Kate Blystone takes over a department reeling with low morale, a backlog of permits, a staffing shortage and other issues while dealing with the fire recovery.
County of Maui officials are reminding the public that the Maui County surcharge and general excise tax as of Jan. 1, 2024, is now 4.5%, with a maximum pass-on rate of 4.712%.
A $40 million project, largely being funded by FEMA and being conducted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a local contractor, aims to haul away an estimated 600,000 tons of ash and waste over the next year from the Lahaina wildfire site.
The Lahaina wildfire debris removal project began Tuesday with preparation work in anticipation of hauling away an estimated 600,000 tons of ash and waste over the next year.
All agreed the decision was a difficult one with one member calling the choice a “lose-lose situation.” Another criticized the administration, saying the council was left out of the site selection process, and now felt pressure to approve or lose funding.