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Honolulu City Council presents honorary certificates to community groups, school teams and retiring clerk
Summary
The City Council honored community organizations, school athletic programs and longtime City Clerk Glenn Takahashi in a ceremonial session that recognized reentry services, water workers, mobile health outreach, multiple school anniversaries and state championship teams.
The Honolulu City Council presented honorary certificates during a morning session recognizing community organizations, school teams and retiring City Clerk Glenn I. Takahashi.
Council member Talbott presented the first award to Matt Taufete'e and First LAP (Life After Prison), saying the program founded Jan. 10, 2002, has helped “more than 1,000 men” and offers reentry support and community cleanups. Talbott said, “No one is beyond saving,” and thanked Taufete'e and program staff for their work helping men rebuild their lives.
Council Chair Waters recognized March 2026 as March for Water Month and thanked the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, the Plumbers and Fitters UA Local 675 and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply for their service. Waters cited a national estimate that roughly $1.2 trillion in water infrastructure upgrades will be needed over the next two decades and urged continued investment and public awareness.
Project Vision Hawaii received an honor from Council member Tupola for 15 years of mobile community-based care. Tupola and presenters noted Project Vision’s expansion from school vision screenings into mobile health, street medicine, a mobile hygiene program and housing navigation, and said the organization’s peer-led model helps build trust and connect people to services.
The Council marked the 90th anniversary of Wallace Rider Farrington High School and the 50th anniversary of the Farrington Alumni and Community Foundation, announcing a March 28 reunion at the Bishop Museum and recognizing alumni and foundation members in attendance.
Council member Okimoto honored Pearl City High School’s girls junior varsity and varsity basketball teams, noting the JV team went 8–0 in OIA play and won the D2 OIA JV championship (35–15 on Jan. 22) and the varsity went 19–7 overall with a 10–0 league record and reached the HHSAA D2 state championship game on Feb. 27, finishing runner-up.
Kahuku High School’s boys varsity team was recognized as 2025 HHSAA Division I state champions after a 40–38 comeback victory highlighted by a last‑second layup; presenters singled out Cassius Daily’s 26‑point game and the game‑winning play in the final four seconds.
Halau Mohala Ilima was honored for its 50th anniversary and work sustaining Hawaiian culture through hula; Council Member Kika Inoa named Kumu Hula Mapuana De Silva and Kihei De Silva as founders and noted the halau’s first official performance on March 26, 1976.
Finally, the Council commended Glenn I. Takahashi on his retirement and 34‑year public service career. The resolution recounted Takahashi’s work beginning in 1992 with the State Elections Division, his roles in elections administration and legislative support, his appointment as City Clerk in 2015 (reappointed 2021), the development of the Honolulu Docs legislative management system and his role in Hawaii’s transition to statewide vote-by-mail in 2019.
The morning concluded with music from the Royal Hawaiian Band and brief closing remarks; no formal votes or policy decisions were taken during the honorary‑certificate program.
