EVERY TEN YEARS, A MAUI CHARTER COMMISSION IS FORMED TO REVIEW PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE MAUI COMMUNITY CHARTER.

ONE OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES WILL AFFECT THE WAY COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES ARE ELECTED.

FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD REGARDING THIS AND OTHER PROPOSED CHANGES, NEXT ON INSIGHTS.

THE MAUI CHARTER COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING DOZENS OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNTY’S GOVERNING POLICIES WITH THE HOPES OF REFINING THE LIST TO A NUMBER THAT IS MANAGEABLE FOR VOTERS.

SOME OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES INCLUDE THE WAY COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ELECTED AND ABOLISHING THE MAUI PLANNING COMMISSION.

PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK ALLOWS THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THE PROPOSALS.

FEBRUARY 18TH DEADLINE FOR THE COMMISSION TO SUBMIT ITS FINAL LIST OF APPROVED CHARTER AMENDMENT QUESTIONS THAT WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.

YOU CAN EMAIL US OR CALL US WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.

WE ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE CONVERSATION ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.

ASHLEY OLSON IS A MEMBER OF THE MAUI CHARTER COMMISSION.

SHE ALSO WORKS FULL‑TIME AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AT LAHAINALUNA HIGH SCHOOL IN WEST MAUI AND IS ACTIVE IN THE HAWAII STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.

KAUANOE BATANGAN IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE MAUI CHARTER COMMISSION.

KAUANOE FOUNDED THE DANIEL K. AKAKA CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP, A PROGRAM TO ENSURE NATIVE HAWAIIAN ENGAGEMENT IN POLICYMAKING.

HE ALSO VOLUNTEERS HIS TIME WITH COMMON CAUSE HAWAII AND THE MAUI HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

DICK MAYER TAUGHT ECONOMICS AT MAUI COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR 34 YEARS.

HE HAS SERVED ON THE MAUI PLANNING COMMISSION, THE COMMUNITY PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THE GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

HE PRESENTLY COORDINATES THE ALLIANCE OF MAUI COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS.

ALBERT PEREZ IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ONE OF THE THREE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF MAUI TOMORROW, A NON‑PROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION.

HE EARNED HIS MASTERS DEGREE IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA.

RIKI HOKAMA IS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE MAUI COUNTY MAYOR.

FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS, RIKI WAS A MAUI COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER REPRESENTING THE ISLAND OF LANA’I.

HE ALSO SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES.

>>Yunji: THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

JUST THE BASICS SO VIEWERS ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

WHAT IS THIS COMMISSION AND HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU DESCRIBED IT BEAUTIFUL I EARLIER.

EVERY TEN YEARS, COMMISSION IS COMMISSIONED MANY COMES TOGETHER.

COUNCILMEMBERS PUT FORWARD A NAME.

PAIR PUTS FOWARD COUPLE OF TIMES.

WE SIT DOWN AND FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

NOT REALLY.

PRETTY CIVIL.

AND WE TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND COUNTY, GOVERNMENT OF MAUI COUNTY CAN BE IMPROVED.

I THINK VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE A REALLY CLEAR IDEA OF EXACTLY HOW POLICY AND GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS.

WE SURE ALL KNOW WHEN IT'S NOT FUNCTIONING WELL WE HAVE INPUT.

COMMUNITY HAS INPUT.

TRY TO WINNOW IT DOWN TO SOMETHING THAT WILL FIT WELL ON A BALLOT THAT'S VOTERS CAN SAY YES OR NO.

>>Yunji: CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT?

TELL US A LITTLE BIT HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED WITH THE COMMISSION AND I KNOW THAT FROM START TO EVEN WHERE IT NOW, YOU GUYS HAVE PUT FORWARD A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THEN WHITTLED THAT DOWN.

HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE WHAT GETS, WHAT ACTUALLY ENDS UP ON THE BALLOT?

>> I GET INVOLVED SAME WAY AS ASH ALLY DID.

MY COUNCILMEMBER, FOLLOW NOMINATED ME.

REST OF COUNCIL CONFIRMED ME.

ALLOWED ME TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS.

GOING FOR A YEAR NOW.

STARTED MARCH 2021.

ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING AMONGST OURSELVES TO ELECT THE CHAIR AND GOING OUT RULE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.

THEN HAD A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS SO IDEAS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

ORDINARILY, THOSE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT MAUI COUNTY.

BUT BECAUSE OF COVID, WE DID IT VIRTUALLY AND HAD EACH DIFFERENT MEETING FOCUS ON DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PLANNING AREA THROUGHOUT MAUI COUNTY.

RECEIVED BUNCH OF PROPOSALS.

ABOUT 150 OF THEM FROM THE PUBLIC.

FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND COMMISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SOME ARE PUT FORTH BY THE COMMISSIONERS THEMSELVES.

WE THEN ORGANIZED THOSE INTO ISSUE AREAS.

AND DECIDED WHICH ONES WE WANTED TO PUT FORTH FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

ULTIMATELY, DECIDED ADOPT FIVE ORIGINAL AMENDMENTS.

THOSE WERE THEN CONSOLIDATE THE INTO ABOUT 40 QUESTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE, PACKAGED IN A REPORT AND EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE REVIEWED AGAIN BY US AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

>>Yunji: YOU SEVERED ON THE COMMISSIONS THIS YEAR PAST.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND HOW, HE SAID HE STARTED, THEY STARTED WITH OVER 100.

DOWN TO ABOUT 40.

HOW MANYMENT ULTIMATELY DO YOU EXPECT TO COME ON THE BALLOT AND WHICH ONES RISE TO THE TOP?

>> NEVER ON CHARTER COMMISSION.

A LOT THE OTHER COMMISSION.

EVENTUALLY GET DUNN TO A NUMBER THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO READ AND SEND.

HOPEFULLY, BE ABLE TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS ON.

I SUSPECT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN MAYBE 12 TO 18.

AROUND THAT NUMBER.

MID TEEN.

HOPING THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ON CONSOLIDATE THEM.

16 MAGIC NUMBER.

TO GET DOWN TO.

MAIN POINT SOME OF THE 40 NOW SORT OF IT CONSOLIDATED IN INITIAL DRAFT, THOSE WILL HAVE TO BE WHITTLED DOWN, COMBINED, I SUSPECT SEVERAL OF THEM WILL BE THROWN OUT NOT AS IMPORTANT OR NECESSARY.

I THINK THEY'LL GET IT DOWN TO A NUMBER IN THE MID TEENS.

I'M HOPING THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.

QUESTION OF EDUCATING PUBLIC SO THAT'S PUBLIC WILL KNOW WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON.

NOT ONLY WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE, BUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

>> IF I FINISH UP WITH THAT.

WHOLE PROCESS OF THE CHARTER COMMISSION IS REALLY TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF MAUI COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND YOU ALL KNOW, WE ALL KNOW, COUNTY GROWN SO SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PAST 2 OR 3 DECADES.

THAT'S STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT MET NEEDS OF LET'S SAY 1970S, 80s AND 90s, MAY NOT ADEQUATE TO TAKE CARE OF NEED OF THE FUTURE.

>>Yunji: WHAT DO YOU SEE MOST IMPORTANT PROPOSAL TO COME FORTH SO FAR?

>> WELL, IT'S TOUGH TO CHOOSE YUNJI.

DEPENDS ON NUMBER OF THINGS.

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE PROPOSAL TO GET CHANGE THE WAY THAT THE CORPORATION COUNSEL IS APPOINTED.

RIGHT NOW, THEY WANT TO, RIGHT NOW, NOMINATED BY THE MAYOR.

