Scott Broadbent, Maui Weekly

POSTED: June 24, 2010

One of life’s most fundamental needs, clean water, may soon be in short supply on Maui. And the way we dispose of our wastewater may be causing irreparable harm to our environment.

At the June 15 meeting of the Kihei Community Association (KCA), representatives of three environmental groups explained how our water is under assault from the land and the sea. And they sounded an alarm that critical issues need to be addressed now to avoid a future crisis.

Mike Moran, a KCA board member and co-founder of “Pump Don’t Dump,” Maui Tomorrow Executive Director Irene Bowie and Water Quality Consultant and Southwest Maui Watershed Planning Group member Robin Knox painted a grim picture of the current situation related to our water quality and coastal pollution, but offered ideas and potential solutions to deal with the issues.

Moran discussed the effects of allowing tour and charter boats to pump sewage into the ocean. “There are a myriad of reasons for the deterioration of our reefs and beaches,” he said, “including pesticide and insecticide runoff, injection wells and poor construction practices.” But, a major factor, he said, is that charter boats are continuing to dump untreated sewage or sewage treated with formaldehyde and bleach into the ocean, fouling our beaches in South Maui.

Moran said the Pump Don’t Dump group has had “moderate success” in drawing attention to the issue. Through their efforts, boats operating out of Ma‘alaea Harbor may pump sewage into pumper trucks for land-based disposal. The group advocates fixed or mobile disposal methods at all harbors and ramps with required usage by all boat operators.

Bowie explained how current practices, most notably disposing of treated sewage into injection wells, harms the reefs and environment, wastes water, threatens our health and harms our economy. She said the sewage, injected 200 to 300 feet underground at 15 wells on Maui, including three in Kihei, eventually makes its way into the ocean.

“Thirteen million gallons of treated effluent is pumped into the ground every day,” she said.

She urged attendees to support the “Don’t Inject, Redirect (DIRE)” Coalition, which is working to limit the use of injection wells while promoting recycling of wastewater, particularly while we are facing drought conditions, water rights issues and water shortages.

Bowie said that effluents flowing into the ocean promote the growth of algae, which chokes a basic economic engine of our tourism industry—our reefs. Algae, bacteria and chemicals used in sewage treatment are also making us sick, she said, citing an increase in staph infections and other waterborne illnesses, which puts Maui well above the national average in hospitalizations.

DIRE advocates the establishment of a series of high-quality effluent (R1) lines to utilize recycled, treated and reclaimed water for purposes such as irrigation. Although she acknowledges the cost for such a system would be high, she said we can’t continue “wasting million of gallons of water a day while things are bone dry.” In addition, she said, “It may actually be less expensive to develop recycling water systems than to develop new water sources.”

Knox gave an overview of watersheds, which she likened to the ancient Hawaiian land division system of ahupua‘a, which manages resources from the mountain to the sea.  She discussed the federal Clean Water Act which, she said “has a simple goal: fishable, swimmable water.”

Knox explained the distinction between “point and non-point” pollution sources. Point sources, she said, are more easily monitored. “These include pipes or wells where actual samples may be taken,” she said. Non-point sources are more difficult to measure. These include runoff from agriculture, construction sites and golf courses and contamination from cesspools and septic systems. Knox concurred that the use of injection wells is very problematic.

The three presenters fielded questions from the attendees. Most centered around obtaining funds to deal with the issues, raising community awareness and involvement and enlisting county and state elected officials in the effort.

“Just throwing up our hands and saying it costs too much doesn’t make sense,” said Bowie. Issues related to our water “have to be part of the budget. We have to demand our elected officials take care of this.”

“The mayor has said the issue is not a matter of money, but a matter of priority,” added Knox. Panel members said federal grants may be available and that use fees should be revisited. Bowie also suggested enlisting the visitor industry, which has a vested interest in making sure our beaches are safe and clean.

A builder complained that while his current development project has committed to utilizing reclaimed water, “the Department of Health has been difficult to work with and the process has been expensive and time-consuming.” He suggested simplifying the county processes related to utilizing recycled water.

All three presenters urged residents to get involved and said the current situation is unsustainable. Moran reminded attendees that it is an election year and the candidates are listening. “Write letters and make phone calls,” he said. “Tell them we want clean water!”

“We need to take a more holistic approach,” concluded Bowie. “Perhaps we should have a water marshal. Any way you look at it, we need a big change.” When it comes to clean water, she said, “We must rethink what we have been doing.”

(Left to right) Mike Moran, Robin Knox and Irene Bowie addressed questions related to water quality and usage on Maui at the June 15 K?hei Community Association meeting

Maui Tomorrow Executive Director Irene Bowie explained how current practices, most notably disposing of treated sewage into injection wells, harms the reefs and environment, wastes water, threatens our health and harms our economy. Shown in the photo above, a healthy reef (left) contrasts with a reef choked with algae and chemicals.

Scott Broadbent, Maui Weekly

May 27, 2010
Ask lifelong Maui residents about their early memories of Kihei and you will probably hear tales of Suda’s Fish Market, the Maui Lu Resort and the long, bumpy trail, now known as South Kihei Road, stretching to Big Beach. Few of the hearty souls who made their homes along this dusty trail could have envisioned the four-lane Pi‘ilani Highway which now carries daily more than 16,000 residents and throngs of visitors flocking to the beaches and resorts.

K?hei Community Association (KCA) President Jon Miller has described K?hei’s growth over the years as “haphazard at best.” At the Tuesday, May 18, KCA meeting, an issue Miller is passionate about—transportation in and around K?hei—was discussed. Miller moderated a panel made up of Maui County Department of Public Works Director Milton Arakawa, Kathleen Kern of the Maui Planning Department and Charlene Shibuya from the Hawai‘i State Department of Transportation to discuss the issue in South Maui.

“How people move from one place to another has an enormous impact on any community,” Miller said in a recent interview. “It should be a pleasant experience. But when I drive on South Kihei Road, it is clear there wasn’t enough vision and planning.”

Miller said he recently started biking around K?hei. “It is clear why there are not a lot of people riding bikes and walking in our community,” he said during a presentation showing telephone poles and other obstructions in the middle of sidewalks. “Bicycling and pedestrian walkways have been afterthoughts,” he said, displaying a slide of a bike path abruptly ending at a curb.

Miller said the KCA has advocated a better transportation system for South Maui for years through its Planning Committee, which has developed specific general planning procedures and Road Design Standards for Kihei. Miller discussed the environmental and health benefits of green thoroughfares, and the problems and costs associated with an automobile-oriented society.

