The committee met on March 10, 2026, at 1:31 p.m. under the chairmanship of Councilmember Colin Ibatungan to consider and vote on two mayoral appointments: Jackie Takakura as Director of Planning and Maggie Willis as Director of Human Concerns. Both appointments were recommended for approval by the full council after extensive testimony, questioning, and debate.
Appointment of Jackie Takakura as Planning Director: Mayor Bissen introduced Ms. Takakura, highlighting her 27-year county career, including roles as deputy planning director and long-range division program administrator. Ms. Takakura described her background and priorities: expediting Lahaina rebuilding permits, advancing housing reforms (e.g., allowing two ADUs in residential/rural districts), completing the South Maui Community Plan, updating Title 19, and improving interdepartmental coordination. Councilmembers questioned her on:
Appointment of Maggie Willis as Human Concerns Director: Mayor Bissen acknowledged concerns about Willis not being local but argued that homelessness requires specialized expertise. Managing Director Nishita noted a waiver of HRS Section 78-1 (residency requirement) was submitted because of the position’s highly specialized nature. Ms. Willis described her 20 years of experience designing homelessness and housing programs, including diversion, multi-use facilities, and benefits advocacy. She committed to:
Councilmembers questioned her on:
Well, the government relations, ethics and transparency committee meeting of March 10, 2026, come to order. It is 131 p.m. I am your chair, Colin Ibatungan. Members, in accordance with the Sunshine Law, please identify by name who, if anyone, is in the room, vehicle or workspace with you today. Minors do not need to be identified. Committee vice chair, Nohilani Uuu Hodgins. Good morning. Good afternoon, Chair. Good afternoon, everyone. Councilmember Tom Cook. Good afternoon, Chair. Councilmember Gabe Johnson. Hello, Chair. Council members, committee members, there's no testifiers at the Lanay District Office, and I'm here and ready to work. Thank you. Thank you. Council Chair Alice Lee. Good afternoon, Chair Shalom. I'm here in my workspace alone. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Tamara Paltin. Aloha Wina La Kaku, uh streaming live in direct from the council chambers. And I'll turn on my camera when it gets any good. Cool. Thank you. Uh, Councilmember Kani Rollins Fernandez is excused. Councilmember Shane Tenenti. I just see her popping on, Chair, but aloha a ween alo. Thank you, Councilmember. And Councilmember Yuki Lee Sugimura. Good afternoon, and looking forward to a productive meeting. Thank you. I guess we'll circle back to Councilmember Kani Rollins Fernandez. Aloha chair. Alohawena la Kako. My Molo Kainoya Hina. I am at my private residence here with um my daughter. There are currently no testifiers. Thank you. From the corporate from Corporation Council, we have with us Kayla Brough. Good afternoon, Chair. We also have with us the mayor, managing director, and the mayor's appointees for planning director and director of human concerns. As well as our great committee staff. Good afternoon, everyone. Jackie has dedicated more than two decades of service to Maui County government, beginning her career with the county in 1998. Over the years, she has served in both the Department of Water Supply and the Department of Planning, gaining a deep understanding of how our land use decisions intersect with infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and community development. Within the planning department, Jackie has worked in the zoning and enforcement division, served as deputy planning director, and most recently as the long-range division planning program administrator. Through these roles, she's demonstrated strong leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex issues while keeping the needs of our community at the forefront. One of Jackie's greatest strengths is her ability to see the big picture while remaining focused on the steps needed to move important work forward.