AND APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.

I BELIEVE.

I HAVE TO SAY, I AM LIKE YOU, I SAW MOST OF THESE YESTERDAY.

AND MY EXPERTISE IS IN PLANNING.

SO THOSE ARE THE ONES I FOCUSED ON.

I DO THINK THAT THE WAY THAT'S CORPORATION COUNSEL HAS BEEN OPERATING, HAS NOT BEEN UNFORTUNATELY, HAS NOT BEEN FOR THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

SEEMS TO BE OPERATING MORE AS AN ARM OF THE MAYOR.

AND SO COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MAYBE TWO TO FOUR YEARS AGO, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, THEY ACTUALLY MADE AMENDMENT TO PROVIDED ATTORNEY FOR THE COUNCIL, OFFICE OF COUNCIL SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO THAT.

BUT THE WAY THAT'S BEING PROPOSED NOW, I BELIEVE THERE'S GOING TO BE INDEPENDENT SELECTION COMMISSION THAT WILL NOMINATE PEOPLE WHO THE MAYOR CAN CHOOSE FROM AND I THINK THAT WILL DO A LOT TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH THE CORPORATION COUNSEL IN THE PAST.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GET YOUR EXPERTISE ON PLANNING ACTUALLY.

IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THAT.

WE ALLUDED TO THAT AT THE TOP.

THAT'S MAY PLANNING COMMISSION COULD BE ABOLISHED AND REPLACED IN DIFFERENT WAY.

CAN YOU TELL OUR VIEWERS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROPOSAL AND WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON IT?

>> YEAH.

SO PROPOSAL IS TO CREATE SEPARATE PLANNING COMMISSIONS FOR EACH OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN DISTRICTS.

I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY GOOD PROPOSAL.

>> RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S PROPOSING THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE MAUI PLANNING COMMISSION.

BUT I LIKE THE IDEA BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE MAUI PLANNING COMMISSION IS DOING TO HAVE LOCAL REPRESENTATION.

FROM EACH OF THE AREAS.

YOU COULD HAVE EVERYBODY FROM KAHULUI IF YOU WANTED TO.

BUT THIS WAY, AND NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS WILL BE DROPPED TO 7 FROM THE CURRENT 9.

IF YOU'RE GETTING SOMEBODY FROM EACH OF THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS, YOU'RE GUARANTEED TO GET PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE LOCAL ISSUES.

I THINK LOCAL REPRESENTATION IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

>>Yunji: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

ABOUT THIS CHANGE?

THIS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

>> WELL, MY VIEW IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

I APPRECIATE THEY'RE BRINGING UP THIS PROPOSAL.

I'M NOT TOO KEEN ABOUT PROPOSAL TO CREATE SIX ISLAND PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE MAUI ISLAND.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF JURISDICTIONAL POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE SIX BOUNDARIES FOR SHORELINE MANAGEMENT POLICIES COULD DIFFER FROM EACH OTHER?

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS ISLANDWIDE ISSUES?

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO BRING FORTH TO THE COMMUNITY IS HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT US TO GROW YOUR GOVERNMENT?

AND ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR IT AND I THINK COMMISSION, HAS ASKED AUDITOR TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET SOME SENSE OF FINANCIAL OR FISCAL IMPACT THAT WILL COST PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE ONE.

FEW TAXPAYORS OF THIS COUNTY, WHAT MEANS TO PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAVE TO PAY.

PART OF THE BILL.

AND YOU KNOW, MY GROUP IS SHRINKING.

AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF.

MIDDLE CLASS.

AND MANY OF US ARE TIRED OF CARRYING EVERYBODY ELSE.

SO I THINK COST OF GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BE A FACTOR IN WHETHER OR NOT SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS WILL GO FORWARD.

>>Yunji: CAN I GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

I AM INTERESTED IN THE COST OF THIS BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AS ALL THE PROPOSAL, I'M LIKE ALBERT, LOOKING AT DOCUMENT LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY.

SO I DID MY BEST.

THERE'S A LOT ON THERE AND IT COULD COST SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO MAKE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE ON THERE.

WHERE WILL THE MONEY COME FROM AND WHAT IS THE SORT OF CONSIDERATION OF COST IN ALL OF THIS?

>> SO CONSIDERATION OF COST MAY COME OUT IN OUR INITIAL DISCUSSIONS.

SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD, WE NEED TO CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD.

>> PART OF WHY I ASKED AUDITOR FOR EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT PROPOSALS WE HAVE BEFORE US AND ONE OF THE PROPOSALS I PUT FORTH WAS TO GET COST ESTIMATE FOR EACH OF THE FUTURE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

CAN I ACTUALLY ADD ON TO THE CONVERSATION YOU HAD ABOUT MAUI COMMISSION.

>>Yunji: OF COURSE.

PLEASE.

>> ACTUALLY DEFER FROM MR. PEREZ ON THIS ONE.

I THINK IN PART BECAUSE WE HAVE A MAUI ISLAND PLAN AND WE NEED EMBODY RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING AUTHORITY FOR IMPLEMENTING THAT PLAN.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IT AS IT IS.

I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER HOKAMA THAT IT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY GROW THE COST OF OUR SIZE AND COST OF OUR GOVERNMENT.

A LOT OF THESE MEMBERS ARE GOING TO BE VOLUNTEERS, WE STILL HAVE TO STAFF EACH OF THOSE SIX COMMISSIONS THAT ARE CREATED.

I JUST THINK THAT DECENTRALIZED PLANNING IS GOING TO LEAD TO A LOT OF DIFFERING RULES AND REGULATIONS ACROSS THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PLANNED AREAS.

I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE REGIONAL PLANNING RATHER THAN SMALLER INDIVIDUAL SIZE PLANNING COMMISSIONS.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.

I SAW YOUR HAND GO UP THERE.

>> MY HAND IS UP.

I WAS THE ONE PROPOSED THIS IDEA.

INITIALLY TO THE COMMISSION.

IN THE PAST, RICKY ISLAND OF LANAI HAS ITS OWN PLANNING COMMISSION.

MOLOKAI HAS OWN PLANNING COMMISSION.

HANA IN REMOTE EAST MAUI HAS ITS OWN ADVISORY BODY.

THE AREAS WHERE ALL THE CHANGES WERE TAKING PLACE, KAHULUI, SOUTH MAUI, WEST MAUI, LAHAINA AREA, HAD NO PLANNING COMMISSION AT ALL.

SO THIS ATTEMPT DO WHAT LANAI AND MOLOKAI HAVE BEEN ABLE DO MANY YEARS NOW.

REGULATE AND GUIDE THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES FORWARD.

SO BY HAVING THE SEPARATE PLANNING COMMISSIONS FOR EACH OF THE AREA, HOPEFULLY BETTER DECISIONS WILL BE MADE.

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE COST SIDE OF IT.

THAT HAS TWO ELEMENTS.

YES, DOLLAR COSTS BUT I THINK BENEFITS WILL FAR OUTWEIGH THE COST OF MANNING AND SERVING AND SPONSORING AND WORKING WITH THESE VARIOUS COMMISSIONS.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A HUGE COST DO IT.

THESE CAN BE DONE VIRTUALLY.

THEY CAN BE DONE OVERNIGHT NIGHT TIME.

GENERAL PUBLIC CAN INTERACT.

PLANNING COMMISSION NEEDS 9 CAN IN THE MIDDLE OF WEEK WHEN NO WORKING PEOPLE AND RESIDENTS REALLY CAN PARTICIPATE.

THIS WILL ALLOW COMMUNITIES TO DECIDE THEIR OWN FUTURE.

