City Boards and Commissions
To apply for a vacant position on one of the City’s boards or commissions, please send a cover letter and resume to mdoffice@honolulu.gov.
Fire Commission
Komikina Kinai Ahi
The Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Honolulu City Council. They receive no compensation for their services.
The Commission has the following mandated responsibilities:
• Appoints and may remove the Fire Chief
• Adopts rules necessary for the conduct of its business and reviews rules for the administration of the Department
• Reviews the annual budget prepared by the Fire Chief and makes recommendations thereon to the Mayor and the Council
• Reviews the Department’s operations, as deemed necessary, for the purpose of recommending improvements to the Fire Chief
• Evaluates at least annually the performance of the Fire Chief and submits a report to the Mayor and the Council
• Reviews personnel actions within the Department for conformance with the policies under Section 6-1002 of the Revised Charter of Honolulu
• Hears complaints of citizens concerning the Department or its personnel and, if deemed necessary, makes recommendations to the Fire Chief on appropriate corrective actions
• Submits an annual report to the Mayor and the Council on its activities
| Members (7) : | Term: |
|---|---|
| Max S. Y. Hannemann* | 12/31/2025 |
| Charlotte L. Nekota | 12/31/2021 |
| Butch Galdeira | 12/31/2026 |
| Dennis Morton | 12/31/2027 |
| Craig S. Nagamine | 12/31/2023 |
| David Matlin | 12/31/2024 |
| Debbi Eleneki | 12/31/2024 |
Vacancies:
One (1)
Appointing Authority:
Charter Section 6-1005 establishes a Fire Commission consisting of seven members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council to five-year terms.
GIA Advisory Commission
Kōmike Aʻoaʻo Hoʻolako Kākoʻo
The Grants In Aid Advisory Commission is responsible for reviewing grant proposals and making recommendations for grant funding to the Honolulu City Council.
| Members (7) : | Term: |
|---|---|
| Kaipo Kukahiko | 1/14/2027 |
| Kimberly Yoshimoto | 1/14/2022 |
| Vincent L. Baldemor | 1/14/2025 |
| Grant Kagimoto | 1/14/2027 |
| Kaipo Kukahiko | 1/14/2027 |
| Sandra Larsen | 1/14/2026 |
| Camron Hurt | 1/14/2025 |
Vacancies:
Two (2)
Appointing Authority:
Charter Section 9-205 establishes a Grants in Aid Commission consisting of seven members appointed by the Mayor to five-year terms.
HART
Ke Kuleana o ka Māʻalo Paukikī o Honolulu
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) is responsible for building the commuter rail system for the City and County of Honolulu. HART is governed by a 14-member board of directors and a Chief Executive Officer. HART’s powers, duties, and functions include the planning, design, and construction of the fixed guideway system; the execution of contracts, labor agreements, and other instruments in order to perform its duties and functions; to acquire by eminent domain, purchase, lease or otherwise, all real property necessary for the development of the system; and to promote and assist Transit-Oriented Development projects near the system that promote transit ridership.
| Members (10) : | Term: | Appointing Authority: |
|---|---|---|
| Colleen Hanabusa* | 6/30/2026 | Mayor |
| Kika Bukoski | 6/30/2024 | Council |
| Anthony Aalto | 6/30/2026 | Council |
| Michele Chun Brunngraber | 6/30/2024 | Mayor |
| Edwin S.W. Young | 6/30/2028 | HART Board of Directors |
| Arthur Tolentino | 6/30/2025 | Mayor |
| Robert Yu | 6/30/2025 | Council |
| J. Roger Morton | end of appt. | ex officio |
| Dawn Takeuchi Apuna | end of appt. | ex officio |
| Edwin Sniffen | end of appt. | ex officio |
| Legislative Appointees: |
|---|
| Natalie Iwasa (Speaker) |
| Joseph O’Donnell (Senate President) |
| Vacant |
| Vacant |
Vacancies:
One (1)
Appointing Authority:
Charter Sec. 17-104 provides that the Mayor and the Council each appoint three voting members, the State of Hawaii Director of Transportation and the City Director of Transportation Services serve as ex officio voting members, the City Director of Planning and Permitting serves as an ex officio non-voting member, and the six appointed and two ex officio voting members together appoint a ninth voting member. Act 1, Special Session of 2017 provides that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Hawaii State Legislature each appoint two ex officio non-voting members to the board.