“Why is this important now?” Miller asked. “The state is currently planning major roads for our area. The county needs to make sure the state understands the growth” we will have in South Maui and plans accordingly.

Arakawa discussed the status of a number of current transportation-related projects in Kihei and gave an overview of the approval process for projects from inception to construction. While he said he understood the need for increased maintenance of current roadways, paths and sidewalks, and the importance of new thoroughfares and transportation systems, Arakawa repeatedly explained the reality of limited funding for his department.

“People are driving more fuel-efficient cars, which is a very good thing,” he said. However, he explained, this results in less revenue for maintenance and new projects from the fuel tax, which is the primary funding source.

Kern discussed the prospect of charging developers an “impact fee” to help raise funds for transportation projects. She said studies are currently underway to determine how new development will impact our roadway system. “Impact fees would not be a panacea,” she said, but could augment current funding sources.

Shibuya reminded the attendees that there is a great deal of competition for funding for highway projects statewide and of how complicated the process is, alluding to Arakawa’s presentation.

During a question-and-answer period, the panel discussed issues ranging from potholes to mass transit.

The panel was asked about the possibility of a rail system on Maui. “We need alternate means [of transportation],” said Arakawa. “But it can be very expensive and complex, like we are seeing in Honolulu.” Arakawa advocated continuing to improve the Maui Bus system as an appropriate alternative, noting the meteoric rise in ridership in recent years.

Shibuya urged everyone to read the Maui Island Plan and support organizations like the KCA in efforts to oversee development and transportation related issues. “The government has a much easier time moving a project ahead if the community is behind it,” she said.

Shibuya also fielded a question about the proposed Upcountry to South Maui roadway. She said the project is moving through the Environmental Impact Statement study phase, and the project will be designed to be completed in three phases. She said no construction is currently planned due to financial considerations.

The North-South “Collector Road,” which would run through Kihei parallel to the Pi‘ilani Highway, is also currently on hold. “The collector road has had a long, checkered history,” said Arakawa. He explained that federal funds are not available until issues related to the total number of lanes on the collector road, Pi‘ilani Highway, South Kihei Road and perhaps even a new mauka highway, are settled. The funding requires 12 total lanes to address long-range transportation needs, he said.

Shibuya said the potential extension of Pi‘ilani Highway is not under consideration and probably will not be until development issues such as Wailea 670 are permanently resolved.

Arakawa explained how his department utilizes a software system to evaluate which roads get resurfaced and repaired. He invited community members to contact his department to report problems such as potholes.

Miller urged residents to get involved. “It is important to get our transportation issues on the map right now,” he said. “If we address this issue now, we can ensure K?hei will be a great place for visitors and the people who live here.”

To underscore the aesthetics of a landscaped transportation corridor, KCA President Jon Miller presented this photo of the Liloa-Lipoa intersection near Safeway. The bottom photo shows a digitally altered view with landscaping and bike paths. Note that the stop sign has been removed in favor of a roundabout.

A panel discussed transportation issues in South Maui at the May 18 meeting of the Kihei Community Association. Pictured, left to right, are KCA moderator and President Jon Miller, Charlene Shibuya, Kathleen Kern and Milton Arakawa.

By: Trisha Smith
Published Nov. 26, 2009

Kihei Community Association meeting features Kihei High School update and passionate panel discussion between school personnel and parents regarding the governor’s recent “Furlough Fridays” proposal. “We want to be a real partner in education…”

Hawai‘i’s island communities have faced many challenges battling economic woes, and now our public school system has received national attention, with statistics shining a critical spotlight on education in paradise.

Emotions ran high in South Maui recently as numerous concerned parents, teachers and residents met to discuss these issues during a Kihei Community Association (KCA) meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

The contentious “Furlough Fridays” topic was on everyone’s mind as Gov. Linda Lingle recently revealed a new proposal that would bring her, the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association (HSTA) and the Department of Education (DOE) back to the bargaining table to renegotiate contracts. She now supports using the state’s rainy day fund—seeking $50 million of it—to restore instructional days, and doing away with “Furlough Fridays” by the beginning of 2011.

She suggests using noninstructional days as unpaid time off for teachers instead of using classroom days. This will not effect the seven Fridays that kids will miss this school year.

The community group also revealed their board of directors for 2010 (see “About KCA” at www.gokihei.org) and Group 70 International representatives from O‘ahu gave an update regarding Kihei High School.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Preparation Notice for the proposed school was released on Sunday, Nov. 8, and is available online for commentary through Tuesday, Dec. 8. (Download “Hot Topic” online at www.gokihei.org.)

Major themes for the new school include: enhancing Kihei pride through athletic events; a health and wellness center; school acting as a center of the community; and focusing on developing a science and technology center.

A distinguished guest panel discussed “Furlough Fridays” and other matters conflicting local schools. The panelists included Maui Board of Education Representative Mary Cochran, state DOE Superintendent Bruce Anderson, HSTA Negotiator and Special Education Teacher Barry Wurst, state Sen. Roz Baker, parents and educational advocates.

Cochran applauded Kihei for being “one of the most articulate and knowledgeable communities.” She said she was saddened by the negative attention our state’s furloughs received nationally, and hopes for a remedy by the new year. “Let’s put the kibosh on furloughs,” she said.

Wurst said everyone worked hard to trim down the budget, but instructional time had to be impacted. “It was a very tough decision,” he added.

An alternative is layoffs, which would increase class sizes and remove teachers with the lowest seniority. Wurst stressed his frustrations, as new teachers bring a great energy and innovations to classrooms.

“Now, thanks to the recent public outcry, we are going to see something happen,” he said regarding furloughs. “I applaud everyone for taking a stand.”

Sen. Baker said she’s looking for ways to restore instructional days, but the state should be cautious of utilizing funds, like the rainy day or hurricane relief fund.

She said the state Legislature would have a special session “in the not-too-distant future” to work on resolutions. She also wants to make sure other aspects, such as cafeterias and buses—not just the teachers— are paid close attention as well, making for an all-around “rich educational experience.”

“Hopefully, we can come out as a stronger educational system,” said Sen. Baker.

Gene Zarro from Kihei Charter School commented on how many don’t realize the low pay our teachers receive when factoring in the cost of living in Hawai‘i, and that trading instructional time for planning time is not the solution.

“There has to be a better solution than raiding a finite pot of money for short-term success,” he said.

