Maui County Budget Finance Committee Hana Community Meeting - April 7, 2026
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Maui County Budget Finance Economic Development Committee Community Meeting in Hana - April 7, 2026
The Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee, led by Chair Yukilei Sugimura, held a community listening session at Hana to hear budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2027. All council members were present. The meeting focused on gathering testimony from residents and nonprofit leaders about funding needs for housing, infrastructure, cultural preservation, health services, and emergency management.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sheila Roback (Hale Hulu Mamo Senior Center) thanked Parks and Rec for reopening the Civic Center and expressed support for many nonprofits including MEO, Hana Youth Center, Hana Dialysis, Hui Lao Lima Ohana, and others.
- Timmy Satot (County Office on Aging and Hale Hulu Mamo) asked for continued support for kupuna programs: Maui Adult Daycare, Office on Aging, Kaunoa Senior Services, Meals on Wheels, and MEO transportation.
- Mark Tanaka Sanders thanked county crews for storm response and proposed a recreation needs assessment and a parking plan; gave a written proposal to Councilmember Senensi.
- Alan Johns (President, Habitat for Humanity Maui County) announced that after 10+ years, a 25-unit affordable housing project is in the mayor's FY27 budget; only waiting on Hawaiian Electric poles.
- Claudia Kala‘oli (Kia‘ohali, Nāmamo ‘o Mū‘olele) asked for continued funding for native species restoration and highlighted deterioration of the Kihomanu statue in a county park; requested a solution.
- Lehua Cosma (Hana Dialysis Home / Hui Lao Lima Ohana) opposed the Kōkī subdivision over cultural and environmental concerns, supported MEO's relocation to the preschool, and requested office space for the new MIMA liaison.
- Barry Chang noted flooding and power outages from the storm, supported the canoe club, MEO weekend drivers, and asked for more funding for food security and housing.
- Jocelyn DeCoy (Hana Mamas) requested $650,000 for a sober living home and Aina-based intensive outpatient programs; noted inaccurate 2020 census data and asked for funds to conduct a door-to-door census and voter registration.
- Matt Bachman (Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Maui) asked to keep the $250,000 annual county funding for home repairs and specifically requested $6.595 million to purchase 7.2 acres in Hana for 25 homes; noted permitting delays (330 days) as a barrier.
- Claire Carroll (County employee, East Maui deployment) highlighted high cost of living ($6.91 gas, $17 poi, $12 milk), supported MEO transportation, sidewalks, and a business district; asked for continued support for all Hana nonprofits.
- Hā‘oli Kahale‘owahi (Hane‘o Hamoa Fishing Village Hui) requested $3 million from the Open Space Fund to purchase 115 acres threatened by luxury subdivision; noted an appeal and contested case; presented nearly 1,000 petition signatures.
- Lipoa Kahale‘owahi (Mākaha Hana Ka‘ike) reported on the organization's apprenticeship program (81 students, 15,000 training hours) and supported the Hane‘o land acquisition.
- Michael Opgenorth (Kahanu Garden) thanked for past support, asked for help with little fire ant and banana bunchy top virus on Ulaino Road, and suggested exploring road improvements to limit invasive species.
- Kāne Kanaka‘ole (MEO Hana branch manager) requested continued support for MEO services and the Festivals of Aloha Hana.
- Kīpahulu Community Association speakers (Theo Firestone, Chuck Eston, Wesley Brown, Kiah Hilin, Ryan Zuko) asked for $109,000 to purchase 2.64 acres for a community center, garden, and cultural space; described mission of subsistence and community cohesion.
- Sunny Makua (Kia‘ohali) supported the $3 million land purchase at Hane‘o and outlined Kia‘ohali's accomplishments.
- Scott Crawford (Kia‘ohali board) provided details: appraised value $3.5 million, Legacy Land Conservation Program award of $600,000, and a potential additional $700,000; requested $3.6 million from Open Space to cover purchase and closing costs.
- Noe Lecker and son RJ supported MEO and Mākaha Hana Ka‘ike; asked for completion of the Pani‘au Skate Park, a playground at Kīpahulu Point Park, a community center for Kaupō, and a community police officer.
