For A Good Neighborhood

When Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, a crooner of some renown, calls Neighborhood Commission executive secretary Joan Manke to the microphone to sing a song, he knows what he’s doing. The two have even performed duets together.

Manke’s main project right now is to sing loud and strong to get people to become active in the community and run for their neighborhood board. OK, the Nanakuli native doesn’t have to literally sing a song to get people to run, but she is encouraging people to be a part of the grass-roots level of government. Applications for the two-year term (June 2007 to May 2009) are due Jan. 16.

“You get to be heard, and you get to hear what’s going on in your community,” says Manke, a Kailua resident, about one of the benefits of being on a neighborhood board. “You can send a message as a group to the Legislature. Of course, this is something you can do as an individual as well. The process for communication is there to help you feel empowered and get information.”

The neighborhood board system, which was formed in 1973, is comprised of advisory groups that meet once a month to discuss community issues to guide all levels of government. The public is invited to attend these meetings where the police, fire department, community leaders and elected officials discuss what’s happening. There are 444 seats for 32 boards.

Each neighborhood board has its own issues. For example, something that concerned residents and businesses in Waikiki recently was the amount of street closures for the 60 parades, ho’olaulea and other events last year. In July 2006, the Waikiki Neighborhood Board voted to support Bill 84 from the City Council, which limits the number of parades and street closure events in Waikiki. In August, the council approved a bill limiting the number of events in Waikiki to 39, and Hannemann signed it into law.

“Being on the board could be a stepping stone into higher political office,” says Manke. “About 70 to 75 of our elected officials were on a neighborhood board, but you don’t have to want to aspire to higher office to love your community, invest your time and knowledge, and give back.”

There are many former neighborhood board members who have moved on to higher office. Just to name a few: Board of Education member for the Leeward district Breene Harimoto, City Councilman Rod Tam, City Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz, state Rep. Corrine Ching and state Sen. Willie Espero. Among those serving a term from 2005 to 2007, there are 59 members who have served 16 years or more. Neighborhood board members hail from all walks of life, and they include business executives, graphic artists, special education teachers, public relations professionals, attorneys, managers and sales executives.

Neighborhood board commissioner Grant Tanimoto and Manke’s executive assistant, Michelle Kidani, both have served on neighborhood boards.

Tanimoto served for 14 years as the chair of the Salt Lake Neighborhood Board.

“I did it because I believe in the system,” Tanimoto explains. “Citizens know where to go regarding things happening in their own back yard.”

Kidani served 10 years with the Mililani Neighborhood Board.

“I hope most people will get involved before they think something is going wrong,” notes Kidani. “It’s sometimes a thankless job. The benefit is knowing that you’ve served your community.”

Under Manke’s watch as the executive secretary, a city auditor released a critical report last summer about the neighborhood board system’s operations. The audit pointed out problems with the neighborhood boards including absenteeism and disorderly meetings. Other problems were mentioned regarding the nine-member commission not having the authority to hire or direct the office staff. Manke looked at the audit as an opportunity to improve the system.

One of her priorities was to get the team of board members and the commission to complete the neighborhood board plan, which is like the bible of what the board can do.

“We were able to do in six months what they weren’t able to do in four years,” says Kidani about the plan, which had been delayed since 2002. The plan is presently on the website for the public to view, and it is in the hands of Corporation Counsel for review. Manke hopes it will move to public hearing very soon.

Kidani shares what she likes about working with Manke: “She has an aura about her that makes you want to be around her. She’s very positive, energetic and bubbly. She’s caring and concerned about her staff. She won’t abandon you when things go wrong, she’ll be there to help you get it right.”

Tanimoto, who is an attorney for the Campaign Spending Commission in addition to his volunteer Neighborhood Commission post, says he admires Manke.

“The job is like herding cats because people and boards have different views, and they all want to go their own ways,”

Tanimoto says. “She’s done a tremendous job. She has that customer service attitude, and she’s a lot tougher than people think.”

Serving the community and thinking of others comes naturally to Manke. She and her twin brother Jerry are the youngest of seven children. Manke’s mom, Elizabeth, who lives in Aliamanu, raised the keiki by herself as Manke’s father died when she was 2.

Another opportunity to lead and to take care of others came as Manke served as an alaka’i (assistant teacher) for kumu hula John Kahai Topolinski with Ka Pa Hula Hawaii. Manke worked for U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink in both Washington, D.C., and in her Honolulu district office in the 1970s, and for 12 years before Mink’s death in 2002. Manke considers Mink to be the perfect role model who did her homework and liked to teach others. Manke also worked at St. Francis Medical Center for more than 15 years, most recently as the director of medical staff services. She served as the city’s senior adviser for customer service department for less than a year before being confirmed by the City Council for her present position with the Neighborhood Commission.

She credits her husband, Jim, who works in the University of Hawaii Manoa chancellor’s office, for all his support. Jim’s career has included being a news anchor at Channel 4, and assignment editor at Channel 9 during the Bob Seavy, Bob Jones, Tim Tindle and Matt Levi era. The couple enjoys spending time with their two adult children Angela and Eric.

With the holiday season just past, Manke was instrumental in coordinating the Honolulu City Lights display at Honolulu Hale, Windward and in Kapolei. The Windward City Lights is where she most recently sang White Christmas with the mayor.

Now she’s inviting you to be a part of the festivities of government and send in your application to be a candidate for the neighborhood board.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old and be able to verify they live in the neighborhood for which they are applying.

Interested candidates can turn in their application postmarked or hand-delivered by Jan. 16 to the Neighborhood Commission Office at Honolulu Hale, 530 S. King St. Applications are available online at http://www.honolulu.gov/nco or by calling 527-5749, at the Neighborhood Commission Office at Honolulu Hale, Kapolei Hale, satellite city halls and the City Clerk’s office.

Ballots will be mailed to registered voters on March 23, and the deadline to return the ballot is April 16.

The winners of the election will be announced May 1.

Elected neighborhood board members will be inaugurated with a swearing in ceremony May 31.

E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | | RSS Comments (0) |

Most Recent Comment(s):

Posting a comment on MidWeek.com requires a free registration.

Username

Password

Forgot Password