AS FAR AS COSTS GO, COUNTY GROWN CONSIDERABLY.

RIGHT NOW, JUST ADDED THEIR TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX TO REVENUE BASE.

COUNTY OVERALL HAS GROWN.

PROPERTY VALUES HAVE GONE UP.

SO YES, IT MIGHT COST A FEW MILLION DOLLARS DO ALL OF THESE THINGS.

NOT JUST THIS ONE.

BUT ALL OF THE CHANGES.

I THINK THE COUNTY HAS GROWN SO THAT THIS PERCENTAGEWISE, OF THE BUDGET, IS NOT AS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT COMPARED TO THE BENEFITS THAT I THINK WE'LL GET.

>>Yunji: ACTUALLY, LOVE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS PROPOSAL.

WHAT YOU HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM YOUR FELLOW COMMISSION, MEMBERS ON THE CHARTER COMMISSION RIGHT NOW ON THIS.

>> I JUST REALLY BRIEFLY WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE PAY SOME OF THE LOWEST PROPERTY TAXES IN THE COUNTRY.

AND IF WE WERE TO ADD FEW DOLLARS PER $100,000 VALUATION, THEN IT SHOULD STILL, PEOPLE SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

AND WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH.

ALL THE POINTS ARE BEING BROUGHT UP THIS EVENING.

HAVE WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH.

YEAH, REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE LOCAL COMMUNITY‑BASED DECISIONMAKING AND YES, THEY'RE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A COORDINATE FACTOR FOR IT AT THE VERY LEAST, FOR ISLAND OF MAUI IF NOT FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

SO WE GO BACK AND FORTH AND I THINK ULTIMATELY, WHEN WE GET IT INTO ITS FINAL VERSION, I DO BELIEVE ABSOLUTELY THAT THIS IS GOING TO ULTIMATELY GO FORWARD TO THE BALLOT.

AND THEN IT WILL BE UP TO OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR US.

>>Yunji: ALBERT, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN AS WELL.

>> YEAH, DICK COVERED PART OF WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE COST.

LIKE TO POINT OUT THERE IS A COST WITH INAPPROPRIATE DECISIONS BEING MADE BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN YOUR AREA.

SO THERE'S A COST TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT AS HE ALSO ALLUDE TO, THESE MEETINGS HAPPEN DURING THE DAY AND PUBLIC NEEDS TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S MORE ACCESSIBLE.

HARD TO GET THERE AND IF YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE ANY OF THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE PUBLIC.

SO IF THERE'S A BAD DECISION THAT'S MADE, PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO CHALLENGE, THAT IS A COST AS WELL.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS SURE TO DRAW A LOT OF HEADLINES WITH THIS.

CHANGING THE WAY COUNTY COUNCILMEMBERS ARE ELECT.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THIS PROPOSED CHANGE IS AND WHY SOME FOLKS FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT.

>> LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND WHY WE HAVE THE SYSTEM WE DO NOW.

MAUI COUNTY IS FAIRLY UNIQUE, WE HAVE FOUR ISLANDS WITHIN OUR COUNTY.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE MORE REMOTE AND SMALLER, OR SMALLER POPULATED AREAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENTATION.

THEY HAVE HISTORIC IMPORTANCE TO OUR COUNTY.

PARTIALLY WHY WE DON'T HAVE DISTRICT VOTING AS WE DO NOW.

OR AS SOME OTHER COUNTIES DO.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ISLAND OF MOLOKAI AND ISLAND OF LANAI AND SMALLER REMOTE REGION OF HANA ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE ON THE COUNCIL.

BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF SMALL, IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO ENSURE DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATION.

AND SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW REQUIRES EVERY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL TO RUN COUNTY WIDE, AND WE HAVE DISTRICT RESIDENTS REQUIREMENTS.

SO HANA, MOLOKAI, LANAI, ARE ALL GUARANTEED SEATS.

RUNNING COUNTY WIDE DOES HAVE SOME PROBLEMS FOR DEMOCRACY THOUGH.

BECAUSE EACH COUNCILMEMBER PRIMARILY VOTED IN BY CONSTITUENTS FROM OUTSIDE OF THEIR DISTRICT.

IF YOU LIVE IN ONE SMALLER COMMUNITIES, IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT YOU WIN YOUR SEAT WITHOUT A SINGLE VOTE FROM YOUR DISTRICT.

SO THE IDEA OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY LITTLE CHALLENGED THERE.

WE WANTED TO CARVE ISLAND UP INTO THREE SMALLER DISTRICTS WITH THREE RESIDENCY AREAS.

>> INSTEAD OF RUNNING COUNTY WIDE AND VOTING FOR NINE MEMBERS, SINGLE PERSON WILL BE VOTING FOR THREE MEMBERS WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT.

IT MAKES DEMOCRACY LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND ALLOWS PEOPLE'S PREFERENCES TO BE BETTER REPRESENTED IN ELECTED OFFICIALS.

>>Yunji: YOU SERVED AS REPRESENTATIVE.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THIS PROPOSAL?

>> WELL, HISTORICALLY, TRIED VARIATIONS OF COUNCIL OR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MAKE UP.

HAVE THE AT LARGE, NINE.

HAD AT TIMES, CENTRAL MULTIMEMBER DISTRICT OF THREE MEMBERS.

AND THEN YOU HAD SIX MEMBERS COMING FROM INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS.

BUT YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT, MAY SAY, DISADVANTAGE TO RUN COUNTY WIDE, BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH A UNIQUE COUNTY AND YOU LOOK AT OUR CONSTITUTION OF TRYING TO MAINTAIN INTEGRITY OF BASIC ISLAND UNITS.

>> I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM BECAUSE ONE THING I THINK THAT, YES, I WAS FROM LANAI.

BUT BECAUSE I RAN COUNTY WIDE, HAD THE SAME RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PERSON IN HANA, PERSON ON MOLOKAI, PERSON IN KULA, LAHAINA, WAILUKU AND I THINK IT MADE ME A BETTER COUNCILMEMBER BECAUSE I HAD TO GO OUT TO THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS AND KNOW WHAT WAS THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION GOING TO DO IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY, FOR THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

I MEAN, IT'S INTERESTING WHEN PEOPLE GET UPSET INDIVIDUALS, TRYING TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE, REPLACE THE INDIVIDUAL.

I THINK THINKING SOME OF THIS PROPOSAL I'M SEEING IS WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO LEGISLATE THROUGH THE CHARTER?

GO TO YOUR COUNCIL HAVE IT DONE THROUGH THE ORDINANCE.

I THINK MR. MAYOR BRINGS UP A GREAT POINT.

PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE THEIR MEMBERS FROM THE VARIOUS INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.

COUNCIL CAN DO IT BY ORDINANCE.

>> IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A CHARTER AMENDMENT.

THEY'VE DONE IT THROUGH ORDINANCE WHEN I WAS THERE.

WE ALLOWED CERTAIN OTHER MAJOR COMMISSIONS LIKE POLICE AND FIRE TO ENSURE REPRESENTATION FROM SMALL COMMUNITIES.

IT'S THROUGH THE COUNTY CODE.

SO THAT'S SOME OF MY THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO BE DISCUSSING WITH THE COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN ASKING ME WHAT I THOUGHT OF THE PROPOSAL.

I'M GOING TO SAY SOME OF THE CHANGES ARE VERY GOOD.

WE SUPPORT IT.

SOMETHING JUST LEGISLATIVE.

ASK THE PEOPLE TO VOTE NO.

>>Yunji: DICK, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS?