Frustrated Kamali‘i Elementary School parent Yvonne Biegel provided numerous passionate statements regarding the economic “perfect storm” hitting education head on. “Will our children sink or swim?” she asked, and remarked on Hawai‘i’s lack of music, art and physical education teachers. “How is the money being spent differently now?” she said. “Where does it all go?”

She suggested decentralizing DOE and developing a local school board. “Let’s get involved,” she said.

Later, Cochran rebutted that a local school board isn’t going to work and mentioned how school boards on the Mainland have been consolidating. Cochran stressed if Biegel and others desire to pursue this idea, they should “be prepared to pay for it.”

“We want to be a real partner in education with our children,” Biegel said.

Zarro recommended a “pilot program” to test the waters of a localized board, but warned of its challenges.

“With all due respect, do your jobs and get our kids back in school,” Biegel said to the officials on the panel—a statement that received a standing ovation and applause.

Bridget Bunting, president of Kihei Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA), was “on the same page” with Biegel, pushing for parental and community involvement.

Bunting and the PTA took matters into their own hands and have been working diligently to find a way to keep keiki in the classroom during furloughs.

And, they have.

On the Nov. 20 “Furlough Friday,” Kihei Elementary was open, as nearly a dozen volunteers arrived to instruct keiki who came to school. The school will be under the PTA’s management on future “Furlough Fridays,” and staffed by citizen volunteers. Bunting hopes to bring the field trips to the kids, partnering with groups like the Maui Ocean Center and Pacific Whale Foundation to provide an extension of education our keiki are missing out on with less school days.

Visit www.wecandoithawaii.org for more information.

Maui Weekly | Thursday, September 25, 2008 |Trisha Smith

Candidates take last opportunity to speak before primary at KCA “speed dating” format forum. “We can make a difference on smaller levels.”

Over 150 concerned voters attended the Kihei Community Association (KCA) Community Meeting on Tuesday evening, Sept. 16, at the Kihei Community Center (KCC) for one last look at candidates before the Primary Election on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Members of KCA began the meeting by revealing that a conceptual design plan for the high school in Kihei is in the works. Then KCA President John Miller addressed the importance of voting, and discussed how national elections usually outshine state elections, but that in Maui County, “We can make a difference on smaller levels.”

“There are challenges ahead of us. We’re ready to take on challenges head-on,” said Miller. “Maui’s going to be a better place to live, tomorrow.”

The forum featured races for the nine County Council seats, plus regional state positions, including Senate District 5 (West and South Maui) and House District 11 (South Maui). Danny Mateo (Moloka‘i) and Michael Victorino (Wailuku, Waihe‘e, Waikapu) both are running unopposed for council.

The candidates were asked to give a brief speech before the “speed dating” format forum began.

“I want to continue to be your strong, savvy voice in state legislation,” said Sen. Roz Baker, District 5 (West and South Maui).

Baker will face Republican Jan Shields in the General Election after a Primary Election landslide win over her party opponent, political rookie Bart Mulvihill. Shields, a nurse, has been very persistent in campaigning for more medical care in Kihei and Lahaina, as well as school improvements.

Rep. Joe Bertram III in District 11 (South Maui) received the greatest applause from “his” community as he promised to continue “to love Kihei, whether I’m in the ocean or the office.”

Bertram’s party opponent, Michael Gingerich, insisted his “youthful energy is very vital” to Maui’s politics, but lost in the primary. Bertram will meet Republican George Fontaine in what is sure to be a heated race as Fontaine, a former police captain, exhibits a great amount of political potential and couth.

The timer ticked as voters questioned candidates face-to-face. Contenders had only eight minutes per group to convince citizens why they should represent Maui County as they replied to questions on such issues as transient vacation rentals (TVRs), water, development and energy conservation.

The hot topic of affordable housing—especially in South Maui—was on everyone’s mind, and a variety of dollar amounts were mentioned. Community participants were heard laughing at responses as some candidates considered over $300,000 as “affordable.”

“That is just insane,” said a concerned Kihei citizen. “Hardly anyone can afford that.”

“We need a specifically based land trust system where the state can support ‘real’ affordable housing,” said Fontaine. “We built for a niche market that’s just not there anymore. We need to take the speculation out of the market.”

Incumbent Councilwoman Jo Anne Johnson will most likely serve West Maui during her last term after receiving an impressive 11,106 primary votes. At the KCA forum, her soft-spoken challenger, Chayne Marten, actually thanked Johnson for her guidance during his campaign. Although Al Fukuyama has been absent from numerous forums, he scored a spot in the General Election.

Norman Vares and Joe Gannon fell short Saturday, as Don Couch and Wayne Nishiki will compete in November for the South Maui Council seat. Former Councilman Nishiki may have his hands full during the remainder of the campaign, as Couch’s persistent push for the seat earned him a respectable number of votes in the primary—nearly 6,000.

“I have the experience and the balance to do right for South Maui,” said Couch. “If you truly want change, you can’t go back to the past.”

When discussing TVRs, all of Lana‘i’s prospects were in favor of community, not state, regulation.

“We need to let individual communities plan their own updates,” said John Ornellas. “I wouldn’t try to tell Kihei what to do, but I think I should be trusted to do right by the people of Lana‘i.”

Ornellas squeezed into the final ballot next to seasoned politician Sol Kaho‘ohalahala. Ornellas will have to step up his campaigning to defeat Kaho‘ohalahala, who received nearly 10,000 votes. They beat out three others for a chance to take command of term-limited Riki Hokama’s seat, both campaigning to alleviate current tribulations in Lana‘i’s job market and water supply. “We need to seriously look at alternative ways to make water,” said Kaho‘ohalahala.

“I live on and love that island (Lana‘i),” said Ornellas.

Other nonpartisan council candidates were invited to participate at the KCA forum that were not on the primary ballot, but are on their way to the general election.

East Maui Councilman Bill Medeiros may have a bigger challenge than he thought with opponent Lucienne de Naie. Although Medeiros has strong roots in the rural Hawaiian community, his opponent has a multi-layered background in water, land use and energy, as well as serving as executive assistant for Councilmember Michelle Anderson in South Maui. De Naie’s ties in East and South Maui could make for an interesting race.

“I have great knowledge of many issues,” said De Naie. “I would love to put my expertise and caring to work for you.”

The 2008 Primary Election produced a low voter turnout—out of the 82,422 registered, only 21,047 (13,285 precinct, 7,762 absentee) voted last Saturday, according to the Office of Elections. For the complete 2008 Primary Election results, visit http://hawaii.gov/elections.

