State, County Employees on Maui to Be Sent Home Thursday

Mayor Arakawa discusses contingency plans during a previous storm threat to Maui. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

The mayor’s office announced that it will be sending home all non-emergency county employees at noon on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, with the possible exception of county elections employees.

The preparations are being made ahead of impacts associated with Hurricane Iselle.

Authorities say elections employees and walk-in voting services will remain available unless instructed otherwise by the state elections office.

County offices to be closed on Thursday, Aug. 7, include: all Division of Motor Vehicles and Licensing offices; planning and permitting; water bill processing; parks permitting; Liquor Department testing and other offices that interact with the public on a regular basis. County offices will remain closed on Friday morning, Aug. 8, as county officials evaluate the situation.

Emergency personnel, such as police, fire, road crews and those working in the Civil Defense Emergency Operations Center will continue to work throughout the duration of the storm.

State Offices in Maui and Hawaiʻi Counties to Close: 

State officials also announced that state offices in Maui and Hawaiʻi Counties will close at noon on Thursday, Aug. 7 and all-day Friday, Aug. 8 due to anticipated severe weather conditions and possible flooding caused by Iselle and Julio.

Employees affected by the closing of these offices should not report to work, except for departmental disaster/emergency coordinators, disaster response workers, and employees whose work involves continuing crucial operations and services, such as hospital and correctional workers. Employees who fall into one of these categories are required to report to work.

A decision on state office closures for Oahu and Kauai will be made tomorrow.

The County of Maui also announced the following park closures due to the anticipated inclement weather:

• ALL County swimming pools will close at noon on Thursday until further notice.
• Waiehu Golf Course will issue final tee times at noon on Thursday and remain closed until further notice.
• ALL County camping sites will be closed Thursday – Sunday.
• ALL community centers will be closed starting noon Thursday until further notice.
• ALL County beach parks will be closed all day Thursday until further notice.
• CORA-permitted (commercial) activities are canceled Thursday and Friday and until beach parks reopen.
• All other County parks will be closed Thursday at noon until further notice.

***A full list of closures and cancellations for Maui County is available at the following direct link.