Council refers Zielinski’s appointment as Finance director to committee

Maui County Council members referred Maria Zielinski’s appointment as director of the Department of Finance to committee during a full Council meeting Friday morning.

The referral came at the request of Council Member Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins, chair of the Government, Relations, Ethics, and Transparency Committee. There were no objections to the committee referral.

For the time being, Zielinski will remain acting director of the department.

She had been budget director, but Mayor Richard Bissen tapped her as Finance Department director to succeed Scott Teruya who was put on paid administrative leave Feb. 2. The only public explanation for his removal as director has been that it was a “personnel matter.”

County officials reported earlier this week that Teruya was terminated as a county employee, effective April 8.

In the Budget Office, Lesley Milner has been serving as acting budget director.