Alan Arakawa, 2010 candidate for Maui Mayor, Transcript: Introduction: Thank you very much for this opportunity.  I’m Alan Arakawa.  I’m the former Mayor of Maui County and also a former council member.  What I’m looking at is trying to create a more stable economy and a higher quality of life for our community.  I believe that because the [...]

Gladys Baisa, 2010 candidate for Upcountry Maui Council, Transcript: Introduction: My Name is Gladys Coelho Baisa and I am currently the Upcounty Council Member serving a second term, and I’m running for a third term on the County Council–thankfully unopposed.  Some of the items that I’m very concerned about, and continue to be concerned about from [...]

Mayor Charmaine Tavares and Council Member Joe Pontanilla will host a public meeting to gather input and discuss existing laws that affect commercial signs. Particular attention will be paid to regulations that apply to painted promotional signage placed on store windows. Some Maui merchants plan to propose a revision of the county sign code so [...]

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares received the endorsement of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) on Friday, July 23, 2010. SHOPO has 2,800 members statewide with nearly 400 in Maui County. In making the announcement, SHOPO President Tenari Ma’afala called Mayor Tavares’ ability to build positive working relationships as a key to the [...]

By Wendy Osher The council’s budget and finance committee spent time yesterday debating grant funding for the Wailuku Main Street Association/Tri-Isle Main St. Resource Center. Council member Michael Molina questioned reasons for repeated cuts noting a 10% cut in each of the last two fiscal years, and a proposed cut of 25% in FY2011.  Budget [...]

By Wendy Osher The Budget and Finance Committee today heard a proposal that adjusts the fare for passes on the Maui Bus and maintains the free service for riders that utilize the MEO bus. The proposal calls for a new $20 per month fare for passengers who use the Loop and Villager routes.  Currently, there [...]

By Wendy Osher The council’s budget committee continues deliberations today (Wednesday, April 28, 2010) following several hours of testimony yesterday on the 2011 Budget.  Department heads expressed concern over recently announced plans to cut an additional 60 positions that were reported as vacant by the Department of Personnel Services. Several of the departments sighted discrepancies [...]

“Nothing is easy and I can empathize with many of the decisions that we have to face.  But I do appreciate what the administration is going through, but I also appreciate that you’re (Council Chair Joe Pontanilla) trying to look at the concerns of the general public, interpret that as well as what all nine [...]

“I heard today a number of the departments defending their turf, and that’s fine, I understand.  I’ve been through those kinds of exercises when I was in the business world—you come in and you justify your expenses, positions, expansions and deletions.  They did a good job and I respect that.  It’s our responsibility now to [...]

“I think this morning was quite difficult for me to just listen to some of the testimony, especially when the bulk of the testimony came from a good number of our own departments,” said Molokai council member Danny Mateo. “It bothered me to hear some divisions talk about: ‘if the proposals says as it is, [...]