Council members to explain charter amendments

Three Maui County Council members will discuss the seven charter amendments that will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Council Member Kelly Takaya King will host the Zoom meeting from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday along with Council Members Keani RawlinsFernandez and Shane Sinenci, all of whom proposed the amendments.

The proposals call for:

≤ Increasing the minimum amount of real property tax revenues that must go into the affordable housing fund from 2 to 3 percent.

≤ Establishing an Office of the Managing Director and hiring a professional manager who would serve as the county’s chief operating officer.

≤ Restricting term limits for council members to no more than five, two-year terms of office.

≤ Restricting term limits for mayors to no more than two, four-year terms of office.

≤ Establishing standards for interpreting and complying with the Maui County Charter, and requiring corporation counsel or special counsel to seek judicial action when the administration and the council disagree on interpretation of the charter.

≤ Having the mayor appoint two members of the Charter Commission and the council appoint nine members (one per council member), instead of the mayor appointing all 11.

≤ Creating a county Department of Agriculture.

Residents will have the option to cast their votes on the amendments when ballots are mailed out for the general election. On Sunday the council members will share what a “yes” or “no” vote could mean for each proposal.

To access the meeting, visit zoom.us/j/93670305795.