- Earl Medeiros supported the Hane‘o land acquisition and all nonprofits.
- Heidi Leah (Hana Business Council, Hana Side News) thanked for support of the Hana Hub project (closed on property March 27) and MIMA liaison.
- Matt Keely (Maui County Farm Bureau) supported agriculture education, MEO, MISC, and the Kīpahulu Community Association land request.
- Akonaki Lind (new MIMA East Maui liaison) introduced herself; emphasized need for emergency resources and support for Hana Police and Fire.
- Mary Brooke (Hana Football Booster) asked to follow up on $20,000 student travel funds that were not received; council noted $30,000 in mayor's budget for MIL travel and clarified reimbursement process.
- Lawa A. Lind (Nāmamo ‘o Mū‘olele) requested funding for ecological restoration and experiential learning workshops.
- Sam Akoi expressed support for all nonprofits and the $3 million land acquisition.
Key Outcomes
- The committee accepted all oral and written testimony for consideration in the FY27 budget.
- Chair Sugimura encouraged testifiers to submit written testimony to the BFED committee email and the e-comment link.
- Councilmembers asked clarifying questions on several items (e.g., permitting delays, open space fund eligibility, police staffing).
- No formal votes were taken; the meeting was strictly for public input.
- Upcoming residency area meetings announced: South Maui on April 14 (Tuesday) and West Maui on April 17 (Friday), both at 6 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Wow. Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the budget finance economic development committee. It is now 6.02 p.m. We are in beautiful HANA. Such paradise. And thank you for letting us be here. When we arrived, all of us talked about how long did it take how many minutes did it take for us to get here? How was the traffic and all of that? And we got here and we said, wow, it's all worth it. It's so beautiful. So thank you for uh letting us uh be in your community. We are the budget and finance economic development committee, and we are here to listen to you. So we go to every district because we want to know what do you see that we wouldn't normally know or be able to experience that you can, and we want to hear testimony so we can provide um priorities, priorities for the budget that we receive from um the mayor, Mayor Bisson. So we take his budget, fiscal year 27, and then we dissect it as council members and put in items or approve things that are in there. So your voices are very important. Um I'd like to first introduce the council members. I'm gonna have Shane introduce the members. Member Senensi. Mahalo. Um starting from my uh far right, and mahalo everybody for joining us this evening. Um from our Molokai Nui Ahina, Miss Kiani Rollins Fernandez from uh Lele, we have Councilmember uh Tamara Palton from our central district, we have Kawanoe Batangan and our uh budget chair, Yukilei Sugimura from up country. I'm Shane Senancy, and next to me is Ms. Noheilani Uuu Hajjins from Paiya, and then from uh Moku Lana'i, we have Gabe Johnson and then finally from the south side we have uh Mr. Tom Cook. Um everybody we're we're on live on Akaku, that's Austin, wave Austin. We have some OCS staff here with us. We have Keoni, Keppa, Ryan, and Lori Ann in the back. Um I see uh Claire from our OED office is joining us tonight too. And then we also have some of our own staff members. We have uh Mavis Madeiris from HANA. We have Uncle Don Ty. And then we have Kate and Sarah also from our district offices. Welcome everybody. And Ryan, our security ambassador, so thank you very much, Ryan. I um want to thank Member Senency for the ONO food. Every time we come to Hana, we're we know we're gonna have Hawaiian food, and it was very delicious. Yeah. So um thank you. It's it was exceptional. Um, I wanted to invite everybody that we need to state your name, what organization you're from, and you'll have three minutes to testify. If you're not done, we'll give you another 30 seconds to complete. We really welcome written testimony, so whatever you're saying, if you would like to send it to us, please send it to the BFED.committee at Maui County.us um because then we'll have a written version of whatever you testified. Sometimes we cannot write fast enough. Well, you can also send it on e-comment link at Maui County.us at agendas, so that's another way of doing it. I also want to say what we tell everybody that if you don't want to give us your name, you do not have to, and you can um you can testify anonymously. We recognize that. So thank you very much, everybody, and we will now listen. And members may ask questions if they have questions of you, but uh please proceed. First testifier, please.
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