Council committee forwards five nominees to inaugural Ocean Safety Commission

Five nominees to the new Ocean Safety Commission told the Honolulu City Council Committee on Public Safety and Economy on July 24 that their first-year priorities would be selecting and vetting a permanent chief, reviewing training and equipment needs, and evaluating manpower and budgets. The committee advanced the mayor’s nominations to full council with a recommendation for adoption.

The nominees — Raquel Achoo; Steven (Steve) Jenas; Richard Kebel; Kanani Auri; and William “Billy” Pratt — spoke to the committee about what they would prioritize on the inaugural commission, describing plans for community outreach, district-level engagement, and data-informed decisionmaking to guide recommendations to the chief and the council.

The commission is a volunteer, unpaid advisory body created to oversee and support the newly separated Ocean Safety Department. Nominees repeatedly said a top priority is creating a transparent process to identify a permanent chief to replace the interim chief, including using measurable performance criteria and community engagement in evaluations. Several nominees said they would review training, equipment and staffing needs and pursue partnerships and funding sources to support lifeguards and lifeguard stations.

“I think first off is really vetting and understanding the chief’s position and how they plan to implement that,” nominee Steve Jenas told the committee. “Another part would be to really take time and engage with each district.”

Nominee Kanani Auri said the commission should set clear guidelines for choosing chiefs and recommended a leader who pairs operational knowledge with compassion and strong communication skills. Nominee Richard Kebel emphasized data-driven decisions and use of measurable performance metrics. Billy Pratt highlighted process, protocol and budget review as critical tasks, and proposed expanding junior lifeguard and recruitment programs to build a pipeline of future officers.

Mayor Blangiardi addressed the committee during the hearing and said the administration received roughly 30–40 applications and interviewed about 14 people before forwarding five names. Several council members asked nominees how they would engage the public and the department, and whether the commission would hire outside consultants to run chief-search processes. Nominees said they preferred to use the commission’s experience but left open the option of a third-party recruitment firm if the commission determined it was needed and funding allowed it.

A public commenter, Tim Gary, urged the commission to prioritize lifeguard pay and to pursue private donations and partnerships to buy capital equipment such as trucks, jet skis and drones. Several nominees and council members also discussed the need to review the department’s budget and seek partnerships with state agencies and nonprofits.

The committee considered a hand-carried CD1 amendment to the resolution that corrected the mayor’s letter date and made technical edits. Chair Thoba recommended adoption of Resolution 25-179, as amended to CD1; there were no objections and the committee ordered the measure reported out for adoption to the full council.

The committee canceled a later informational briefing on the Honolulu Police Department School Traffic Monitors Program for time reasons and adjourned.

What’s next: The resolution confirming the five nominees will go to full council for final confirmation; nominees and council members said they expect the commission to meet and begin work on timelines, outreach plans and a chief-selection framework.