Lisa Gapero, 2010 candidate for Wailuku Council, Transcript: Introduction: Aloha, my name is Lisa Gapero, and I’m running for County Council in the Wailuku, Waihee, Waikapu seat.  Some of the issues that I’d like to address, and things that have been bothering me and got me off the couch actually to run against the incumbent, Mike [...]

The Maui County Council’s Water Resources Committee will consider the use of the Piiholo South Well as a potential new water source for Upcountry Maui residents.  The item comes up for consideration at a special meeting on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 9 a.m. in the Council Chambers. “Discussion on this matter is preliminary, and the focus of [...]

By Wendy Osher In a ballot that is filled with 11 mayoral candidates, three Maui council members and Maui’s OHA representative will return to office without a single challenger.  Council Members Joe Pontanilla of Kahului, Gladys Baisa of Upcountry Maui, and Danny Mateo of Molokai are uncontested in the September Primary election.  Maui’s Trustee for [...]

The Maui ballot continues to take shape as the July 20th deadline for candidate filing nears.  As of Tuesday, 14 people had pulled papers for the Mayor’s race and seven had filed, confirming their candidacy—the most recent of which was Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares who made her run for re-election official on Friday.  In the [...]

Liberty Dialysis-Hawaii today broke ground for a 250 kilowatt emergency generator system for the Maui Dialysis Facility, designed to assure patients throughout Maui Nui have access to life-preserving services in the event of a natural disaster. It fulfills one patient’s appeal after a severe storm battered Maui on Dec. 5, 2007, knocking down power lines [...]

By Wendy Osher Maui becomes the final county in the state to pass a cell phone ban while driving.  The item passed second and final reading today with seven council members in favor and two members (Michael Victorino and Bill Medeiros) excused. Maui’s bill differs from other counties in that it also specifically restricts drivers [...]

By Wendy Osher Residents on the Upcountry water meter list would have more time to complete improvements under an amendment that advanced out of committee today.  The Council’s Water Resources Committee approved an amendment that gives water meter awardees a five year window to complete necessary improvements instead of the current two year parameter. Committee [...]

“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 [...]

By Wendy Osher The County’s Air Ambulance could be saved under a proposal raised today before the Council’s Budget and Finance Committee. After initially requesting the elimination of the service last month, Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares issued a follow up request to utilize real property revenues combined with emergency funds to cover the county’s share [...]