Wahiawa Satellite City Hall to remain open despite rumors of impending closure

Jade Eckardt

WAHIAWA—Rumors circulating about the possible closure of Wahiawa’s Satellite City Hall have had Central Oahu and North Shore residents worried, but the City Hall confirmed last week that they have no intention of shutting down. The confirmation is a relief to residents but has left community members wondering how and why the rumors had started. The rumors were taken so seriously that the issue had been discussed along with possible solutions at both the Wahiawa and North Shore Neighborhood Board meetings in February.

Reed Matsuura, aide to Councilmember Donovan Dela Cruz, confirmed that the busy Wahiawa location will not be closing. “The administration said adamantly, no way would they close,” Matsuura said. “It’s one of the busiest on the whole island.”

Matsuura, who was also curious about where the rumor had originated, added: “[The councilmember’s office] had no idea about the possibility of closing the Wahiawa station. It totally cannot be done. It’s one of the places that bring in the most money on the island as far as the halls.”

Even though lawmakers had no knowledge of the threat of closure, community members and neighborhood board members had been addressing the issue and expressing concerns at recent Wahiawa and North Shore Neighborhood Board meetings. At the February Wahiawa Board meeting, chair Ben Acohido encouraged meeting attendees and board members to send letters to the City administration to support the retention of Wahiawa Satellite City Hall. Residents in attendance also stressed that the nearby communities of the North Shore and military bases should also be informed of the possible closure and send letters of support.

The issue was also addressed at the North Shore Neighborhood Board’s February meeting, with board members advising community members to contact City Council members to speak out against the closure.

Acohido said that he did not know where or why news of the City Hall closing had begun, but that community members were taking the possibility of the closure very seriously. “Maybe it came from council members discussing closing it with budgeting in mind?” Acohido suggested.

The concerns of Central Oahu and North Shore residents can be put to rest now that Wahiawa Satellite City Hall representatives and Matsuura both confirmed that the location, which provides various services including vehicle registration, licensing, and property tax payments, will remain open with no previous or current threat of closure.

“The Wahiawa location is one of the busiest on the island because it serves all of Central Oahu,” Matsuura said. “There is definitely no plans for closing Wahiawa and the administration hadn’t heard of any.”

For further information on the City and County of Honolulu’s Satellite City Halls, visit http://www.honolulu.gov/csd/satellite.