Committee forwards mayoral and council appointees to 2025 Honolulu Charter Commission; replaces one nominee with Summer Silva

The Committee on Executive Management of the Honolulu City Council on May 20, 2025 (meeting date as posted) reported two resolutions out for adoption that would forward appointees to the City and County of Honolulu's 2025 Charter Commission, and amended one council appointment to replace Laurel Johnson with Summer Silva.

The actions matter because the Charter Commission will draft proposed charter amendments that, if placed on the ballot, could change city governance. Committee members said they expect the commission to meet and work on a timeline that aligns with charter deadlines.

Chair Waters opened the meeting and explained the format for testimony, noting remote oral testimony was being permitted but that this was an in-person meeting. The committee considered Resolution 20529, which confirms a mayoral appointment to the 2025 Charter Commission. The nominee addressed the committee briefly, saying, “I'm very grateful for this opportunity,” and that they looked forward to working with other commission members. Andy Sugg, identified as the Mayor's chief of staff, told the committee the mayor sought a “broad range of folks” for the seven appointee slots and named several people the administration had selected for the commission, including Scott Power, Brandon Markega, April Wifter, Sandra Sims, Diane Kawauchi and Don (surname provided in the packet). Sugg said, “we are very happy that Don has volunteered for this very important commission.”

Council members asked questions about the appointees' perspectives and the selection process. Council Member Cordero and others pressed for assurance that nominees who had previously worked for the city would review charter issues with a fresh perspective. Cordero also urged the commission to meet expeditiously to meet charter deadlines.

Chair Waters recommended Resolution 20529 be reported out for adoption. With no objections or reservations recorded on the public record, the committee ordered the resolution reported out for adoption.

The committee then considered Resolution 20543, which approves the council’s appointments to the 2025 Charter Commission and had been revised by the council’s distributed communication to replace one appointee. The committee chair offered a verbal amendment to replace Laurel Johnson with Summer Silva; the clerk recorded that Ms. Johnson was unable to serve. Committee members discussed Silva’s background: Council Member Kia Aina described Silva as an attorney who had served as senior advisor for Native Hawaiian affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior and had been detailed to FEMA to assist federal agencies with cultural impacts following the Maui disaster. Kia Aina said Silva’s mix of government, nonprofit and private-sector experience “lines up nicely with this awesome team.” Council Member dos Santos Town echoed support for the full slate.

Chair Waters recommended the amendment to Resolution 20543 be adopted (amending the resolution to CD1) and then recommended that Resolution 20543 CD1 be reported out for adoption. The committee recorded no objections or reservations and ordered the amended resolution reported out for adoption.

No remote or in-person members of the public registered to testify on these items during the portions of the meeting on these agenda items. Several nominees spoke briefly in support of serving; the clerk recorded that Davin Aoyagi and Summer Silva were unavailable to appear in person that day but that some appointees had contacted council members in advance.

The committee's actions will forward the named appointees and the amended council slate to the full Council for consideration. Committee members repeatedly emphasized the public nature of the appointment process and urged timely meetings by the commission to meet statutory charter deadlines.