 I'm Marcia Joyner and we are navigating the journey and what a journey this is. Today we are not going any further than 17 miles to Honolulu-Hawley from where I am to where they are. And we're going to talk about our coming election and the amendments to the City and County Charter. There are four of them, but there's two very special ones that we need to talk about because they're new. The whole idea of what these amendments are are new. And like I told you before, the City and County is a corporation. And like all corporations, they have a charter and it guides what they can and cannot do. And every election time, they have a meeting of the Charter Commission, which is made up of all kind of people from the community. And those that watch and dog it, there are those that just go in here every word. And then they come up with amendments. Now the Charter says revised charter. So the Charter has always been revised and revised and revised. This year, there are four amendments to the Charter. So on your ballot, turn it over and on the backside are the amendments. Please turn it over. Don't don't let it go. And if you don't vote, and this is screwy, but if you don't vote, it's a yes. So if you say, no, I don't want that, you have to specify and make it a no. But we don't want you to do any nose. You want you to do yes. So today we're going to talk with Tommy Waters, council member Tommy Waters office, because they are the ones that created this amendment. And it's a very special thing. I have not heard of it before in any city. And I think it's wonderful. So, Davin, Aloha. Aloha, Marcia, how are you? We're doing fine. This is sweetheart. And OK, forgive me if I call him sweetheart, but he's younger than my youngest child. So he's still a sweetheart. And he's such a hard worker. He does so much. So tell us. Tell us, Davin, what is Charter Amendment 2? Now, remember, folks, vote yes on 2. OK, Davin, tell us about it. So simply put, Charter Amendment 2 would establish a youth commission under the managing director's office. And the youth commission would essentially advise both the council and the new administration on policies impacting children and youth within the city. So how are these people, the young people, how are they selected? Are they is it an election? Are they just appointed? How does that work? No, it's a good question. Within the language of Resolution 19329, which was the resolution that helped to initiate the Charter Amendment, it specifies that by August 1st, 2021, there shall be 15 youth commissioners, nine of which are chosen by each of the council members and six of which are chosen by the new mayor. So they'll go through it. Yeah. And they'll go through a person. Yeah, each council person gets to choose one. Is that it? That's correct. And they'll go through a standard confirmation process through the city council, same as any other commission. And do they have any rights and privileges or not or no? How does that work? Or once you say commissioner, then what happens? Sure, no, that's a great question. To sort of touch base on the specifics, and I apologize for looking down. That's fine. Following sort of the formation and the appointment of these commissioners, they're going to essentially establish rules of procedure and just additional rules to help govern how these commission meetings will occur. Following that, they're, they will be tasked with advising the council and the mayor essentially on policies, needs, assessments, priorities, programs and budgets concerning the children and youth of the city. They'll also express the policy priorities of the children and youth of the city and respond to requests for comment and recommendation on matters referred to the commission by the council, the mayor and any officers, agencies, including semi autonomous agencies and executive and legislative branch advisory committees of the city. And you know, talking just with some of the other staff as well as some of the other council members and just even some of the agencies, I know that there's a great deal of excitement about how we can engage youth to talk about the pressing issues impacting our city. Are you going to do newspapers? How will they know that I want to be a part of this? This is something I'd like to do. I think that it's incumbent upon all of us to try our best to make sure that folks are aware of it, right? To the extent that we can get out into the community and get people excited about it, I think it's great. And you know, Marcia, one of the things that we've heard from some opponents is that, well, you know, there's this other state youth commission going on. How do we know that there will be enough people to fill this commission, right? No. I'm glad you're laughing. No. Just to let you know, I can remember elementary school teaching civics and learning about the city and the state and what it does and what not. And I've been on a path ever since then, as you know. I'm 82. I've been out there just being a part and learning and learning and learning how these different things work and how they work together. Now, in Hawaii, and anybody that's listening that's not in Hawaii or not on Oahu, it's hard to tell the city from the state since they're across the street from each other. But there's a difference. And I think that because there's a state youth and the county, that they are learning different things. The state operates differently from the city. So I don't think that's a problem. So if anything. And that's our thought too, Marsha. I mean, when we think about the issues impacting our city, whether it's climate change policy or affordable housing, or even things like public safety and welfare, right? These