HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	221
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

commending the NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION on its efforts to promote community fellowship and civic participation and encouraging the commission to expand OUTREACH to communities to promote membership and participation.

     WHEREAS, in 1973, the Revised City Charter of Honolulu featured the theme "The Responsible City," which called for a concept of full citizen participation in government to ensure that the powers of the City would properly serve and advance the aspirations of its citizens; and

     WHEREAS, the Neighborhood Commission was established to develop a Neighborhood Plan to create boundaries throughout the island of Oahu, forming neighborhood areas and neighborhood boards; and

     WHEREAS, the Oahu Neighborhood Board System was created to assure and increase community participation in the decision-making process of government through the establishment of an island-wide network of elected boards to function as communication channels, expanding and facilitating opportunities for community and government interaction; and

     WHEREAS, each of the 36 Neighborhood Boards serve as key mechanisms through which neighborhoods communicate needs and desires for basic government services, address economic development and land use questions, and establish community goals, objectives, and priorities; and

     WHEREAS, in addition to serving as elected Board members, members of the community are encouraged to participate in the Neighborhood Board System by voicing issues to Board members, attending regular monthly meetings, participating on Board subcommittees, or responding to surveys conducted by the Board; and

     WHEREAS, Neighborhood Boards serve an important function in encouraging civic participation in community and government issues and are a convenient way for citizens to learn about the public process; and

     WHEREAS, the prevalence and advancement of communication technology, especially Internet tools such as email and social media, has made distributing information more convenient and accessible than ever; and

     WHEREAS, the Neighborhood Commission Office, which oversees the Neighborhood Boards, has already taken steps to launch the "Be Heard Do Good" campaign on outlets including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in an attempt to further engage and encourage citizens to get involved in their communities and Neighborhood Boards; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, the Senate concurring, that this body hereby commends the Neighborhood Commission on its efforts to promote community fellowship and civic participation, and encourages the Commission to continue to expand such efforts; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each Neighborhood Board is encouraged to take measures to increase outreach to community members in each neighborhood through traditional or new media methods to provide notice of its monthly meetings, Board initiatives, and opportunities for Board membership to bring diverse voices to each meeting and ensure that all opinions of the community are heard; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Neighborhood Commission Office and to the Chair of each of Oahu's 36 Neighborhood Boards.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Neighborhood Commission Office; Neighborhood Boards; Community Outreach