Maui Charter Commission to Meet With Police & Fire Chiefs

By Wendy Osher

Maui Police Chief Gary Yabuta and Maui Fire Chief Jeff Murray. File photos by Wendy Osher.

The Maui Charter Commission will meet with the leadership of the Maui Fire and Police Departments at its next meeting on Monday, August 15, 2011.

The commission is expected to review how both departments function.  The commission will hear presentations from Maui Police Chief Gary Yabuta and Police Commission Chair Leil Koch; as well as Maui Fire Chief Jeff Murray and Fire and Public Safety Commission Chair Mark Vaught.

In addition, the commission will also review the role of the Board of Variance and Appeals as well as the Board of Code Appeals.  Kevin Tanaka, Chair of the County Board of Variances and Appeals, and representatives of the Board of Code Appeals will discuss how each board functions respectively.

The 11-member Charter Commission is appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Maui County Council.  The body is tasked with reviewing the County Charter and setting the blueprint for the guidelines that county government must follow.

The meeting is open to the public.  The commission is accepting testimony on any subject related to the County Charter.  The Commission can opt to make recommendations to amend the charter, which would then go before the voting pubic in the next election.

The meeting will run from noon to 4 p.m. at the Planning Commission Conference Room in the Kalana Pakui Building on High Street in Wailuku.