PUHI — Kaua‘i was well-represented as the swearing-in of the latest Boards and Commissions was moved to the Kaua‘i Community College Fine Dining facility. With 52 residents being sworn in to two dozen different boards and commissions, Laurie Yoshida, the
PUHI — Kaua‘i was well-represented as the swearing-in of the latest Boards and Commissions was moved to the Kaua‘i Community College Fine Dining facility.
With 52 residents being sworn in to two dozen different boards and commissions, Laurie Yoshida, the governor’s Kaua‘i liaison, said they had to relocate the ceremony because if everyone showed up with a guest, the courtrooms would be too small to accommodate the group.
Judge Kathleen Watanabe who presided over the swearing in of the various boards and commissions members said it was nice to get out to a more “friendly” atmosphere.
Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona flew over to congratulate the new members and said the service they provide makes a difference.
He noted that sometimes judges in court cases rely on information provided by the boards and commissions in making a decision.
There are more than a thousand people, mostly volunteers, who serve on 160 different boards and commissions in the state, Aiona said.
This also leads to a constant need for more volunteers who want to share their expertise to serve on the various boards and commissions, he said.
Recruiting for the boards and commissions is an ongoing event and people who are interested in serving should visit the government Web site to register, or to get more information.
The biggest group involved 11 people being sworn in to the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation Kaua‘i Board. Norman Akita, LaVerne Bessert, Roseline Bulatao-Franklin, Linda Collin, Timothy Crane, Richard Goding, Randall Hee, Jody Kjeldsen, David Peters, Mariano Torres and Estelita Trinidad are the members.
Dexter Takashima was sworn in to the Wireless Enhanced 911 Board, Marc Ventura is on the Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, and Jenny Fujita is on the Cable Advisory Committee.
Myron Dobashi is on the Civil Defense Advisory Council.
Clifford Nakea, Mabel Jean Odo, William Shankel and Geral Tomory are on the Board of Directors of the Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation.
Daniel Schaal is on the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee, Robert Inouye and Wade Lord are on the Environmental Council, and Lucille Calderon is on the Hawai‘i Early Intervention Coordinating Council.
Alan Kimura, Betty Moore, Zachary Octavio and Ken Shimonishi are on the Health Planning Council, Kaua‘i Subarea, Thomas Dorsey, Mardi Maione and Candace Sandal are on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Kaua‘i Service Area Board. Sandal also serves on the State Council on Mental Health while Shimonishi is on the Statewide Health Coordinating Council.
Theresa Octavio and Liz Ann Salvador are on the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Roland Sagum III is on the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council and Larry Littleton is on the State Rehabilitation Council.
Ron Agor is on the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Mark Hubbard, Michael Loo and Sandra Quinsat are on the Island Burial Council, Islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, George Coates and Elton Ushio are on the Kaua‘i Aquatic Life and Wildlife Advisory Committee, and Trae Menard is on the Natural Area Reserve System Committee.
Eric Yama is on the Board of Taxation Review, 4th Taxation District (Kaua‘i), Jean Beniamina and Sharon Pomroy are on the ‘Aha Kiole Advisory Committee, Clara Kaneshiro and Myles Shibata are on the Family Celebration Commission and Lani Nakazawa serves on the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission.
For more information on the boards and commissions, visit the Web site www.hawaii.gov/boards