Former councilmembers and incumbents took command in round one, but anything can happen in the weeks before the general on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

The KCA will host a General Election “speed dating” format forum on Tuesday, Oct. 21. For more information, visit www.gokihei.org or call (808) 879-5390.

Reminiscent of ancient times, white coral lines the trail near the Kihei Boat Ramp.

Maui Weekly | Thursday, August 28, 2008 | Scott Broadbent

Kihei Community Association discusses coastal paths and the efforts to create and maintain the historic corridor.  At the Tuesday, Aug. 19, meeting of the Kihei Community Association (KCA), coastal paths and the efforts to create and maintain the South Maui Coastal Heritage Corridor were discussed.

Hundreds of years before French explorer La Perouse landed near Makena, Hawaiian fishermen and farmers, or maka ‘ainana, settled the dry leeward coast in the shadow of Haleakala, tending crops and fishing the waters in outrigger canoes. They carefully maintained trails that joined the moku (districts) and the ahupua‘a, or ribbons of land that ran from the mountains to the shore.

The thin coastal strip we now know as South Maui bustled with activity. Fish ponds and ko‘a—shrines to the gods of fishing—were abundant.

As whalers, traders, ranchers and missionaries arrived, the landscape slowly changed. Fields replaced forests, laborers from other lands planted new crops and waves of American immigrants discovered the sunny shores. Soon resorts and hotels were springing up and coastal paths were all but forgotten.

KCA Boardmember and longtime trail proponent Bob Richardson presented slides and maps showing the progress of the South Maui Coastal Heritage Corridor, which was first proposed in the mid-1990s. In 2001, Bob and his wife, Lis, began clearing an overgrown footpath between the Kihei Surfside Resort and the Boat Ramp. The following year, they attended a KCA meeting where they learned of a larger effort to build a Cultural Heritage Corridor with interpretive signage from Ma‘alaea to Makena was already underway. The initiative was led by a committee chaired by Helen Felsing and KCA members Joe Bertram III and Kimokeo Kapahulehua.

In 2003, the Richardsons recruited friends and neighbors to help with the growing effort and founded Hoaloha ‘Aina (Friends of the Land), which still meets every Monday morning to clear and maintain the path.

The following year, KCA members, officials from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Maui police and other concerned groups met and determined the main challenge to the coastal area was severe runoff into the ocean. As a result, “Jersey barriers” were erected and almost immediately, the effort to clean and clear the area and construct the pathway showed progress.

Later that year, the Richardsons believe fate intervened. A storm brought a large quantity of white coral to shore. Kapahulehua, a Hawaiian cultural historian, explained that the ancient Hawaiians had lined trails with white coral, which illuminated the pathways at night by star and moonlight. The coral has now been utilized for that purpose from the Surfside Resort to Kamaole Park III.

Several entities have assisted with the project, said Richardson. “Under the supervision of Cheryl Sterling, the Maui County Office of Economic Development has provided vital funding through grants from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority,” he said. “Without them, none of the trail improvements or dune restoration would have been possible.”

The state also played an important role. “DLNR Land Agents Larry Pacheco and Daniel Ornellas paved the way for us,” said Richardson. He also praised Stuart Funke-d Egnuff and the staff of the Tri-Isle Resource Conservation and Development Council, a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture that empowers communities to improve themselves while protecting and developing their natural resources.

Richardson narrated slides showing the trail from the Kihei Boat Ramp to Waipuilani Park. In some of the resort areas, he pointed out grass and irrigation systems on state land. “Some have worked with us,” he said, “by removing barbecues and planting native plants.” In other areas, he explained, homeowners have built rock walls and planted hedges that restrict or block access.

“Some areas are simply not accessible,” said Richardson, such as the area along Halama Street, which is rocky and has homes built at the edge of the shore. “Rock walls built at Kalama Park have affected the natural cycle of the dunes and the ocean is actually moving closer to the homes.”

In those areas, the path will need to run mauka of the homes along the road, he said. In other areas, such as Kama‘ole and Kalama parks, the path appears to end when it reaches grassy areas. The planning committees, Richardson explained, felt a distinct pathway through the parks would not be aesthetically pleasing or appropriate.

Following the presentations, attendees broke up into roundtable groups as KCA boardmembers and DLNR officials circulated, and then presented their ideas and concerns. Group spokespersons Jon Miller, Susan Wyche, Bob Pickering, Cindy Kern and Maury King shared their groups’ thoughts and priorities. Among them: utilizing native plants; providing adequate trash, recycling and ashtray receptacles; creating a standing KCA committee to oversee the trail; and inviting sponsors and community groups to “adopt” portions of the path. Additional ideas included consulting environmental and cultural experts, providing necessary security and enforcement, providing adequate restroom facilities and seeking grants for funding.

A great deal of the conversation focused on signage. The groups recommended consistent, standardized signage that fits in with the environment along the entire trail length, utilizing the signage to educate hikers, numbering the markers for security and enforcement purposes, creating a distinct logo and having a plan to respond quickly to signage that has been stolen or damaged by graffiti.

The public is invited to attend the next KCA meeting, on Tuesday, Sept. 16, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Kihei Community Center on Lipoa Street. Candidates for the primary election will be on-hand to discuss their views.

Maui Weekly

The KCA has its committees set and its work laid out in lists. Now what is needed is people—members, new and renewed—to bring the plan to life.The Kihei Community Association describes itself as “an organization of South Maui citizens working for and within the local community—and with government, developers and other community organizations—to realize and ensure the vision of Kihei as a town within a park.” On posters promoting the association’s monthly meetings, those words are followed by, “We’d like to work with you, too. Won’t you join us?” The plea, “join us,” echoed through many of the presentations at the meeting on Jan. 17.

Each board member made a quick presentation about one committee or group of projects, and the list was impressive, but one element of the message was always the same. “Come, help us make this happen.” KCA President David Frazier even dubbed 2006 “the year of the volunteer.”

South Maui Community Prosecutor Jerrie Sheppard, who has recently been recalled from that Kihei posting to regular deputy-prosecutor duties for the county, introduced 15 members of the Kalama Park Action Team (KPAT). She also introduced recently appointed acting Maui Police Captain Ramos, who stayed through the entire meeting, listening intently and participating. KPAT, Sheppard assured the crowd of over 75 local residents, will continue to patrol Kalama Park and to do clean-ups, brush reduction and other work needed to convince the drug dealers and other people abusing the park that “this is our park, not your place to do with as you will.”

