Maui County Charter Commission to discuss councils alternatives on charter proposals today | News

The Maui News

The Maui County Charter Commission will discuss the Maui County Council’s alternatives to its proposed charter amendments at its 9 a.m. meeting today.

The commission, which spent the past year reviewing the charter, submitted a list of proposed amendments to the council in February. Council members reviewed and proposed their own alternatives.

Of the 13 proposals included in the commission’s report, two were recommended for elimination, including an amendment to change the way the council is elected and another to require the county auditor to assess the fiscal impacts of proposed charter amendments.

Another proposal to remove the cap on penalties for violations of the law, thus enabling penalties to be set by ordinance, was returned to the commission with no changes, according to a news release.

The 10 remaining charter amendment proposals were approved with modifications. These include proposals addressing:

• Improvement of public access to council meetings and county records.

• Duties of the county clerk and restrictions on their political activities.

• Appointment process for administrative heads.

• Maui Planning Commission and long-range community plans.

• Creation and operations of a new Department of Housing.

• Creation and operations of a new Department of ‘Oiwi Resources.

• Ethics in government and operations of the Board of Ethics.

• Professionalism in government and creation of a new Independent Nomination Board.

• Terms for and removal of corporation counsel and the prosecuting attorney.

• Transparency in law enforcement, the police chief and the Police Commission.

The commission has until April 20 to accept or reject the alternatives.

To participate in the meeting, visit bluejeans.com/ 422626918. Testimony can be provided remotely through BlueJeans, via email at charter.commission@mauicounty.gov or in person at the Planning Department Conference Room at 250 S. High St. in Wailuku. Commissioners may not be physically present at this location.

For more information or to view the full agenda, visit mauicounty.gov/CharterCommission.

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