WOULD IT BE BETTER TO ARE THIS CHANGE OR DOES THE WAY IT WORKS NOW ACTUALLY WORK?

>> TWO THINGS.

ONE, AS FAR AS PLANNING COMMISSION WE HAVE TO CHANGE IT CHARTER.

WE GOT TO BY ORDINANCE.

BECAUSE IN THE CHARTER RIGHT NOW, IT SAYS THERE WILL BE A MAUI PLANNING COMMISSION.

AND SO THE PROPOSAL IS TO DISSOLVE THAT SING ONE BODY TOY THE WHOLE ISLAND AND CREATE THESE SEPARATE ONES.

WITH REGARD TO THE ELECTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THE THREE DISTRICTS AND THEN HAVING THREE MEMBERS FROM EACH, REASON FOR THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR NEWCOMERS TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS.

EITHER MORE SO ON COUNTY OF MAUI, THAN PERHAPS OTHER COUNTIES, BECAUSE OF THE ISLAND'S SEPARATION, DISTANCE FROM MOLOKAI, LANAI, ET CETERA, AND SO THE VERY TOUGH FOR SOMEBODY ON LANAI TO GET KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SO THE PERSON FROM LANAI OR PERSON FROM MOLOKAI IS KNOWN MAYBE ON THEIR ISLAND, BUT VERY TOUGH FOR THEM TO RUN COUNTY WIDE AND SO INCUMBENTS END UP STAYING IN OFFICE YEAR AND YEAR AFTER YEAR, VERY OFTEN WITHOUT ANY REAL CHALLENGE TAKING PLACE.

THIS WILL ALLOW NEWCOMERS NEW BLOOD, NEW IDEAS GET INTO THE COUNCIL BY HAVING REGIONAL AREAS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET ELECTED FROM.

SMALL DISTRICT TO RUN FROM.

HELP KEEP THE COUNCIL FRESH WITH NEW IDEAS.

>>Yunji: GOT SOME VIEWER QUESTIONS COMING IN.

ACTUALLY A QUESTION FOR YOU.

WHAT WAS THE REASONING OF THE COMMISSION BEHIND THE, WHAT WAS THE REASONING OF THE COMMISSION BEHIND THE FAILURE OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING THAT APPARENTLY WAS PROPOSED BY YOU?

TO PROGRESS THROUGH THE PROCESS?

>> THAT WAS ACTUALLY BECAUSE THE COMMISSION FELT THAT WE WERE PUTTING FORTH TOO MANY CHANGES AT ONCE.

THOUGHT THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE INCREMENTAL CHANGE, BE ABLE TO DIGEST SOME OF THESE CHANGES BETTER.

>>Yunji: GET YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WAY THE COUNCILMEMBERS ARE CHOSEN.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CHANGING THE WAY THAT COUNCILMEMBERS ARE ELECTED RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK THAT IF IT WERE A PERFECT SYSTEM, NOBODY WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED A CHANGE.

AND I THINK THAT IS THERE A PERFECT SYSTEM TO BE HAD?

PROBABLY NOT.

BUT WITH THE GROWTH MAUI COUNTY, WHICH IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT OVER THE LAST DECADE, BECAUSE OF ECONOMICS PEOPLE LEAVING AND COMING BACK AND INFLUX AT THIS POINT, MAYBE IT IS TIME TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AT LAHAINALUNA FOR LONG ENOUGH THAT IF I ‑‑ I WOULD MAYBE HAVE NAME RECOGNITION IN WEST MAUI.

AND MAYBE I WOULD BE REALLY GOOD AT REPRESENTING, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE WAY IT IS NOW, WHO KNOWS ME IN HANA?

WHEN I SAY ME, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT MYSELF FORWARD LIKE THAT.

BUT AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE I SAID, IF YOU THINK THAT'S WAY THAT WE HAVE, SYSTEM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS PERFECT, AND THIS AMENDMENT MAKES IT TO THE BALLOT, VOTE NO.

>>Yunji: RICKY WANT GET YOUR THOUGHTS.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS MAKING WHOLESALE COUNTY TO THE COUNTY CHARTER?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> I WOULD SAY ONE, I HOPE COMMISSION WOULD REALLY GO AND GET VERY SOUND, SOLID, LEGAL ADVICE.

AND COMMENT.

BECAUSE WHOLESALE CHANGES SOME AREAS OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULED, OF THOSE CHANGES, AND IF SOMEONE UNHAPPY ENOUGH, I CAN SEE THIS GOING TO COURT.

AND BEING CHALLENGED AT THE COURTS.

>>Yunji: DICK, SAME QUESTION.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO?

WHAT IS RISK MAKE CHANGES TO THE COUNTY CHARTER?

WHY IS THIS FIGHT WORTH IT.

I'M ASKING YOU.

>> OKAY.

I THINK SHOULD BE SOME CHANGES.

WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE ISLAND.

AND I'M WILLING TO GO OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, WE THINK THESE GOOD IDEAS.

DO YOU AGREE WITH US?

ON THE MAKING SOME OF THESE CHANGES.

I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, PROSECUTOR, CORPORATION COUNSEL, AUDITOR, COUNTY CLERK.

AND REDEFINING THEIR ROLES IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

YES, AS A LOT OF THINGS.

>> BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE ONLY HAVE A CHARTER COMMISSION THAT MEETS EVERY TEN YEARS.

I THINK NICE PARCELED THESE OUT EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS.

WE CAN STUDY.

NOT THE STRUCTURE WE HAVE.

WE HAVE TO DO IT IN THIS MANNER.

>> SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.

PROBABLY WON'T BE UNTIL 2032 THAT WE END UP DOING THIS ALL OVER AGAIN.

WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN BY THEN?

>>Yunji: TO THAT POINT, TWO QUESTIONS HERE.

ONE FROM BOB, WOULD SAYS, WHERE CAN MAUI RESIDENT GO SEE THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND ANOTHER ONE, ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FROM VIEWER UP COUNCIL COUNTRY MAUI, HOW CAN THE PUBLIC GET INVOLVED BEFORE THIS PROCESS FINALIZED TALKED ABOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

HOW DOES THE PUBLIC GET INVOLVED ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHALLENGES OF CORONAVIRUS AND TRYING TO BE SOCIALLY DISTANCE BUT HAVE VOICE HEARD BEFORE IT GETS ON THE BALLOT.

>> COUPLE OF THINGS.

CHARTER COMMISSION PAGE ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.

AND ANTICIPATING QUESTION LIKE THAT, I WROTE DOWN.

IT IS MAUI COUNTY.GOV/1791/CHARTER‑COMMISSION.

AND YOU CAN FIND AGENDAS, MINUTES, TESTIMONY AND OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

AS WELL AS LINKS TO VARIOUS MEET, WELL, TO MEETINGS.

MEETINGS ARE ONLINE THROUGH BLUE JEANS AND CERTAINLY, PUBLIC IS INVITED AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES IS DIFFICULTY OF PARTICIPATING WHEN A MEETING IS AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING.

ON A WEEKDAY.

I'M STILL TEACHING.

IT HAS AT TIMES BEEN VERY, VERY CHALLENGING TO MAKE THESE MEETINGS.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ABSOLUTELY DO NEED TO ADDRESS.

THE VIDEO CONFERENCING HAS MADE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO OFFER TESTIMONY OR MORE INFORMATION, BUT YEAH, LET'S STARTING TO MEET LATER IN THE EVENING.

OUR NEXT TWO MEETINGS ARE FEBRUARY ‑‑ SORRY, JANUARY 26 AND 27.

FROM 5:00 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M. AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO A MEETING SCHEDULED HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED YET.

