray acknowledged the institutional value of long-serving board members who are deeply rooted in their communities, but expressed a desire to see younger community leaders take on board leadership roles. He supports the concept of term limits, suggested a maximum of five two-year terms (10 years) applied prospectively, and noted he would be passing a leadership opportunity to his youngest board member at his next meeting. 2. Chair Term Limits – [1:36:27]: Chair Smith suggested that term limits on board chairs specifically—rather than board members generally—might be a more targeted and effective approach, given that inertia tends to entrench chairs in a way that members are not. 3. NCO Scope Clarification – [1:37:13]: NCO staff clarified that tonight's goal was simply to assess whether commissioners are open to the concept of term limits, not to finalize any specific structure. 4. Consecutive Terms with a Mandatory Break – [1:37:30]: Commissioner Knight noted that the Neighborhood Plan Committee had discussed an option allowing members to sit out one or two election cycles after a set number of consecutive terms and then return. She emphasized the importance of soliciting feedback from current board members as the discussion continues. 5. Conflicts of Interest and Board Chair Power – [1:38:36]: Misakian raised concerns about abuse of power and the political dynamics of board chair positions, noting that city and county employees may be placed on boards and are in a position to elect chairs who align with their interests. He argued this is relevant to the term limits discussion and called on the commission to address conflicts of interest more directly. 6. Appointment Exception for Vacant Seats – [1:45:19]: Commissioner Hanohano expressed support for Commissioner Logue's earlier suggestion that members who have reached a term limit could still be appointed to fill vacancies if no other candidates come forward, which she viewed as a practical accommodation for boards that struggle to fill seats. 7. Independent Board Input – [1:47:23]: Matson suggested that neighborhood boards be consulted on this question independently of the NCO, reporting directly to the commission. She noted concerns about a neighboring board with a politically oriented chair and called for ethical accountability in how boards operate. Hearing no consensus for specific recommendations, Chair Smith indicated the commission would gather further input from boards via the NCO, the chairs' survey, and the monthly chairs' meetings before returning to the topic. No formal action was taken. VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS – [1:49:05] Neighborhood Plan Committee – [1:49:05]: Commissioner Veray reported that the committee is currently reviewing Chapter 14 (Rules of Neighborhood Boards) of the Neighborhood Plan, which covers the most contentious areas identified in prior board surveys. He noted he may consider reaching out to neighborhood boards for additional targeted input during the process, while being mindful not to be overwhelmed with too many responses. VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS – [1:51:18] Next Meetings – [1:51:18]: The next Neighborhood Plan Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 11, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Kapālama Hale and virtually via WebEx. VIII. ADJOURNMENT OF SUNSHINE LAW MEETING – [1:51:52]: The meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m. Submitted by: Dylan Buck, Community Relations Specialist, NCO Reviewed by: Dylan Whitsell, Deputy, NCO Finalized by: To view agenda and minutes, visit our board website. Event shows physical location; however, other options of participation may also include WebEx and phone.  If available, instructions for WebEx and phone can be found at the top of the agenda.