If city Neighborhood Commission Executive Secretary Nicole Velasco had her way, all 437 seats on Oahu’s 33 neighborhood boards would be filled.
The commission, which provides administrative support for the boards, among other duties, has made some progress toward Velasco’s goal.
As of July 1, 404 board seats were filled, leaving just 33 vacancies islandwide. There were 388 seats filled when Velasco first came aboard in January 2013.
"We’ve had some improvement," Velasco said.
She credited greater community outreach by her staff for the uptick in the numbers.
The commission has beaten the bushes in search of candidates to fill midterm vacancies, attending community events from the Taste of Kalihi to the Hire Leeward Job Fair, Velasco said.
The commission has also increased its presence on social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook, putting out the word whenever there are vacancies, she said.
"Our primary goal is to increase public awareness and inspire people to join," she said.
Still, some boards continue to have problems trying to keep a quorum. The commission voted in April to approve the Pearl City Neighborhood Board’s request to reduce the number of seats on its panel to 11 from 13.
The board has historically had difficulty filling seats. Going to 11 members means only six members are needed to make quorum or approve an action instead of seven.
"Life happens — somebody moves, somebody has medical problems," she said.
The last time the commission approved a board’s request to lower its membership was in November 2010. The number of board members ranges from nine (for 10 boards) to 23 (for Mililani-Waipio.)
Vacancies do not appear to be concentrating in any specific areas, with openings popping up in communities as diverse as Kahaluu, Mililani-Waipio and Manoa.
People interested in filling the vacancies are advised to attend the next monthly meeting in their respective communities and announce their interest when the matter comes up on the agenda, Velasco said.
A neighborhood assistant must verify the address of an interested party by a valid driver’s license or state identification card. Some boards have seats with subdistrict requirements while others do not.
Oahu residents can choose to run for a two-year term in the 2015 Neighborhood Board elections. Candidates can register to be on the ballot from Dec. 1 to Feb. 20. The mail-in voting period runs April 24 to May 15, and winners take office July 1.
Velasco said board members have "the most unique experience in the entire state," allowing them to make a difference in their communities while gaining direct access to local officials.
"Everybody knows of something in their neighborhood that they don’t quite like or they think could be better," Velasco said. "Maybe instead of opting to not do anything, be active in your community."
Most recently, one board got the Parks and Recreation Department to close a community park earlier due to safety concerns, while another board lobbied successfully for a sidewalk to be installed, Velasco said.
Jesse Broder Van Dyke, spokesman for Mayor Kirk Caldwell, said the mayor is committed to providing funding and support for the neighborhood board system.
