Posted on: Friday, November 22, 2002

Maui mayor-elect selects planning director

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

WAILUKU, Maui — Mayor-elect Alan Arakawa has tabbed for his planning director a former California city planner who has worked to protect Maui's natural areas since moving here four years ago.

Mike Foley, 59, has 35 years of experience as a community planner and environmental consultant, including 18 years as a planning director for the cities of Sausalito, Napa, Davis and Woodside.

Foley, a board member with the Maui Coastal Land Trust, resigned Monday from the board of directors of Maui Tomorrow, a group that actively promotes "ecologically sound development" and "the opportunity for a rural lifestyle." The group has spearheaded opposition to numerous proposed developments.

Maui Tomorrow President Ron Sturtz said that while he was sad to see Foley leave the group's board, he was delighted for Maui County.

"He's going to make a great planning director. He has such incredible experience," Sturtz said.

According to Arakawa, Foley's specialties include updating general plans, designing growth-management programs and protecting agricultural lands. As a speaker at a smart-growth conference on Maui last year, Foley called for agricultural and coastal land preservation and the creation of more affordable housing.

Arakawa, who will take office Jan. 2, this week also reappointed Alice Lee as director of the Department of Housing and Human Concerns and named several other Cabinet-level positions in his administration:

• Prosecuting attorney Davelynn Tengan, who has been a deputy prosecuting attorney on Maui since 1991.

• Corporation Counsel Brian Moto, who is now first deputy corporation counsel.

• Finance director Keith Regan, who is president of Hawaii Cartage Inc., a trucking company, and CEO of Banzai Paintball Distributors Inc.

• Water director George Tengan, who is the current deputy director.

• Parks director Glenn Correa, who is now deputy director.