Lt. Ramos (acting Capt.) reported that even after the KPAT patrol left the park, he had stayed on and… “It looks like they’re ‘onto your game.’ It stayed pretty quiet.”

Sheppard ended with, “Be part of our group. Join us. Do the patrol once. Then, if it’s not your thing, that’s OK.”

Joe Bertram then used the success of KPAT in reclaiming Kalama Park as an object lesson. “They came up with a vision, and what happened?” His answer was, that because of the vision for Kalama Park, we now have a whale we can be proud of there, patrols that are working to curb crime, funding to build a lighted walking path around the park and an improved skateboard facility in the works. The same success, he suggested, could be achieved throughout South Maui if enough people come forward to help the KCA board and committee members do their volunteer work.

A spokesperson from Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) then announced the whale-related events planned for South Maui during the month of February. The annual Parade of Whales and Whale Day celebration will be Feb. 18. The Great Whale Count will be on Feb. 26. And a half-marathon and 5K run will be held Feb. 11, in cooperation with Valley Isle Roadrunners. For information on the parade, celebration and count—particularly volunteering to help with any of them—or to register for the races, call PWF at 249-8811. For more information on the races, call Merrill Kaufman at 280-3163.

The last community announcement before the KCA committee reports was from the Pump Don’t Dump group. “We’ve made progress with the help of a lot of people,” the spokesman said, urging more people to show up for demonstrations and otherwise pitch in. Details are available on the Web: PumpDontDump.com.

Board member reports began with a plea for increased membership from Barry Allison. Pointing to the pages of projects taped to the wall, he asked everyone to bring “10 friends.” Frazier added that the memberships that could be recruited would not necessarily have to be people willing to pitch in, reminding everyone that the voice of South Maui is heard in government through the numbers, meaning higher membership counts.

Don Becker was able to report from the Drugs and Crime committee that bicycles have been donated, so we will soon be able to put bike-mounted police on patrol in Kihei. He said the committee is also preparing to work with the neighborhood watch program.

Matt Kosek, speaking for the Planning & Development committee, said that the series of community workshops held in the past have provided a great deal of information that is being put to good use as the committee reviews development plans and does its own planning for the future of Kihei. He also said we should expect new community workshops in the future to clarify what the citizens want in many areas, including the use of open spaces.

Open Space committee chair George Rixey spoke of the years that have already been put in protecting and planning Kihei’s open spaces and the progress made. The committee is currently working to select a professional planner to formalize plans that can be submitted as an amendment to the Kihei-Makena Community Plan. “We wanted to see a pedestrian-oriented community with some control of development,” he said, and suggested that we are moving in that direction.

Bertram spoke on behalf of the committee overseeing plans for streets, bikeways and greenways. He reported that the “stop the stoplights” program seems to be having some success. “We’re looking at roundabouts. We’re looking at traffic calming,” he said. He’s looking at “full funding for a permanent roundabout” and expanding the work on the South Maui Coastal Heritage Trail. He said he believes the greenway through Maui, formerly envisioned as a roadway and greenway, can still be put through the entire length of Kihei as a greenway trail. “We want to see this within a year, and we think we can do that.”

On the subject of parks, Tom Bigelow said that KCA “is going to take a little different approach.” Bertram added that, since the county doesn’t provide such a thing, “we’ll have our own South Maui parks commission.” Frazier said the issue is “close to [his] heart,” adding, “we have everyone coming over to use these parks. From Kahului to Kula—everyone comes.” He stressed the need to find funding to maintain the parks.

The committee formerly known as Ocean Concerns is now Environmental Issues, headed by Dave Mackwell. He spoke of the success the Pump Don’t Dump campaign is having and of the need to mitigate flood dangers, deal with seaweed accumulation problems, manage and nourish beaches, and handle the issue of the coqui frogs. He also suggested that a different management plan might allow the beach sand north of the Maui Lu to build a bigger beach rather than dumping itself into South Kihei Road there. Other issues will surely be taken up, but the committee really needs more volunteers and more attention from the community.

The committee for a High School in Kihei is chaired by Yvienne Peterson, who invited Marina Batham to speak with her. They reported significant progress toward having a high school built in Kihei by Everett Dowling. Dowling will have the site selected by Feb. 10, and will have contracts with most of the needed engineers as well as both site plans and floor plans “on his desk” by that date. Batham is speaking with Dowling weekly to keep herself and KCA apprised of progress. “I’m happy to say that Everett Dowling—who is getting private funding and getting legislation written—has made this his top priority,” Batham said.

Every committee asked for volunteers and encouraged South Maui people to join KCA and, at the very least, add their membership as an additional number for which KCA board members speak when they meet with the mayor or testify in the county council.

After the meeting of KCA, all board members and committee chairs stayed to hear from, speak to, and encourage citizens. The response, in terms of new memberships, renewals and volunteers was, according to one board member, “heartening at least—mayb…

Joseph W. Bean

The KCA’s meeting on the South Maui environment covered many interrelated issues, including a new subdivision and an Environmental Resource Center.

Kihei Community Association President David Frazier gave about 75 South Maui residents a recap of the testimony he delivered to the county council’s budget committee on March 28 and April 12.

What Frazier, speaking on behalf of the KCA, has asked for totals about $6 million in new, renewed or reinstated appropriations in the flscal year 2007 county budget. Items include park improvements and maintenance, a sidewalk for the heavily used and currently dangerous stretch of South Kihei road between Kama‘ole III and Keawakapu, the construction of a permanent roundabout at Liloa and Pi‘ikea, work on the area’s drainage systems to avoid fiooding in wet weather and much more. He also distributed copies of his April 12 testimony. The council will flnalize the budget and return it to the mayor for flnal approval on May 31.

Michael Moran announced that the Pump Don’t Dump group will have another demonstration to urge tour boat operators to pump onboard toilets—or to shame them into doing the right thing. Demonstrators (with signs) are to meet at the Keawakapu (north) parking lot at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 29. The meeting at the Kihei Community Center on Tuesday, April 18, was designated as the KCA’s meeting on the environment. However, when a developer has a project ready for public comment, the organization makes time to hear the plan at the next community meeting. Rick Armour, Mitch Hirano and Jim Neise showed site maps of a 12-lot development to be built mauka of the Island Surf building with a “very small” frontage on Auhana Street. The two-story, market-price units, according to Hirano, is a “project intended to be developed for local residents.” The utilities for the property will be underground, and the one burial site found there will be isolated as a set-aside space not included in any of the lots. The plan is currently seeking Special Management Area approval and, very importantly, the developers are joining the coqui frog eradication effort since their land is heavily infested.

