Maui Election

In his address, Mayor Bissen described work by his administration in priority areas of housing, water, infrastructure, economic development, and environment. He also discussed work to find a resolution surrounding the opening of the long-awaited Kūlanihākoʻi High School in South Maui. 

Today marks day 100 of Governor Josh Green, M.D.’s administration. Gov. Green became Hawaiʻi’s ninth governor on Dec. 5, 2022.

Mayor Richard Bissen will deliver his first State of the County address at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 on the front lawn of Kalana O Maui, the County Building in Wailuku.

Maui County Council on Friday night named Upcountry Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura as council vice chairperson. Sugimura’s nomination for vice chairperson didn’t go without pushback, though. The 7-2 vote reflected opposition by council members Keani Rawlins-Fernandez and Tamara Paltin.

The decision comes in the wake of an election contest that questioned the previous county clerk’s handling of invalid ballots that had mismatched signatures and unsigned envelopes. 

Saying the plaintiffs failed to establish a viable election challenge that would “cause a difference in election results,” the Hawai’i Supreme Court decided Friday that defendant Alice Lee received the majority of the votes and has been elected to Maui County Council’s Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū seat.

The Hawai’i Supreme Court on Thursday questioned whether County of Maui officials could explain why certain ballots were deemed deficient during a county election challenge that has kept the council’s Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū seat vacant.

New US Rep. Jill Tokuda of Hawaiʻi finds “heightened urgency” surrounding issues of affordability, housing and sustainability. She says her work at the national level involves “a whole new toolbox” that provides for expanded reach. Maui Nowʻs Wendy Osher talks one-on-one with Rep. Tokuda during her visit to the Valley Isle.

Kama said the Jan. 27 meeting agenda, which will be posted Friday, will include final reading of bills that were introduced and passed on first reading last year: Bill 97, CD1 on residential zoning, Bill 160, CD1 on the Kula Agricultural Park, Bill 206 on conditional permits and Bill 207 on funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

All six of Maui County’s State Representatives hold leadership roles in six different House Committees for the 2023 legislative session.

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen has appointed Patrick McCall to serve as director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, the County’s largest department with over 400 employees. Shane Dudoit was selected as deputy director.

Lawyers representing both sides hailed the opportunity for oral arguments in a case that questions the outcome of the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū residency area seat race between incumbent Alice Lee and challenger Noelani Ahia.

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) was sworn in to a new term in the US Senate today. Schatz won reelection to a second full term last November, garnering more than 71% of the vote – the largest margin of victory by any Senate candidate in 2022.

Maui’s new Mayor Richard Bissen called for sensible spending, explained his stance as a nonpartisan, and embraced traditional knowledge in his inaugural address on Monday evening at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater.

Only eight of the nine council members will be participating in today’s council inauguration, according to news release issued by attorney Lance Collins on Sunday. He said it’s because a certificate of election had not been issued for the Wailuku, Waiheʻe, Waikapū residency area seat.

Congressman Kahele delivered more than $26 million dollars in community project federal funding to Hawaiʻi’s 2nd Congressional District to support nonprofits, county and state priority projects, and Federally Qualified Health Centers throughout Hawaiʻi.

Mayor-elect Richard Bissen announced the appointments of: Kauanoe Batangan, Deputy Director of Department of Transportation; Koa Hewahewa, Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture; Saumalu Mataafa, Deputy Director of Department of Housing & Human Concerns; Robert Schmidt, Deputy Director, Department of Environmental Management; Wendy Taomoto, Deputy Director of Department of Public Works; and Steve Tesoro, Deputy Director of Department of Finance

Mayor-elect Richard Bissen announced the appointment of Josiah Nishita as deputy managing director, as well as the appointments of first deputies for the Department of the Corporation Counsel and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Budget Director, and Economic Development Director.

Mayor-elect Bissen completed his director appointments with the selection of John Stufflebean to lead the Department of Water Supply, James “Kimo” Landgraf to serve as deputy director.

Mayor-elect Bissen announced a new round of appointments to his cabinet including: Victoria Hamilton Takayesu as Corporation Counsel; Rogerene “Kali” Arce as Director of Department of Agriculture; Mālama Minn as Director of Parks and Recreation; and Lori Tsuhako as Director of Housing and Human Concerns.