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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, January 3, 2003

Maui's new mayor takes office, pledges teamwork

Budget woes mar council inauguration

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

WAILUKU, Maui — Republicans celebrated the return of one of their own to the Maui County mayor's office yesterday — in a nonpartisan sort of way.

Alan Arakawa, a County Council member who ran as a Republican before the county switched to nonpartisan elections, was inaugurated yesterday in ceremonies at Ichiro "Iron" Maehara Baseball Stadium.

Arakawa upset incumbent James "Kimo" Apana, who previously ran as a Democrat, in the November general election.

In attendance yesterday were many GOP officials, as well as the state's top Republican, Gov. Linda Lingle, who was mayor of Maui County from 1991 to 1998.

While mention of political parties was absent from her speech, Lingle said she had no trouble deciding whether to attend the Maui event or the City Council inauguration in Honolulu. She said she talked with Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona about who should represent the administration and where. "We didn't have a long discussion about it,'' she said.

Lingle, who also served on the Maui County Council, warned Arakawa that being mayor is more difficult than being a council member because it's difficult to please everyone.

"But if you make your decisions from the heart and with the public's interest first, it will come out all right in the end,'' she said.

Arakawa told the hundreds gathered at the stadium that he would work to make the county's standard of living second to none.

Flanked by his new directors and deputy directors, he also promised to work as a team. Accused during the campaign of being a micromanager who would rule the county from his ninth-floor office, Arakawa said that would not be the case. "I will not attempt to run the county by myself. This is a team effort,'' he said. "I want to thank you all in advance for your help. Because as an individual, I can't do it by myself.''

Yesterday wasn't all festivities for the Republicans on Maui. The County Council was sworn into office and, in its first act, elected Dain Kane of Wailuku as council chairman and Robert Carroll of Hana as vice chairman.

Kane, who previously ran as a Democrat, won the office in a 6-3 vote along party lines — despite calls for a nonpartisan selection.

Councilman Riki Hokama said that while the council is now a nonpartisan body, the reality is that the parties still exist and the electorate is aware of that.

Reach Timothy Hurley at (808) 244-4880, or e-mail at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com.