Council will visit Moloka'i to fill seat

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

WAILUKU, Maui — Maui County Council members decided yesterday that a trip to the Friendly Isle was in order before they select a successor to longtime councilman Pat-rick Kawano of Moloka'i, who died June 22 following a long illness.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, tentatively at Mitchell Pauole Center in Kaunakakai, and return to council chambers in Wailuku at 1:30 p.m. the next day to choose the new member.

The council held a special meeting in Wailuku yesterday to decide exactly how to replace the council chairman. Under the Maui County Charter, the council must fill the empty seat within 30 days of the vacancy or the task of picking a new member will fall to the mayor.

Several names were circulated at the meeting before members decided to open consideration to anyone submitting a letter of intent and application before Monday's meeting. Only a resident of Moloka'i can hold the seat.

Among those being considered is Danny Mateo, Kawano's executive assistant. Council members received a letter from Kawano's family expressing support for Mateo, who has already filed papers to run for the office.

Kawano, first elected to the council in 1986, was not eligible for re-election in November because of term limits.

The council yesterday also tabled the selection of other new officers until after the new Moloka'i member is seated.