The KCA planning and development committee seemed pleased with the presentation and the crowd did too. County of Maui Environmental Director Rob Parsons showed slides of the wetlands cleanup in the area immediately south of St. Theresa’s Church where the wetland crosses (under) South Kihei Road. The importance of clearing the water hyacinth, water lettuce and other introduced species, Parsons explained, is heightened by the fact that “there are about a dozen native species there, too.” As we have learned so often on Maui, our native plants are not good competitors for space or resources against introduced/invasive species.

The water hyacinth makai of South Kihei Road have been cleared and re-cleared many times, but mauka of the road, water lettuce is the problem. “Someone probably just threw an ornamental in there,” Parsons said. Now, between cleanings, the water is solidly covered with the invasive plants. There are also mangroves and grasses that have to be removed to allow the wetland to return to its natural state, and funding is currently being arranged for major cleanup in the area.

Work will be able to move more rapidly and in a more environmentally sound way when the composting site near the South Maui water treatment plant is reopened—sometime soon.

Representatives of the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC) spoke next. Joylynn Oliveira urged people to report invasive species of plants and animals by calling 573-MISC (6472). She also explained that MISC is happy to help with the control and removal of invasive species on private property, but said “we need permission.” That, of course, could be a hurdle if John Doe is reporting an invasive growth on Jane Roe’s property. Adam Radford put the coqui frog issue on Maui in perspective by pointing out that the noisy frogs have populated over 7,000 acres on the Big Island, while Maui’s core population covers only 156 acres. Of course, for a citizen living on or near one of those few acres, the problem is the same. Still, it suggests that current efforts possibly can succeed in the battle to free Maui of the coqui frog.

Parsons then explained his idea for converting the 2,250 square foot Montana Beach home on 1.5 acres near Baldwin Beach (now owned by the county) into an Environmental Resource Center (ERC). The plan is to have the building provide both offlce homes for environmental groups and exhibit space about Maui’s environment. The idea is controversial, of course, but Parsons believes it is more appropriate to make good public use of the property than to allow it to deteriorate or to destroy it. He wants the property “to provide a place for residents and visitors to learn about current environmental issues… and volunteer and job opportunities in conservation organizations.”

Finally, Cheryl King of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund, whose special project has long been the Hawksbill Recovery Program, spoke eloquently of the profound danger faced by Maui’s (and Hawai‘i’s) sea turtles. “No beaches, no turtles,” was King’s theme. If we don’t preserve beaches that are acceptable nesting places for sea turtles, the turtles are doomed to extinction. Some people, she recognized, might be thinking the French Frigate Shoals; where a great many sea turtles nest, should somehow be enough, allowing us to light and use our beaches as we choose. That, said King, “is putting all the eggs in one basket.” She also pointed out that the shoals are—well, shoals, meaning they are former islands now sinking into the sea.

King said there are hawksbill turtles nesting in South Maui. “They like it here for some reason. These are local turtles. They are not going to go to California, and… they’re a really endangered species. There may be as many as 50 to 70 nesting females in all of Hawai‘i.”

Turtle-safe beaches, King explained, are dark, quiet (free of dogs, cars and people), safely away from roads. They have accessible dunes and only the native vegetation with which the turtles are equipped to contend. She speciflcally described Kawililipoa Beach in Kihei as “our jewel” among potentially salvageable, truly turtle-friendly beaches. “Three turtles have used this beach [for nesting], and all have been very successful.”

King is quite sure it is not too late to save the honu, green sea turtle, and holds onto the hope that the ‘ea, the hawksbill, can also be saved, but only if we act now and are willing, as she put it, “to think long-term.”

To volunteer to help King with turtle nests or with the effort to create and maintain turtle-safe beaches, reach her by e-mail at shezking@yahoo.com.

Traffic, water supply, parks and a new high school, were some of the South Maui topics tackled by the mayor at the recent KCA meeting.

Mayor Alan Arakawa performed like a dyed-in-the-wool star at the February community meeting of the Kihei Community Association (KCA). KCA, as association President David Frazier puts it, “is rapidly becoming a bandwagon of activism and community service. Get on board!”

At the next meeting of KCA, the speakers will be County Council budget and finance chair Dain Kane and South Maui’s Councilmember Michelle Anderson. Their appearance at KCA will be a full week after they have officially seen the mayor’s budget for fiscal year 2007. All South Maui residents are urged to attend the meeting. Meantime, Arakawa wasn’t shy about explaining the priorities South Maui can expect to see emphasized in the new budget.

The evening opened, as usual, with announcements. The executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maui, Colin Hanlon, and a staff member spoke of the success they are having in controlling activities at the Kalama Park skate park. They also asked for adults to support their young monitors. They explained at an earlier Kalama Park Action Team meeting that they are trying to get more helmets for skaters, but they added the call for adult volunteers.

Joe Bertram III spoke of a change in the perspective involved in Maui planning of roads. The shift, he said, is from cars-first and fast-as-possible traffic patterns to pedestrian safety as the No. 1 priority.

The Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission also presented a rough idea of their plans for the land they lease from the state by the Kihei Boat Ramp.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answered questions from those attending the meeting. He prefaced his talk with this: “If I don’t answer your question completely, please let me know, and I’ll try to complete the answer for you.”

He was asked where the proposed Kihei High School will be built. It is coming and he was able to display a map (see photo on page 2) of what he believes is the most likely site. “All of this has to be approved by the council,” Arakawa said. He also explained that the 150-acre site mauka of Pi‘ilani Highway, meant to accommodate South Maui’s need for a high school, a police station and a homeless shelter, is not all usable land. He also mentioned that Everett Dowling is working on other ideas. “You cannot build one continuous campus here,” but it is a place that a high school can be situated. Many people during and after the meeting expressed hopes that the site plan would be changed before actual planning and groundbreaking.

When questioned about whether Maui has sufficient water supply, the mayor answered without hesitation. “On Maui, we actually have an estimated 800 million gallons per day of water available. Right now, we use 30 million gallons domestically.” Any “drought” or shortage, he explained, “was from not developing and properly managing supply.”

A South Maui resident wanted to know why parks, especially restrooms in parks, are not better maintained. “We do spend a lot of money in this area, but I can’t mandate…,” the mayor said. What it amounted to is that the mayor can’t force people to behave decently or put the seat up when using the toilet. “There’s no law that I can create,” he said, “that says people cannot be stupid.” Vandalism and sloppy users, he said, are the problem.