are issues that are primarily handled by the counties in the city. When I worked at the city council for congressman, councilman, the phone rang all the time. There was not one minute that there wasn't somebody, one constituent with a problem. Water main breaks do not happen from nine to five. They happen at three o'clock in the morning. You know that traffic lights don't work and such and such. And the phone for the city is constant. So it's totally different from the state. You know, the state can say, well, we'll do this next year. The city is now people want it now. So it's a good learning process. Absolutely. Some streets was just crazy as hell. That this part of the street where I live, this part is the state. This is the city. This is the city. And over here is the feds and then back here is the city. But you drive down one and. They all look the same. So, so, and I think this is a wonderful opportunity for young people. And then maybe they'll grow up to be mayor one day. And really that's, that's the hope, right? I mean, I know that there was a speaker recently on this discussion about the youth commission charter amendment. They can go to youth for Wahoo.org. But recently I think there was a mayor and I want to say it was from a city in Colorado. That spoke because he was on actually on the youth commission for his city. So, so there's a lot of potential there and realistically what what we hope is this right. And that's a piece where in Hawaii people have talked about how do we get youth engaged. And the theory that council member waters has the idea that council member waters is putting forth for this amendment is that if we can empower you to be involved through this commission, it gives them a stepping stone to feel engaged to feel empowered to take action and to be able to make a real difference in our local communities. And ultimately, by the way, the policies that the council passes here today this year, it will impact their generation. Oh, yes. Yes. Yeah. Of course. And that's the whole, I think I'm, I'm sure this is what goes in what went into creating this is exactly that that they are going to be wage earners, teachers, parents, whatever. And then they, they have to take on this responsibility of having the city work. And the, the major ideas of how it works, why it works. And I think this is just the best thing that I've heard for a long time. Because I think, well, I think the young people will enjoy it. I know I did learning all of this. The minutiae of the city. Well, Marcia, we're, we're happy to hear that. And again, I would just urge voters to strongly consider voting. Yes. Okay. Now, again, you turn over the ballot. And on the back are the amendments. There are four of them. And I would suggest is voting yes, because unless you have a thing about it, but if you leave it blank, it's a yes. So if you say no, you've got to market. No, you got to fill it in black, the little box, fill it in with black ink. And the court decided on this years ago. And so don't ask why. It was crazy that, but so do vote yes. Do vote yes. I don't know the details of all four, but I'd say just vote yes for all four. But that'll, that'll take care of it. Well, and Marcia, I know that we've, we've talked a little bit about the commission. I know also council member waters introduced resolution 19331, which eventually became the charter amendment number three as well. Number three is what? So that one is shall the revised city charter be amended to allow the Honolulu ethics commission to control its own budget after it has been enacted. It's a very complicated way of saying, I think that is very good. Because the ethics commission should stand alone and should not be dependent on somebody, some other department to say yay or nay, yes, you can, or no, you can't. The whole purpose for the ethics is to stand alone. So I think that's very good. So that's number three. Okay, so we're going to vote yes on number two and three. And we may as well vote yes on all the others. I don't know why you're voting just do it. Yeah. Yeah, well, yes. Because that's that, you know, the city is a corporation and that's the way it operates. So we need to, we, we need to be involved. It's our tax money that runs the city. So we need to be involved. So vote yes on all of them. Let's just vote yes. But I like the idea that the ethics committee commission needs to be independent so that they don't have to depend on somebody else because that's in fact, if something comes up, but that's the person that's been supporting them. How do they say, well, I don't know about that. Yeah. Well, and, and again, Marsha, that's really the whole point of it. I mean, you know, for, for the purposes of just administration. The ethics commission has been administratively tied to corporation council. And what this charter amendment is, as you point out, essentially allows the commission to do is upon approval of the budget, the general budget for the city. And upon approval obviously by the mayor of that budget, the ethics commission will be able to access its budget without sort of there being a risk of it being withheld by administration. Well, you know, it's a pleasure visiting with you as always. And we only have a little bit of time left since my computer was screwy. So you tell your boss. Our council member Tommy waters, who is also my district. That we thank him for the two amendments. Thank you for all that you do. And. Oh, we have a zoom meeting tonight in our district, your district. So you will attend, right? I will probably that's too. Thank you. And we're going to talk about the amendments. At that meeting also. Yeah. So thank you, my dear. And we will see you soon.