BUT IT WILL BE AT MAUI COUNTY.GOV/1791/CHARTER‑COMMISSION.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

REMEMBER YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR TO OUR WEBSITE AND REWATCH THIS VIDEO.

SO IF YOU MISSED THAT WEBSITE, YOU GO BACK AND REWATCH JUST THIS PORTION RIGHT HERE.

RIGHT ABOUT THE HALF OF THE SHOW.

I WANT TO ASK YOU, WHEN YOU'RE LOOK AT ALL OF THESE PROPOSALS, IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT YOU COULD OVERWHELM VOTERS WITH TOO MUCH CHOICE AND THAT PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY PARTICIPATE BECAUSE JUST SEEMS LIKE HOW DO I KNOW, I CAN'T DECIDE.

JUST NOT GOING TO VOTE.

>> DEFINITELY A CONCERN.

WE TALK ABOUT IT A LOT.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW WE NEED TO ADDRESS AND WILL ADDRESS.

NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE THOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 26TH AND 27TH.

IF YOU HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT PROPOSALS AND AREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND.

>> SEND AN EMAIL TO CHARTER.

COMMISSION AT MAUI COUNTY.GOV.

>> ABLE TO SEND THOSE.

WE'LL RECEIVE THEM BEFORE THE MEETING.

AND TAKE YOUR COMMENTS INTO CONSIDERATION.

BUT THAT IS THE NEXT STEP.

THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

>> WE WON'T RECONVENE UNTIL AFTER THAT WE'LL GET PUBLIC INPUT AND THEN BASED ON THAT INPUT, MAKE OUR DETERMINATIONS AS TO WHAT PROVISIONS WE WANT TO RECONSIDER OR REVISE.

>>Yunji: DICK, I KNOW THAT YOU PUT FORTH A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS.

WHAT SORT OF IS DRIVING, YOU SAID THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS, NEW RESIDENT IN MAUI COUNTY.

WHAT DO YOU SEE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO THE WAY GOVERNMENT IS FUNCTIONING IN YOUR COUNTY RIGHT NOW?

>> ALREADY ADDRESSED SEVERAL OF THEM.

WAY PEOPLE ELECTED.

PLANNING COMMISSION.

THOSE ARE MAJOR DECISIONMAKING BODIES FOR THE ISLAND.

THEN STREAMLINING.

>> SEVERAL THINGS IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

TO MAKE THEM MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE CHANGES THAT ARE TAKE PLACE.

I JUST WANT TO, LET ME GO BACK TO SOMETHING SAID IN THE LAST SECTION.

HOW CAN THE PUBLIC GET INVOLVED.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE 18TH OF FEBRUARY, COMMISSION WILL BE SETTING ITS DRAFT TO THE COUNCIL.

THE COUNCIL THEN WILL HOLD HEARINGS ON THAT.

THAT IS DEFINITELY A PLACE WHERE THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.

SOME EVENING MEETINGS PROBABLY AS WELL BY THE COUNCIL.

AND THEN THEY WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONSES AND IF THEY DIFFER FROM WHAT THE CHARTER COMMISSION HAS SAID, IT GOES BACK TO THE CHARTER COMMISSION.

AND WE WON'T HAVE A FINAL DOCUMENT PROBABLY TILL MAY OR JUNE LATER ON THIS YEAR.

AND IT WILL NOT BE ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT.

ACTUALLY BE ON THE GENERAL BALLOT, NOVEMBER.

SO I THINK THAT THEY'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME.

REAL EFFORT MADE.

PLANNING COMMISSION IS HIRED CONSULTING FIRM TO DO THE PROMOTION.

ADVERTISING.

EXPLAINING WHY THESE CHANGES ARE BEING RECOMMENDED.

SO I THINK PUBLIC WILL GET INFORMED AND UP TO THE PUBLIC TO RESPOND TO THE HEARING.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PROPOSED CHANGE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE I THINK IT IS SO SIGNIFICANT.

WHAT ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT IF YOU HAD ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS ESSENTIALLY, GOVERNING THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, THAT YOU COULD HAVE SUCH VARIED CODES OR REQUIREMENTS AND THAT YOU WOULD HAVE ONE COMMUNITY LOOKING ONE WAY AND ONE ANOTHER WAY AND THERE WOULDN'T BE A COHESIVENESS TO THE COUNTY.

>> IT'S NOT THAT THERE WOULD BE DIFFERENT CODE.

THERE IS ONE MAUI COUNTY CODE.

BUT YOU WOULD GET A DIFFERENT TAKE ON IT FROM EACH PLANNING COMMISSION.

I DO THINK THAT GOOD TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LIKE COUNCIL OF MAYBE CHAIRS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS THAT COULD MEET AND COORDINATE THIS KIND OF THING.

THERE DOES NEED TO BE LOCAL REPRESENTATION AND LOCAL INPUT.

SO I THINK IT IS A BENEFIT.

THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE THOUGH IS THE OTHER PROPOSAL AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO THAT, PROPOSAL TO CREATE COMMUNITY BOARDS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS.

SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT, I CAN WAIT TILL THEN.

>>Yunji: OH, NO.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

>> I HAVE ACTUALLY GREW UP ON OAHU AND PARTICIPATED AS A LOWLY CITIZEN WHO DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO ACCESS COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN HONOLULU.

WE MADE CHANGES AT THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD ON THE NORTH SHORE.

IT WAS WONDERFUL.

>> WE WOUND UP PRESERVEING PUBLIC ACCESS THAT WAS PROPOSED TO BE CLOSED.

WENT AROUND THE COMMUNITY GOT PETITION AND WENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD AND THEY ENDORSED IT AND THEN IT WENT TO THE COUNTY, CITY COUNCIL, AND SO IN MY OPINION, THEY PAY MORE ATTENTION TO SOMETHING THAT IS PROPOSAL FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD.

IT ALSO SERVES AS WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO POLITICS IF THEY WANT TO ON MORE LOCAL LEVEL.

KIND OF ENTRY LEVEL POLITICAL THING.

SEE HOW THEY LIKE IT.

AND IT'S OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT THING IS PLANNING COMMISSIONS ARE RESTRICTED TO PLANNING RELATED ISSUES.

NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS ARE NOT NECESSARILY, IN FACT, I WAS LOOKING AT THE STATE LAW AND TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU CAN BRING THINGS UP AS A CITIZEN THAT ARE NOT EVEN ON THE AGENDA.

SO THERE IS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.

I REALLY LIKE THAT.

SO PEOPLE F THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, LIKE WE WERE, YOU CAN MAKE A CHANGE WITHOUT HAVING TO BUILD UP ALL OF THIS PUBLIC SUPPORT AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL.

IN OUR CASE, COUNTY COUNCIL LEVEL.

THAT'S AN ALTERNATIVE.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE BOTH THE COMMUNITY BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION.

>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE TOO MUCH.

ONE OF THE TWO I THINK WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA.

>>Yunji: I SEE YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

>> THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR THOSE COMMENTS ALBERT.

I TEND TO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS YOU MADE ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS.

>> I THINK I COULD BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

SIX PLANNING COMMISSIONS FOR THE MAUI ISLAND.

AND IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN, YUNJI, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES I SEE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD PROCESS THAT OAHU HAS IS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD MEMBERS ARE ELECTED BY THEIR PEERS.

OR COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE NOT APPOINTED.

LIKE FOR THE CHARTER COMMISSION.

WHATNOT.

I COULD GO WITH THAT.

JUST LIKE IN THE FUTURE, I COULD GO WITH COMMISSION THAT IS ELECTED BY THE PUBLIC.

