State Director Mark White (standing) presents Convention of States to Neighborhood Board #5 of Diamond Head, Kapahulu, St Louis areas. In the audience were two state representatives, a state senator, and office staff from two other state legislators.
A Win!
On March 8, 2018, after a loss in Senate committee, Hawaii's team gained a small but significant victory.
Voting 9 yes, 0 no, and 2 abstentions, east Honolulu's Neighborhood Board #5 adopted a resolution supporting Convention of States and notifying participating legislators of that support.
Unique to Hawaii, Oahu's neighborhood boards offer a great opportunity for our Convention of States Action team: formal notification to legislators of local grassroots support for our cause.
The Neighborhood Board Concept
Oahu’s Neighborhood Board System was created in 1973 to assure and increase community participation in the decision-making process of government. Applying the concept of participatory democracy, it consists of an islandwide network of 33 locally elected neighborhood boards to facilitate communication and greater community—government interaction.
Local citizens on the board and in the audience participate in Hawaii's Neighborhood Board meetings.
Board members are local, interested, and involved citizens elected to two-year terms. Seeking to serve their communities, they typically are unfamiliar with Convention of States but can be receptive to our message of self-governance.
A New Strategy
As a result, Convention of States Hawaii team is developing a new strategy for encouraging further grassroots support for our mission in Hawaii.
Over the remaining months of 2018 we want to approach as many neighborhood boards as possible, first to make a presentation, and then request adoption by vote of a resolution that indicates the board's support of our application.
Thirty-three of Oahu's 36 Neighborhood Boards are active by holding monthly meetings.
Attending a board meeting with our team will be a great way for you to get involved and volunteer for COS. Not only will you learn more about your local community, you'll help build our grassroots army here in the Aloha State.
Check out our volunteer opportunities here.
Interested in our most important volunteer role? Check out District Captain.
