City Meeting on Charter Amendment for Office of OEV Resources and Cultural Stewardship (October 21, 2026)

This meeting consisted of an informational presentation on a ballot charter amendment to establish an Office of OEV Resources and Cultural Stewardship within the Office of the Mayor. The presentation described the proposed office, the reasons for putting the measure on the ballot, supporter positions, and concerns. No agenda or minutes were available, and no formal council action was recorded.

Discussion Items

• The measure, identified as Charter Amendment No. (number not specified in the transcript), would create an Office of OEV Resources and Cultural Stewardship within the Office of the Mayor.
• The office would oversee management of OEV resources in the city, develop related programs, and create a cultural advisory council of kupuna, cultural practitioners, and community representatives.
• The Mayor would choose the office's leader, and the City Council would approve that choice.
• The office would advise other city departments, report to the public every year, and bring together a council of cultural advisors.
• The ballot rationale stated that Native Hawaiian and cultural issues are currently handled by many different departments with no single place in the city to coordinate them.
• Supporters expressed support for the amendment, saying a dedicated office could bring cultural knowledge and projects earlier, improve how Hawaiian language and place names are used, strengthen care for resources, and make the city more accountable through yearly reports.
• Some people expressed concerns about cost, clout, and overlap. The measure gives the office broad responsibilities but does not specify staffing levels, budget, whether other departments must follow its advice, or how disagreements would be settled. The presentation noted that with clear roles it could help; without them, it could become another layer of red tape.

Key Outcomes

• No vote, motion, or formal decision was recorded in the source material.
• The meeting appears to have been an informational overview of the ballot measure. The agenda and minutes were not available to verify additional proceedings.