>>Yunji: TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A BETTER SYSTEM?

>> WELL, SO MUCH CYNICISM IN THE WORLD NOWADAYS.

WHY IS THIS NOT ELECTED PERSON GOING TO MAKE A PROPOSAL OR SELECTION OF INDIVIDUALS FOR POSITION OR WHATNOT.

JUST LIKE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

WE'RE ALL ELECTED AS DELEGATES TO SERVE.

>> WE PUT OURSELVES BEFORE THE COMMUNITY AND THEY CHOSE WHO THEY WANTED TO SEND TO THE CONVENTION.

102 DELEGATES.

>> I DON'T SEE WHY WE CANNOT DO THAT FOR THE CHARTER COMMISSION TOO.

IF THEY WANT TO SERVE, LET THEM RUN.

PUT THEMSELVES UP JUST LIKE WE DO WHO WANT TO BE ELECTED PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF I READ IT RIGHT, PROPOSAL IS GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY FOUR NEW DEPARTMENTS, 19 NEW BOARDS AN COMMISSIONS.

COME FROM THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVE, SINCE I WAS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT ONE TIME, IS ARE WE MOVING BACKWARDS TO A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MENTALLY THAT WE CAME FROM BEFORE THE CHARTER, AND SECOND, PEOPLE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME CONTINUING TO SERVE IF THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN INQUISITIONAL PROCESS FOR APPROVAL.

SO YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING HOW THE COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO THIS IS THE NEW BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SINCE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME FILLING EXISTING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BY FEEL PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT THE PROCESS IS NOT QUITE EQUITABLE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO PUT THEIR NAME AND FAMILY FORWARD.

TO GIVE VOLUNTARY SERVICE.

>>Yunji: I KNOW THIS IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.

WHAT ABOUT THAT POTENTIAL CRITICISM THAT THIS IS PERHAPS TOO LARGE AN EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT AND THE COST THAT COMES WITH IT?

>> PROBABLY SHOULDN'T INCREASE THE COST OF ELECTING CHARTER COMMISSION MEMBERS EITHER.

BUT YOU KNOW, YES, THINGS DO COST MONEY.

THEY DO.

AND IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL WE'RE GOING TO ADD ALL OF THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AND I GUESS I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN VOTERS AND IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT TO ME THAT MAYBE SOMETIMES I HAVE TOO MUCH FAITH.

BUT AS AN EDUCATOR, I HAVE TO HAVE FAITH THAT PEOPLE WILL LEARN AND PEOPLE WILL REACH OUT AND PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO SAY, A LITTLE BIT, MULTIPLE COMMENTS THIS EVENING ABOUT I'M NOT AN EXPERT.

I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT.

NEITHER AM I.

AND THERE IS SO MUCH THAT I STILL DON'T KNOW THAT I FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE A DILITANT.

LEARNED SO MUCH FROM MY FELLOW CHARTER COMMISSION MEMBERS.

LEARNED SO MUCH FROM DICK MAYOR AND OTHERS.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I SAW THAT THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INVOLVED IN MY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN A WAY THAT WASN'T GOING OUT AND CAMPAIGNING, BUT I SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AND IT'S LEARNING CURVE.

IT'S A STEEP LEARNING CURVE.

STILL CLIMBING THAT LEARNING CURVE.

>> BUT HAD I DECIDED I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH.

CAN'T PUT PUT MY NAME FORWARD.

NO ROOM TO COMPLAIN.

AND WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO MAKE THESE BOARDS, ET CETERA, MORE ACTABLE TO THE PUBLIC HAVING EVENING MEET, WEEKEND MEETINGS ET CETERA.

ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.

>> LET A FEAR OF LAWSUIT PREVENTING US FROM PUTTING SOMETHING FORWARD TO TRY TO IMPROVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

WHY BOTHER?

WHY BOTHER?

YOU'VE GOT IT TRY.

YOU'VE GOT TO STRIVE.

THAT'S WHY YOU GOT PEOPLE LIKE DICK SAYING, THIS IS NOT REALLY WORKING VERY WELL FOR EVERYONE.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN MAKE AN IMPROVEMENT.

IT COMES FORWARD TO THE COMMISSION.

WE ARGUE ABOUT IT.

WE TALK ABOUT IT.

AND WE THEN, YES, WE GET TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT GOES FORWARD TO VOTERS AND AGAIN, ULTIMATELY, IT IS OUR VOTERS WHO WILL DECIDE WHETHER SOMETHING HAPPENS OR NOT.

THAT'S WHAT DEMOCRACY SUPPOSED TO BE.

BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PEOPLE.

>>Yunji: TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THOSE 40 PLUS PROPOSED CHANGES.

>> I WANT TO GET TO YOU.

PROPOSED REQUIREMENT FOR THE POLICE CHIEF TO POSSESS BACHELORS DEGREE.

CONSIDERING THE POWER OF POLICE OFFICERS, SHOULDN'T THIS REQUIREMENT APPLY TO THEM AS WELL?

IS THIS A BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR FAR LESS LETHAL PROFESSIONS.

TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF.

>> THERE WAS PROPOSAL PUT FORTH TO INCREASE AMOUNT OF YEARS ON THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE REQUIRING FOR PEOPLE BEING UP FOR CHIEF.

HAVE A BACHELORS DEGREE.

IS THIS ONE THAT I ACTUALLY STRUGGLED WITH.

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT PROHIBIT QUALIFIED PEOPLE FROM BEING CONSIDERED.

I THINK WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR DELIBERATIONS, WE LEARNED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY HAS A PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS TO GET A BACHELORS DEGREE.

AND SO IF PEOPLE KNEW THAT THEY WANTED TO BECOME CHIEF OR BE CONSIDERED FOR CHIEF IN THE FUTURE, THEY NEEDED TO, WOULD NEED TO TAKE THIS STEP AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THE MEANS DO SO.

SO I THINK THAT IS WHY THE COMMISSION WAS WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

REALLY WAS A HARD ONE FOR US TO GRAPPLE WITH.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS A LUXURY OF GOING FOUR‑YEAR COLLEGE.

THAT IT COULD BE COST‑PROHIBITIVE FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES ON THE ISLAND.

DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO JUST BE DISQUALIFIED BECAUSE OF IT.

WE FELT THAT'S COMMISSION COULD HAVE LATITUDE TO CONSIDER OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT MAKE UP FOR IT.

BUT I THINK BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PATH TO EARN A DEGREE WHILE ON THE FORCE, WE FELT COMFORTABLE APPROVING THIS PROPOSAL.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS FOR NATALIE WRITING IN FROM KAHULUI.

ARE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS DOING ENOUGH TO ADDRESS COST OF LIVING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO NATALIE ON THAT QUESTION?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

BECAUSE COMMISSION IS IT RECOMMENDING THAT WE HAVE ONE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY THAT SPLIT UP DIVIDE INTO TWO.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND HUMAN CONCERNS.

THAT IS A HUGE DEPARTMENT.

DEALS WITH RENTAL SUPPORT, TO SOCIAL ISSUES.

VARIOUS KINDS AS WELL AS HOUSING.

IN GENERAL.

>> SEPARATING OUT NOW GOING TO CREATE PROPOSAL TO CREATE A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT CALLED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

ITS PURPOSE WILL BE PURELY TO GET NEW HOUSING BUILT THAT WILL BE AFFORDABLE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

BUYING COUNTY LAND OR DEVELOPER COMES IN AND SAYS THEY WANT TO PUT UPTICK PROJECT.

SHOPPING CENTER.

