Decision-Making Resumes on Maui Charter Items

By MauiNow.com Staff

Maui Charter Commission. MauiNow.com photo.

The Maui Charter Commission resumes preliminary decision making on Monday as members narrow a list of items they intend to place before the public in the form of charter amendments.

The commission already made tentative decisions to propose three items including two election-related proposals.

During a meeting last week, the commission tentatively advanced proposals to: increase terms of council members from two to four years; return county elections to a partisan system; and keep the Department of Water Supply under the governance of the mayor and County Council.

“Our plan is to work on each of these issues over the next two months, hopefully approving the less complex or divisive first and saving the hardest ones for last,” said Commission Chair Josh Stone.

The commission issued a press release stating that review continues on the following items: the County Council elective process; council approval of department heads; the mayor approving the appointment of the fire chief; changing the county’s budget process to a two-year cycle; changing the rules for initiatives, referendums and recalls; and creating a position for a county auditor.

Commission Chair Josh Stone said the goal is to reach tentative approval on issues before December, so that the proposals can move on to a public hearing phase.

The proposals that are finalized will go before voters in the 2012 election.

The meeting on Monday, October 24, runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Planning Commission Conference Room in Wailuku.

More information about the meeting is available by calling 270-7742, or emailing [email protected].  The agenda for Monday’s meeting is available at the following link.