Council and committees to continue meeting online in light of COVID-19 surge

The Maui County Council and its committees will continue meeting online in the new year, as they have since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly two years ago, Council Chair Alice L. Lee announced.

Eight public meetings are set next week, starting with the Infrastructure and Transportation Committee meeting at 9 a.m. on Monday and the full council meeting on Friday at 9 a.m.

In light of record-breaking COVID-19 numbers, Lee said she appreciated Gov. David Ige issuing an emergency proclamation on Thursday that allows for exclusively online meetings to continue through Feb. 28.

“We had been preparing for in-person public testimony in the Council Chamber starting the first week of January based on the Sunshine Law,” Lee said. “But for public health, it’s commendable the governor is allowing us additional time to keep having exclusively online meetings.”

Lee said the community has responded favorably to online meetings, which allow for members of the public to testify by phone or video from home, the beach or wherever they happen to be. Lee noted that the council won a 2021 achievement award from the National Association of Counties for its online meetings.

Meeting agendas are available on the council website at MauiCounty.us.