THEY WOULD PERHAPS BE ASKED AS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS, THEY ALSO PROVIDE LAND FOR THE COUNTY TO USE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SEPARATE DEPARTMENT.

EXCELLENT IDEA.

RIGHT NOW, THAT COMPONENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT NOT BEEN HAPPENING.

DEPARTMENT NOT BEEN DEVELOPING HOUSING.

ONE REASON WHY WE HAVE THE ENORMOUS AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROBLEMS ON MAUI.

LET ME RAISE, TWO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONSES THAT THE COMMISSION ARE MAKE.

I THINK SHOULD BE REALLY BROUGHT TO PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

THEY INVOLVE TWO DIFFERENT SELECTION COMMITTEES.

THE ONE OF THE PROPOSALS IS TO CREATE SOMETHING CALLED INDEPENDENT SELECTION COMMISSION THAT WOULD NOMINATE THE PEOPLE FOR THE VERY IMPORTANT ADMINISTRATORS IN THE COUNTY.

PROSECUTOR, CORPORATION COUNSEL, COUNTY CLERK, AUDITOR.

ET CETERA.

AND THAT COMMITTEE WILL BE SORT OF LEAD COMMITTEE APPOINTED MADE UP OF PEOPLE, 7 PEOPLE, WITH MAYOR APPOINTING TWO, COUNCIL APPOINTING TWO.

LOCAL ATTORNEYS ON ISLAND, BAR ASSOCIATION, APPOINTING TWO.

AND JUDGE HERE ON MAUI APPOINTING THE ONE PERSON.

ER 7 MEMBER BODY.

WOULD MEET WHENEVER THERE'S AN OPENING IN THE AUDITOR OR PROSECUTOR OR CORPORATION.

TAKE IT OUT OF THE POLITICAL HANDS AS BEING APPOINTMENT BY THE MAYOR, AND MAKE IT MUCH MORE AN INDEPENDENT GROUP.

THE OTHER COMMISSION BODY SET UP WOULD BE NOMINATING COMMITTEE.

TO NOMINATE PEOPLE FOR ALL THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

SOMETHING I WAS CHAIR OF ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.

FOR FOUR YEARS UNDER PREVIOUS MAYORS.

AND WORKED EXTREMELY WELL.

WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND GET PEOPLE TO RUN.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S LEFT UP TO ONE PERSON THAT USUALLY IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS GO OUT AND FIND PEOPLE FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

THIS WOULD BE NOMINATING COMMITTEE AND THEY WOULD NOT SELECT THE FINAL PERSON.

THEY WOULD SCREEN PEOPLE IT RECRUIT, AND I'LL GIVE ONE OR TWO EXAMPLES.

>> ONE IS THAT EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONS NEEDS ENGINEER.

WE MAY NOT HAVE AN ENGINEERS APPLYING FOR BOARDS.

SO OUR JOB WILL BE GO OUT AND TRY TO FIND SOME ENGINEER.

>> ANOTHER ONE IS WE HAVE TAKE CARE OF CERTAIN ANIMAL ISSUES.

>> NEED A VETERINARIAN.

TRY TO FILL SOMEBODY TO FILL THAT POSITION AND USE STAFF.

THESE ARE TWO VERY IMPORTANT COMMISSIONS THAT WILL HELP MAKE THE COUNTY I THINK RUN MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT FIRST ONE.

>> INDEPENDENT SELECTION COMMITTEE.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU WORK CLOSELY WITH THE MAYOR.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT STRIPPING THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES FROM THAT OFFICE AND PUTTING IT THIS INDEPENDENT SELECTION COMMITTEE?

>> YEAH, I THINK ASHLEY KIND OF PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IN HER EARLIER COMMENT ABOUT WE ALL WISH IT WAS A PERFECT STRUCTURE AND PERFECT WAY TO OPERATE GOVERNMENT AND GET PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH TAKING AWAY AS MUCH OF SO‑CALLED POLITICALNESS.

BUT YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT IS POLITICAL ENTITY.

POLITICS IS EVERYWHERE.

PBS IN LEGISLATIVE, DAILY LIFE.

YOU CANNOT GET AWAY FROM POLITICS.

MAYBE WE COULD TRY THAT.

JUST LIKE HOW THE STATE MOVED TO JUDICIAL SELECTION COMMITTEE.

TO FORWARD POTENTIAL JUDGES NAMES FORWARD.

BUT I STILL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ELECTED AT THE END OF THE DAY HELD ACCOUNTABLE THAT I CAN EITHER RE‑ELECT OR BOOT OUT OF OFFICE IF I'M NOT TOO HAPPY WITH DECISIONS MADE.

GO AFTER APPOINTED PERSON FOR HIS NO REAL ACCOUNTABILITY BACK TO ME OR THE PUBLIC.

>>Yunji: WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THAT?

>> I WANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE IS THAT MODEL WAS BASED OFF OF THE JUDICIARY SELECTION COMMITTEE.

NOT MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE BY THE BAR ASSOCIATION.

IT WOULDN'T PRESIDENT OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION AND WOULDN'T CHIEF JUSTICE PARTICIPATING DIRECTLY.

SECOND THING IS THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING IT OUT OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL'S HANDS.

>> THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RECRUITING AND THEN SCREENING CANDIDATE AND SETTING FORTH COUPLE OF NAMES TO THE MAYOR FOR HIS APPOINTMENT AND THEN NOMINATING, OR CONVERSATION BY THE COUNCIL.

WOULD STILL GO THROUGH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEY WOULD HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR SELECTIONS.

>>Yunji: TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THE CHARTER COMMISSION THOUGHT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT THING TO BRING UP IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WAYS BEING DONE NOW.

>> DO YOU REMEMBER THIS DISCUSSION?

DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THIS ONE.

>> I'M NOT SURE WHAT I HAD FOR BREAKFAST THIS MORNING RIGHT NOW.

BUT THE BLANKET RESPONSE TO THAT IS THAT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A PERCEIVED PROBLEM OR HE PERCEIVED INEQUITY.

QUITE HONESTLY, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WERE SO INCREDIBLY SPECIFIC.

THEY DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD AT ALL.

BUT WHETHER THERE ARE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS, THERE IS A PERCEPTION THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS.

OR THAT THERE IS A SYSTEM THAT SHOULD AND CAN BE IMPROVED.

AND SO I REALIZE THAT IS NOT A SPECIFIC ANSWER, BUT THAT IS ULTIMATELY WHERE IT CAME FROM.

>>Yunji: ALBERT I WANT TO GET SOME TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SPLITTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND HUMAN CONCERNS.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON PUTTING THOSE DEPARTMENTS INTO SEPARATE CATEGORIES?

>> I THINK THAT IS A GREAT IDEA.

THE REASON IS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE HUMAN CONCERNS ARE MORE IMMEDIATE.

THEY'RE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.

AND THEY'RE ALWAYS TAKING, TAKING OUR ATTENTION.

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS MORE A LONGTERM THING.

AND IT SEEMS TO BE KIND OF PUT ON THE BACK BURNER BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE, I DON'T KNOW, PEOPLE AREN'T STARVING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

RIGHT NOW, WAY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND HUMAN CONCERNS DEALS WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROPOSALS, PRETTY EVERYBODY IS THEY'RE JUST WAITING FOR DEVELOPERS TO PROPOSAL 201H PROJECTS EXEMPT FROM COUNTY ZONING.

COUNTY COMMUNITY PLANS.

THAT IS NOT PLANNED GROWTH.

THAT IS KIND OF SITTING BACK AND LETTING THINGS HAPPEN.

