Five nominees for Honolulu's new Ocean Safety Commission have been picked by Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
Last December, the City and County of Honolulu started its hunt for five “passionate and qualified” community members to join the commission. Their search brought in about 30 applicants.
Blangiardi’s nominees — Racquel Achiu, Steven Jenness, Richard Kebo, Kanani Oury and Billy Pratt — come from all over Oʻahu. They range from neighborhood board members, to high school coaches, to real estate developers.
Blangiardi wrote that each candidate embodies the state's values of “leadership, kuleana, and aloha for our ocean and each other.”
Once the commission is formed, it will be responsible for setting its meeting schedule, assigning a chair and vice chair, managing the budget, and guiding the Department of Ocean Safety in decision-making.
One of their first big moves will be choosing a chief of ocean safety, who will take the place of Kurt Lager. He has been the department's acting director for the past year.
Before the commission can officially start, the Honolulu City Council has to confirm each member. The county's communications team said the confirmation process will start July 9.