Another citizen asked why he has not yet seen solar power on the roof of any of the county’s public buildings. The mayor said that alternative-energy options are being considered, but solar power for county buildings is too expensive at this point.

When the discussion turned to the long anticipated South Maui Regional Park, the mayor said he hoped the first phase of the park’s development will be in the 2007 budget as passed by the County Council. (Remember that next month’s KCA meeting features the budget chair and South Maui’s councilmember.)

A question about when a roundabout might actually be built on Maui drew a more definite answer. “It’s in design right now,” Arakawa said, explaining that a “test roundabout” is in the works for the intersection of Pi‘ikea and Liloa near Safeway.

There were, of course, more questions than can be reported here. About 170 South Maui people showed up for this meeting, but the room could accommodate at least 350.

Here are a few of the other questions with very abbreviated answers:

What if all state roads were put under county control? That would be good. The mayor would like having all roadways together in one plan, “provided they send the money with” the road authority.

Can we be assured that parks assessment money collected from local developers will be spent here? South Maui, Arakawa said, “can be very assured of that.”

Will Kihei get a new hospital? The mayor responded: We’re waiting for state-level determination about where a new hospital will be built—South Maui, Central Maui, or both—but it is needed.

What about the exporting of sand from Maui to O‘ahu? The mayor is asking council to put a stop to it.

The mayor called on Don Couch, Rob Parsons and other members of his team to supply information as he answered questions. Then he and many of his administration associates stayed after the meeting to take more questions.

The next community meeting of the KCA will be Tuesday, March 21, at the Kihei Community Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the meeting will be 6:30 to 8 p.m. Kalama Park Action Team meets at 5:30. Beverages and pupu will be provided.

In October 2004, citizens decided they could make a difference in a dangerous and out-of-control South Maui park. “Anyone who doesn’t see the changes… is just not looking.”

Have you noticed how Kalama Park has changed over the last year? It is no longer a place where a shooting, a stabbing or a gallery of drug dealers waiting for customers would be expected. There’s a very good reason for that.

Readers of Maui Weekly may barely have noticed a small photo published here on Oct. 7, 2004. The caption read, “Sergeant Jamie Becraft, right, looks on as Don Couch, executive assistant to Mayor Alan Arakawa, takes notes at the first training meeting of the Kalama Park Citizen’s Patrol organized by Community Prosecutor Jerrie Shepherd. Maui Police Officer Brad Hickle (left), a familiar and active participant in Kihei-area community action—surprised everyone by attending the meeting in uniform. South Maui residents who are interested in joining the citizen’s patrols should call Shepherd.”

Community organizations kick off high-minded plans all the time. Maybe the reporter for that brief mention suspected that the gathering in Kalama Park on Oct. 7 was no exception to the rule: that the kick-off and the fade-to-blank are usually separated by little action, no real effect and a quick quieting of discussion. That reporter was the same journalist who is addressing you now. Yes, that was me, and yes, I spelled Jerrie Sheppard’s name incorrectly.

 Nothing could be better than to discover that Hickle and Becraft were right about what Sheppard started then. It should be mentioned that Couch was dedicated to the proposition that citizens’ patrols could change Kalama Park. He threw himself into the program and provided the first patrol uniform shirts. Everyone, including your cynical journalist, wanted to believe. Fortunately, a healthy handful of South Maui people didn’t just believe, they acted on their belief.

One patrol member, one of the first to show up for a patrol with what became known as the Kalama Park Action Team (KPAT), was away from the patrol program for almost a year before returning on Wednesday, Jan. 25. “I see the change. I see real changes,” he said when your reporter joined the patrol on Friday, Jan. 27. Anyone who doesn’t see the changes, it seems, is just not looking.

Before the Friday patrol walked from its meeting place in the police-car parking area near Foodland, Hickle came out to chat with the patrollers. He spoke of specific encounters with individuals known to most of us, including one he had expelled from the park the night before. He and Sheppard talked about the previous day’s discovery of major graffiti in the park and the quick action of parks department employees in painting over it. Actually, it seemed that his main purposes in coming out were to be sure we all felt good about what we were doing and to be sure we knew that Lt. Ramos (Acting Captain Ramos, at the moment) would not be free to join us on the patrol.

We were a group of eight. We walked from the area behind Aroma d’Italia to the center of the Kalama Village shopping complex, where we picked up flashlights and a clipboard with forms on which to report any incidents or discoveries. At that point, Sheppard called the police dispatch desk to let them know we were beginning the patrol.

For an hour and a half, we strolled around, usually together, sometimes trailing off into two or three groups. We noted graffiti and recent clean-ups. One stenciled duck image spray-painted on the bridge over the stream had not been painted out. A young man came over to tell us that the duck was an emblem used by a group from Kahului.

The people in the park, young and old, seemed to fall into three camps concerning the presence of the patrol. The majority ignored or didn’t notice us. A smaller group greeted and seemed glad to see us there. The remaining minority offered thanks for our efforts in a snide way that was unsettling, but not directly confrontational.

The skate park—half-pipe—is officially closed, with a chain locked across the floor to prevent unauthorized use. Nonetheless, we could hear a skater zipping back and forth with a little skip in the hiss of the wheels as he jumped the chain. As we approached, someone behind us shouted, “Skater! Cops in the park.” He repeated his warning several times, and the half-pipe was empty and quiet by the time we arrived.

Frankly, the worst offenses noted in the 90-minute walk were the stench in the unwashed men’s rooms—almost unbearable in one of them—and the scattering of trash in the stream. All the trash and broken glass had been cleaned out of the stream just six days earlier, but soda bottles and juice boxes bobbed in the water, broken glass was scattered on a concrete bridge footing, and crumpled paper was caught in the grass and weeds. “This doesn’t blow in from the street,” one patroller noted, pointing to a chain-link fence that would prevent that from happening.

The stroll was not a stern or laborious affair. It was more a gathering of friends taking a walk together, stopping to notice damage and threats as well as recent corrections.

One suspected drug dealer was noticed, but we just stayed in view in his area for a while, perhaps disrupting his usual commerce. KPAT is not the police. As the policies written by Sheppard for the patrol say, “We are not to be confrontational….  That’s for police and parks security. Our purpose is to be a presence that invites legit use….”

