Well, the government relations ethics and transparency committee meeting of January 27, 2026, come to order.

It is 139 p.m.

I'm your chair, Calonar Batungin, and this is my first time chairing a county council committee meeting.

It's an honor to be here.

Um it being great, I brought with me my own Gavel today.

This is a piece of the Berlin Wall.

So I was born in 1989, and two geopolitical events of significance happened that year.

One was the Berlin Wall coming down.

The other was Tiananmen Square.

And so in my lifetime, I've seen the trajectories of two different people go on in two wildly different directions.

And that has stuck with me.

And the lessons from being in both Germany and China and seeing how free and prosperous they are, has stuck with me.

So as I take the helm of this committee, focusing on government relations, ethics, and transparency, I just wanted to pause and acknowledge where I'm coming from and my hopes for what we can achieve together in this committee.

With that, members, in accordance with the Sunshine Law, please identify by name who, if anyone, is in the room, vehicle or workplace with you today.

Aloha Chair.

Thank you so much for sharing that with us.

I am very excited to see you up there, although I miss this committee and this committee staff so much.

But I'm so happy for you, and I'm happy for us.

Um real quick, if I could, today is my grandma's uh 87th birthday.

So happy birthday, Grandma U.

Thank you.

Councilmember Tom Cook.

Good afternoon, Chair.

Um, thank you for sharing that.

Um 1989 was an important time for me.

That's when I got my general contractor's license.

So just sharing.

Um, I'm really looking forward to the meeting, and um yeah, I'm glad that you're here doing it, and welcome.

Thank you.

Uh Councilmember Gabe Johnton is excused.

Council Chair Alice Lee.

Well, good afternoon, Chair.

Um, looking forward to your meeting.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

And um, let's see, in 1989, I was starting my first year on the council.

Wow.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Councilmember Tamara Paulton.

Excused for now.

Councilmember Keani Rollins Fernandez.

I am at my private residence alone.

Um, but I will be joined by my uh two children who are minors and potentially my husband, who's not a minor, uh, Maken Fernandez.

Um maybe around like 2 30 is usually when they come home.

Uh, and there are currently no testifiers at the Molokai District Office, and how old no to No Hai's Tutu uh Councilmember Shane Tenentia.

We in a law chair and congratulations on your uh first uh meeting uh here at my home office.

I'm here by myself at Oli La Hanao to No Hay's Tutu Hine, and in 1989, I was four years out of high school.

Where were you in 1989?

Uh Councilmember Yukile Sugimura is excused.

Okay, so from Corporation Council, we have here with us Thomas Colby, Deputy Deputy Corporation Counsel.

Glenn Pasqual, Deputy Corporation Counsel, and Kristen Tarnstrom, Deputy Corporation Counsel.

We also have with us, or will be having with us, um, Jordan Molina, Director of Public Works, and Deputy Chief Wade Mayeda from the Maui Police Department.

We also have our committee staff, Maria Leon, Committee Secretary, Casey Apo Takeyama, Senior Legislative Analyst, Clarissa McDonald, legislative analyst, Peter Hanano, legislative attorney, and uh Leigh Denin and Jean Pokipala, Council Services Assistant Clerks.

Staff, do we have any testifiers?

Chair, there's currently no one who has signed up to testify.

Um do you like me to do a last call just to see?

Um if anybody is in the chamber and would like to testify, please let staff know, or on Microsoft Teams, please raise your hand.

This is final call for beginning of the meeting.

Testimony 321.