Honolulu County Committee on the Status of Women
Kōmike Kākoʻo Wāhine o ke Kalana ʻo Honolulu
Members of the Honolulu County Committee on the Status of Women help inform City government on issues concerning the status of women on Oʻahu, especially in areas like homelessness and mental health, economic security and intimate partner and sexual violence.
| Members (8) : | Special Position: |
|---|---|
| Hope Bennett* | Chair |
| Caroline Kunitake | Vice-Chair |
| Jennifer Li Dotson | Member |
| Valerie Lam | Member |
| Raven Sevilleja | Member |
| Helen Stewart | Member |
| Renee Sonobe-Hong | Ex-Officio |
| Vacant |
Vacancies:
None
Term:
Committee members terms run with the incumbent mayor’s term.
Appointing Authority:
The Honolulu County Committee on the Status of Women was created under section 367-4, Hawaii Revised Statues. The committee members, appointed by the Mayor, develop information plans and proposals concerning the status of women in the City and County of Honolulu. The Committee is staffed by the Office of Grants Management (formerly known as the Office of Special Projects).
Liquor Commission
Komikina Kākaʻahi Wai ʻOna
The Honolulu Liquor Commission is dedicated to extending its scope of services to our licensees, partner law enforcement agencies, and the public through enhanced technologies, increased efficiency, and broader community outreach. We will continue to develop as a model agency for other states, cities, and municipalities.
| Members (5) : | Term: |
|---|---|
| Lisa Martin | 12/31/2025 |
| Dillon Hullinger | 12/31/2026 |
| Jeffrey Hong | 12/31/2028 |
| Joseph Bock | 12/31/2024 |
| Kevin Sakamoto | 12/31/2027 |
Vacancies:
Two (2)
Appointing Authority:
Section 281-11 HRS establishes a liquor commission for each county of at least five members appointed by the county mayor and confirmed by council for five-year terms.
Mayor’s Arborist Advisory Committee
Kōmike Aʻoaʻo Mālama Kumulāʻau Kumupaʻa
The County Arborist Advisory Committees are mandated the following powers and duties:
Research, prepare and recommend to the city council exceptional trees to be protected by City ordinance or regulation. Advise property owners relative to the preservation and enhancement of exceptional trees. Recommend to the City Council appropriate protective ordinances, regulations and procedures. Review all actions deemed by the City Council to endanger exceptional trees.
| Members (9) : |
|---|
| Noelle Cole* |
| Daniel Dinell |
| Kevin Eckert |
| Heather McMillen |
| Llana Nimz |
| Emily Perry |
| Myles Ritchie |
| Pauline Sato |
| Dana Anne Yee |
Vacancies:
None
Neighborhood Commission
Komikina Kaiāulu
Founded in 1973, the mission of the Neighborhood Commission is to increase and assure effective citizen participation in the decisions of government through the establishment of policy, providing oversight and evaluation, as well as facilitating the efficient organization and operation of the Neighborhood Board System.
| Members (9) : | Term: | Special Position: |
|---|---|---|
| Jeri-Lynn Mahealani Bernal | 6/29/2025 | Mayoral Appointee |
| Jonathan L. W. Ching | 6/29/2027 | Mayoral Appointee |
| Richard Oshiro | 6/29/2021 | Council Appointee |
| Claire J. Tamamoto | 6/29/2022 | Council Appointee |
| Steven J. Melendrez | 6/29/2023 | Council Appointee |
| William Clark | 6/30/2026 | Mayoral Appointee |
| James Logue | 6/30/2028 | Mayoral Appointee |
| Vacant | Council Appointee | |
| Patrick Smith | 6/30/2028 | Mayor with City Council Confirmation |
Vacancies:
Three (3)
Appointing Authority:
Charter Section 14-102 establishes a Neighborhood Commission consisting of nine members appointed to five-year terms as follows: four are appointed by the Council Presiding Officer, with the approval of the Council; four are appointed by the Mayor without necessity of Council confirmation; and one is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. Two of the Mayor’s appointees, two of the Presiding Officer’s appointees, and the member who is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council, shall have served at least one full term on a Neighborhood Board.