KPAT, recently formalized as a committee of the Kihei Community Association, meets just before the KCA community meeting on the third Tuesday of each month. Their leadership passes around among the members of the action team. If you are interested in joining the patrol, call Patricia at 879-5654, or just go to the next meeting at the Kihei Community Center at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Patrolling Kalama Park has made a difference. It will continue to have a positive influence on the area, making the park safer, cleaner and more inviting for, as Sheppard put it, “legit use.” What’s more, it really is a fun way to spend a little time any Wednesday or Friday evening.

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  Copyright © 2007 The Maui Weekly.

The KCA has its committees set and its work laid out in lists. Now what is needed is people—members, new and renewed—to bring the plan to life.

The Kihei Community Association describes itself as “an organization of South Maui citizens working for and within the local community—and with government, developers and other community organizations—to realize and ensure the vision of Kihei as a town within a park.” On posters promoting the association’s monthly meetings, those words are followed by, “We’d like to work with you, too. Won’t you join us?” The plea, “join us,” echoed through many of the presentations at the meeting on Jan. 17.

Each board member made a quick presentation about one committee or group of projects, and the list was impressive, but one element of the message was always the same. “Come, help us make this happen.” KCA President David Frazier even dubbed 2006 “the year of the volunteer.”

South Maui Community Prosecutor Jerrie Sheppard, who has recently been recalled from that Kihei posting to regular deputy-prosecutor duties for the county, introduced 15 members of the Kalama Park Action Team (KPAT). She also introduced recently appointed acting Maui Police Captain Ramos, who stayed through the entire meeting, listening intently and participating. KPAT, Sheppard assured the crowd of over 75 local residents, will continue to patrol Kalama Park and to do clean-ups, brush reduction and other work needed to convince the drug dealers and other people abusing the park that “this is our park, not your place to do with as you will.”

Lt. Ramos (acting Capt.) reported that even after the KPAT patrol left the park, he had stayed on and… “It looks like they’re ‘onto your game.’ It stayed pretty quiet.”

Sheppard ended with, “Be part of our group. Join us. Do the patrol once. Then, if it’s not your thing, that’s OK.”

Joe Bertram then used the success of KPAT in reclaiming Kalama Park as an object lesson. “They came up with a vision, and what happened?” His answer was, that because of the vision for Kalama Park, we now have a whale we can be proud of there, patrols that are working to curb crime, funding to build a lighted walking path around the park and an improved skateboard facility in the works. The same success, he suggested, could be achieved throughout South Maui if enough people come forward to help the KCA board and committee members do their volunteer work.

A spokesperson from Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) then announced the whale-related events planned for South Maui during the month of February. The annual Parade of Whales and Whale Day celebration will be Feb. 18. The Great Whale Count will be on Feb. 26. And a half-marathon and 5K run will be held Feb. 11, in cooperation with Valley Isle Roadrunners. For information on the parade, celebration and count—particularly volunteering to help with any of them—or to register for the races, call PWF at 249-8811. For more information on the races, call Merrill Kaufman at 280-3163.

The last community announcement before the KCA committee reports was from the Pump Don’t Dump group. “We’ve made progress with the help of a lot of people,” the spokesman said, urging more people to show up for demonstrations and otherwise pitch in. Details are available on the Web: PumpDontDump.com.

Board member reports began with a plea for increased membership from Barry Allison. Pointing to the pages of projects taped to the wall, he asked everyone to bring “10 friends.” Frazier added that the memberships that could be recruited would not necessarily have to be people willing to pitch in, reminding everyone that the voice of South Maui is heard in government through the numbers, meaning higher membership counts.

Don Becker was able to report from the Drugs and Crime committee that bicycles have been donated, so we will soon be able to put bike-mounted police on patrol in Kihei. He said the committee is also preparing to work with the neighborhood watch program.

Matt Kosek, speaking for the Planning & Development committee, said that the series of community workshops held in the past have provided a great deal of information that is being put to good use as the committee reviews development plans and does its own planning for the future of Kihei. He also said we should expect new community workshops in the future to clarify what the citizens want in many areas, including the use of open spaces.

Open Space committee chair George Rixey spoke of the years that have already been put in protecting and planning Kihei’s open spaces and the progress made. The committee is currently working to select a professional planner to formalize plans that can be submitted as an amendment to the Kihei-Makena Community Plan. “We wanted to see a pedestrian-oriented community with some control of development,” he said, and suggested that we are moving in that direction.

Bertram spoke on behalf of the committee overseeing plans for streets, bikeways and greenways. He reported that the “stop the stoplights” program seems to be having some success. “We’re looking at roundabouts. We’re looking at traffic calming,” he said. He’s looking at “full funding for a permanent roundabout” and expanding the work on the South Maui Coastal Heritage Trail. He said he believes the greenway through Maui, formerly envisioned as a roadway and greenway, can still be put through the entire length of Kihei as a greenway trail. “We want to see this within a year, and we think we can do that.”

On the subject of parks, Tom Bigelow said that KCA “is going to take a little different approach.” Bertram added that, since the county doesn’t provide such a thing, “we’ll have our own South Maui parks commission.” Frazier said the issue is “close to [his] heart,” adding, “we have everyone coming over to use these parks. From Kahului to Kula—everyone comes.” He stressed the need to find funding to maintain the parks.

The committee formerly known as Ocean Concerns is now Environmental Issues, headed by Dave Mackwell. He spoke of the success the Pump Don’t Dump campaign is having and of the need to mitigate flood dangers, deal with seaweed accumulation problems, manage and nourish beaches, and handle the issue of the coqui frogs. He also suggested that a different management plan might allow the beach sand north of the Maui Lu to build a bigger beach rather than dumping itself into South Kihei Road there. Other issues will surely be taken up, but the committee really needs more volunteers and more attention from the community.

The committee for a High School in Kihei is chaired by Yvienne Peterson, who invited Marina Batham to speak with her. They reported significant progress toward having a high school built in Kihei by Everett Dowling. Dowling will have the site selected by Feb. 10, and will have contracts with most of the needed engineers as well as both site plans and floor plans “on his desk” by that date. Batham is speaking with Dowling weekly to keep herself and KCA apprised of progress. “I’m happy to say that Everett Dowling—who is getting private funding and getting legislation written—has made this his top priority,” Batham said.

Every committee asked for volunteers and encouraged South Maui people to join KCA and, at the very least, add their membership as an additional number for which KCA board members speak when they meet with the mayor or testify in the county council.

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  Copyright © 2007 The Maui Weekly.