THERE'S NO CREATIVITY THAT I CAN SEE THAT'S COMING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND HUMAN CONCERNS WITH REGARD TO PROPOSALS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT WOULD CHANGE WITH DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

>>Yunji: I HAVE SORT OF BEEN THE VOICE OF PERHAPS NOT EXPANDING GOVERNMENT, NOT ADDING ALL OF THESE CHANGES IN THE SAME WAY.

WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHT ON THIS SPECIFIC ONE ABOUT SPLITTING THIS DEPARTMENT FROM ONE INTO TWO?

>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD AGREE THAT COUNTIES HAD POOR RESULTS OVER THE PAST DECADES REGARDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSTRUCTED.

I'M WILLING TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

BUT JUST CREATING A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT FOR HOUSING IS NOT THE ANSWER.

MOST OF US KNOW THE PROBLEM REALLY IS WITHIN THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT NEEDS TO REVIEW AND SIGN OFF ON PERMITS.

WATER DEPARTMENT, DO A TIMELY REVIEW AND SIGN OFF OF PERMITS.

WILL PUBLIC WORKS DO A TIMELY REVIEW.

WILL THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

ALBERT, EVERYONE ELSE KNOWS, PROCESS TO GET THE BUILDING PERMIT OR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSTRUCTION IS LONG PATH.

UNLESS WE HAVE SOMEONE AT THE HELM, THEY WILL FIND A WAY TO IMPROVE HOW WE CAN SHORT, TIME IT TAKES TO GET THE APPROVALS‑TIME IT TAKES TO GET A APPROVALS.

NOT GOING TO SEE THE HOUSES BUILT EVEN IF WE GET ONE SEPARATE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.

I THINK IT CAN BE DONE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS THROUGH THE CODE AND MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS ON PERMITTING PROCESS.

SO THAT WE CAN GIVE ANSWERS YES OR NO TO A DEVELOPMENT SOONER THAN LATER.

BECAUSE FOR EVERYBODY TIME IS MONEY.

>>Yunji: OUR TIME FLIES OVER HERE.

WE HAVE JUST ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LEFT IN OUR PROGRAM.

I WANT TO GET TO EACH OF YOU.

IF WE COULD KEEP OUR ANSWERS BRIEF.

I WANTED TO GET YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS AS THEY CONSIDER THESE PROPOSALS AND START TO, I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WATCHING TONIGHT WHO MAY NOT HAVE EVEN BEEN AWARE OF THIS.

WE'LL START WITH YOU.

WHAT IS YOUR FINAL THOUGHT TONIGHT?

>> I WANT TO SAY THOSE OF US PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS DID SO BECAUSE WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND WANT TO HELP SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE.

IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE NEED YOUR HELP.

ENCOURAGE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS, WRITE IN IF YOU CAN, MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE COUNCIL.

FINALLY GOES TO THE BALLOT.

WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION.

THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.

NOT SOMETHING DONE IN A VACUUM.

MEANT TO BE COLLABORATIVE.

REALLY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU PARTICIPATING.

>>Yunji: DICK, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUR FELLOW MAUI COUNTY RESIDENTS TONIGHT?

>> I WOULD THANK THEM FOR PAYING ATTENTION TONIGHT PROGRAM LIKE THIS.

I THINK IT'S FIRST STEP.

I HOPE IN THE FALL, WHEN ALL THE THINGS RID TO BE PUT ON THE BALLOT, THEY WILL REALLY PAY ATTENTION AN TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY PARTICULAR ITEM IS ON THERE.

WHAT IT WILL DO.

WHAT KIND OF EFFECT IT WILL HAVE AND THESE ARE REALLY LONGTERM THINGS.

THIS IS NOT LIKE A VOTE, OKAY, THIS YEAR'S ANNUAL BUDGET.

WHEN THEY CHANGE THE CHARTER, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE COUNTY AND SOME SIGNIFICANT WAYS FOR YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.

TO ANOTHER CHARTER COMMISSION MODIFIES.

SO THESE ARE IMPORTANT.

AND I HOPE THE PEOPLE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT NOT JUST PERSONAL, BUT WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE FOR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN DOWN THE ROAD, AND HOW WILL MAUI COUNTY BE BETTER IF THEY VOTE YES, OR BETTER IF THEY VOTE NO.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

ALBERT?

>> WHEN YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION, THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS NO VOTE, NO GRUMBLE.

BUT THAT IS KIND OF NEGATIVE TAKE ON IT.

I WOULD LIKE TO PUT A POSITIVE SPIN ON IT.

IF YOU DO PARTICIPATE, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

WHAT IS WHAT MAUI TOMORROW TRIES TO DO.

HELP PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT, HOW TO VOTE, WHY IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, EDUCATE PEOPLE AND IT'S URGENT BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO LEAVE THIS ISLAND BECAUSE LIKE RECENTLY, I JUST READ THAT AGAIN, MORE THAN HALF OF THE HOMES BOUGHT HERE IN MAUI COUNTY WERE FROM OUTSIDE OF HAWAII I BELIEVE.

OUT OF STATE.

SO LET'S MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHILE WE STILL CAN.

>>Yunji: RICKY?

>> OUR COMMUNITY IS WE NEED TO PARTICIPATE.

WHATEVER CHANGES ARE PROPOSED AND PASSED BY THE VOTERS OF OUR COUNTY, IS GOING TO IMPACT YOUR LIFE, GOING TO IMPACT YOUR WALLET AND YOUR POCKET BOOK AND IT WILL IMPACT HOW YOU LIVE AND WORK IN THIS COUNTY.

ASK THAT YOU PARTICIPATE AND THAT WE ALL REMEMBER WE HAVE MOST UNIQUE COUNTY.

WE HAVE MULTIISLAND COUNTY AND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO REMEMBER AS WELL AS CULTURAL HISTORY OF HOW OUR COUNTY OPERATED FROM PAST, PAST, KINGDOM DAYS, TERRITORY DAYS AND WHY CERTAIN POLITICAL DISTRICTS WAS ALWAYS DONE FROM THE DAYS OF THE CHIEFS.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

>> ASHLEY, GOING TO GIVE YOU LAST WORD.

>> THANK YOU.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS THE BEST CHOICE.

BUT THANK YOU.

SO COUPLE OF THINGS.

IT'S INCUMBENT UPON OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS CAN PARTICIPATE WITHOUT THAT, WE'RE DOOMED.

>> THE OTHER THING AS REGISTERED VOTER, AS A RESIDENT, TAXPAYOR, IF I HAD LET FEAR OF NOT BEING AN EXPERT HOLD ME BACK, WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

AND YOU DO YOUR BEST WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE.

AND THEN JUST LIKE THE CHARTER, YOU TRY AND MASSAGE IT AND MAKE IT BETTER.

I'VE MADE MISTAKES.

>> CONTINUE TO MAKE MORE.

BUT I'M GOING TO TRY AND IMPROVE.

AND THAT'S ALL WE WANT.

WE JUST, WE ALL JUST WANTS TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

>>Yunji: WE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

>> PARTICIPATING.

RIGHT.

>>YUNJI: THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU TO OUR GUESTS.

ASHLEY OLSON IS A MEMBER OF THE MAUI CHARTER COMMISSION.

KAUANOE BATANGAN IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE MAUI CHARTER COMMISSION.

DICK MAYER TAUGHT ECONOMICS AT MAUI COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR 34 YEARS.

HE HAS SERVED ON THE MAUI PLANNING COMMISSION, THE COMMUNITY PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THE GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

ALBERT PEREZ IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ONE OF THE THREE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF MAUI TOMORROW, A NON‑PROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION.

RIKI HOKAMA IS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE MAUI COUNTY MAYOR.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.