County Council
The Maui County Council is a nine-member legislative body elected at-large, each representing a designated residency area. Members serve two-year terms. The council approves the annual budget, passes legislation, and provides oversight of county operations.
Council Members
9
Elected at-large, 2-yr terms
FY27 Council Budget
$13.9M
+3.2% vs FY26 ($435K increase)
% of Total Budget
0.86%
of $1.62B county budget
Standing Committees
8
Plus special committees
Staff Positions
~50
Not under civil service
Council Members
Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū
Former Director of Housing and Human Concerns under Mayors James 'Kimo' Apana and Alan Arakawa (1999–2006); small business owner in real estate, insurance, and media; founder of New Leaf Ranch, a residential transitional program for newly released parolees. Served on council 1989–1999, returned 2018.
Key priorities
Council service: 1989–1999, 2018–present
Upcountry (Kula/Makawao)
Former field representative for U.S. Senators Akaka and Hirono; Wailuku Revitalization Coordinator under Mayor Apana; owner of Connec LLC (event management and consulting). Currently in her fifth term on the council.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
ℹ Announced candidacy for Maui County Mayor (2026 election)
First elected: 2016
Kahului
Former congressional aide to Sen. Akaka and Rep. Gabbard; Manager of Maui County Office of Recovery post-wildfire; Deputy Transportation Director and Executive Director of the Maui MPO. Holds degrees from Stanford (B.A.), Columbia (M.P.A.), and University of Tokyo (M.P.P.). Appointed by Mayor Bissen in Dec. 2025 to fill the vacancy left by the late Tasha Kama.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
ℹ Appointed Jan. 2026 to fill seat of late Tasha Kama (Kahului)
Appointed: 2026
South Maui (Kīhei/Wailea)
Maui resident since 1971; journeyman carpenter, mason, and structural concrete worker; general contractor for 25+ years; President of the Maui Contractors Association (2006–2008); founding board member and former chair of the Construction Industry of Maui.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
First elected: 2022
Lānaʻi
Invasive species technician at Pulama Lānaʻi; former teacher at Lahaina Intermediate; worked to establish a Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area for Lānaʻi.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
First elected: 2020
West Maui (Lahaina/Kāʻanapali)
Former Ocean Safety Officer III with Maui Department of Fire & Public Safety (served since 2001); trained in FEMA Incident Command System; led the Save Honolua Coalition, West Maui Preservation Association, and Lahaina Community Land Trust; Ka Ipu Kukui fellow. Represents the West Maui district directly affected by the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
First elected: 2018
Molokai
J.D. from William S. Richardson School of Law (UH Mānoa) with certificates in Environmental Law and Native Hawaiian Law; former Administrative Director of Molokaʻi Community Service Council; former Executive Assistant to Council Member Elle Cochran. Led passage of the short-term rental cap on Molokaʻi, where the permitted maximum is zero.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
First elected: 2018
East Maui (Hāna-Keʻanae-Kailua)
Special education teacher at Hana School for approximately two decades; member of Hana Community Association and Aha Moku Councils for East Maui. Authored the County Water Use and Development Plan update encompassing long-term conservation and sourcing strategies.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
First elected: 2018
Makawao-Haʻikū-Pāʻia
Eighth-generation Pāʻia resident; started career in accounting; permit expediter at F&W Land LLC. Husband William 'Koa' Hodgins is a Maui County firefighter.
Key priorities
Committee leadership
First elected: 2022
Committee Assignments
● Chair ◐ Vice-Chair · Member
| Committee | Lee | Sugimura | Batangan | Cook | Johnson | Paltin | Rawlins-Fernandez | Sinenci | Uʻu-Hodgins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BFED ↗ Budget, Finance & Economic Development | · | ● | ◐ | · | · | · | · | · | · |
ADEPT ↗ Agriculture, Diversification, Environment & Public Transportation | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | ◐ | · |
DRIP ↗ Disaster Recovery, International Affairs & Planning | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | ◐ |
GREAT ↗ Government Relations, Ethics & Transparency | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | ◐ |
HLU ↗ Housing and Land Use | · | · | ◐ | · | · | · | · | · | ● |
KAʻĀ ↗ Kōmike Aloha ʻĀina | · | · | · | · | · | ◐ | ● | · | · |
WAI ↗ Water and Infrastructure | · | ◐ | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · |
WASSP ↗ Water Authority, Social Services & Parks | · | · | · | · | ◐ | · | · | ● | · |
Committee Jurisdictions
Annual operating and capital budgets; real property tax ordinances; financial audits; economic development policy. All 9 members serve.
Agriculture, Diversification, Environment & Public Transportation
Chair: Johnson
V-Chair: Sinenci
Agricultural policy; economic diversification; environmental regulation; Maui Bus system; invasive species; food security.
Lahaina wildfire and disaster recovery; international/sister-city relations; General Plan amendments; long-range planning; disaster preparedness.
County charter compliance; code of ethics; county-state and county-federal relations; legislative transparency; council rules; intergovernmental agreements. All 9 members serve.
State land use boundary amendments; zoning ordinances; affordable and workforce housing programs; residential development policy. All 9 members serve.
Archaeology and historic preservation; perpetuation of Native Hawaiian cultural practices; ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi policy; natural and cultural resource protection; Aloha ʻĀina values in county governance.
County water and wastewater infrastructure; roads, highways, and public works; drainage and flood control; county facilities; infrastructure master planning; water source development.
Maui County Board of Water Supply oversight; social services programs; parks and recreation; public health; senior and youth programs; homeless services coordination.
FY27 Council Budget
Source: 050-03a County Council.pdf; 040-01 Revenue and Expenditure Summary Figure 4-7
FY26 Adopted
$13,453,500
FY27 Adopted
$13,888,000
Dollar change
+$434,500
Percent change
+3.2%
Notable: Office of Council Services is not subject to civil service requirements — an unusual arrangement that gives the council full discretion over its own staffing.
Scope note: The $13.9M budget header includes the County Auditor Program (~$2.35M) in addition to Council Services (~$11.5M). The staffing list below covers Council Services only; County Auditor positions are listed separately in 050-03b.
Office of Council Services — Staffing
FY27 positions. Note: Council Services is not covered by civil service requirements — all positions are at council discretion.
Elected
Elected position
One per member