Maui Council set for leadership reorganization on Jan. 5

The Maui County Council will consider a reorganization of its leadership and committee chairs during a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday. New Council Member K. Kauanoe Batangan will be officially sworn into office an hour earlier, at 8 a.m., in a public ceremony in the Council Chambers.

“As we begin a new year, we will welcome our newest council member,” said Council Chair Alice Lee. “We look forward to benefiting from Kauanoe’s expertise and dedication to public service as we continue to hold Tasha and her family close in our hearts.”

The meeting follows the appointment of Batangan to the Kahului residency seat by Mayor Richard Bissen. Batangan was selected to fill the unexpired term of the late Council Member Tasha Kama, who died Oct. 26.

As evident by the proposed resolution, the arrival of Batangan as the Council’s new ninth member will trigger a reshuffling of several standing committees. Batangan is slated to serve as the chair of the Government Relations, Ethics, and Transparency Committee. That committee has been led by Council Member Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins.

Uʻu-Hodgins is proposed to take over the chairmanship of the Housing and Land Use Committee, a position formerly held by Kama. The Housing and Land Use Committee oversees critical legislation related to the county’s affordable housing initiatives and land management.

At 1:30 p.m. Monday, the Housing and Land Use Committee will take up recommendations from a Temporary Investigative Group on policies and procedures for transient vacation rentals after the enactment of Bill 9, which phases out vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts. The committee will consider a proposal to establish new hotel zoning districts for former vacation rental properties and whether to transmit it to the Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi planning commissions.

Batangan on Monday will take the oath of office in a public ceremony in the Council Chamber at 8 a.m. and then participate in a special council meeting at 9 a.m.

“As we begin a new year, we will welcome our newest councilmember,” said Chair Alice Lee, who holds the seat for the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū residency area. “We look forward to benefiting from Kauanoe’s expertise and dedication to public service as we continue to hold Tasha and her family close in our hearts.”

Batangan is executive director of the Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization, helping to guide transportation plans and programs. His previous work with the county includes serving as Deputy Director of Transportation and as a councilmember’s executive assistant. He was also a manager in the Maui County Office of Recovery following the August 2023 wildfires.

Batangan’s other committee assignments include: vice chair of the Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee (a position previously held by Kama); vice chair of the Housing and Land Use Committee; and member of the Disaster Recovery, International Affairs, and Planning Committee; Komike Aloha ‘Aina; Water Authority, Social Services, and Parks Committee; Agriculture, Diversification, Environment, and Public Transportation Committee; and Water and Infrastructure Committee.

The proposed changes also include updates to the membership of various other committees to integrate Batangan into the nine-member body. Aside from the shifts for Batangan and Uʻu-Hodgins, most other committee chairmanships are expected to remain the same.

The Council was unable to reach a consensus on a successor for the Kahului seat during a meeting Nov. 25, which, under the Maui County Charter, transferred the appointment authority to the mayor. Bissen announced Batangan’s appointment Dec. 16, citing his legislative and professional background as key factors in the decision.

Members of the public can provide testimony in person at the Kalana O Maui building or via video conference. The meeting will also be broadcast live on Akakū Maui Community Media, cable Channel 53.