Candidates Face Off on Akakū Maui Mayoral Forum

By Maui Now Staff

A mayoral candidate forum will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. tonight (July 15, 2014) on Akakū Maui Community Television, Channel 55 from the Seabury Hall campus in Makawao.

The forum features six candidates including incumbent mayor Alan Arakawa, and challengers Beau Hawkes, Alana Kay, Tamara Paltin, Ori Kopelman, and Nelson Waikiki Jr.

Event organizers say residents are invited to attend to meet the candidates in person.

The forum is co-sponsored by the Haʻikū, Kula, Makawao and Pukalani community associations, and will be moderated by Mahina Martin, Dick Mayer and Victor Reyes.

The forum runs until 8:30 p.m., and also is offered via live stream at akaku.org. Online viewers should visit the website and click on the “Akakū Channel 55 Live” tab located on the right side of the screen.

“While some candidates will tout their achievements, others will critique the way things have been done in the past and suggest ways to improve county operations,” said Haʻikū Community Association president Jen Livingston. “The forum should be interesting; it certainly will not be dull television,” she said.