WAILUKU — Mayor Charmaine Tavares said she would continue to focus on relationship-building in the coming year, and she cited emergency response as one of her critical accomplishments of 2007, in her second State of the County speech on Tuesday, The Maui News reported.

Raging wildfires in Polipoli, Olowalu and Lahaina, and severe winter storms were some of the events that the county faced, she said. Tavares credited the county's successful response to good relationships with other branches of government and the private sector.

"Last year was a true test of our preparedness as government — and an outstanding example of how our communities support each other in times of crisis and great need," she said.

Tavares addressed a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday morning in the eighth-floor Council Chambers of the Kalana O Maui building. In addition to the mayor's low-key speech, the event featured music by Richard Ho'opi'i and a choir from the Kamehameha Schools Maui campus.

Water, affordable housing and renewable energy were other key issues from 2007, she said.

The Department of Water Supply hoped to have the new Kupaa Well operating within a year, enabling the county to "spread out" pumping from the Waihee aquifer, Tavares said.

"(This) means we will continue to have water provided from this source for a longer period of time," she said.

The county has also requested federal and state funding for increased Upcountry water storage, she said.

Tavares noted that the Department of Housing and Human Concerns had begun implementing the Workforce Housing Policy and had already inked housing agreements for projects in Makawao and on Molokai.

In the energy arena, Tavares noted her administration had organized a three-day "Energy Expo" to discuss renewable power and climate change, and established working groups to produce plans based on ideas discussed at the conference.

Other top accomplishments included getting an "unprecedented" upgrade in the county's bond rating that will reduce borrowing costs, Tavares said.

"In this time of uncertain economy in the nation, this is an exceptional recognition of the county's creditworthiness and accountability," she said.

She noted the county had also created a new fund to pay for retiree health benefit obligations, purchased land for a new Haiku fire station, reduced planning review time for small projects, reduced the backlog of cases in the prosecutor's office, and expanded public transit service.

Looking at 2008, Tavares said the county would likely see more economic slowdown.

"While our economy continues to be strong, we can expect a slower growth in the visitor industry and other business developments," she said.

Specific goals for the year include proposing "next-step action" for surveys of important agricultural lands; developing recommendations for the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan; developing plans and design for a new South Maui police station; and completing a Maui Island Plan for the general plan review process.

Tavares also said she would seek new water sources, support affordable housing and address homelessness.

Relationships would continue to be a focus, she said.

"In this second year of my administration, we will continue to work with our public and private partners and establish new relationships that will help in addressing some of our essential needs," she said.

Tavares said her priorities would continue to be in economic diversification and balance, renewable energy, expanding public transportation, developing a sustainable water supply, providing "effective" public services and preserving natural resources and open space.

"So that the quality of everyday life for our residents is met by our ability to meet their needs, I have set a course that will maintain what we began last year," she said.

Ezekiela Kalua of the West Maui Taxpayers Association, who served in the administration of former Mayor Alan Arakawa, agreed that Tavares had faced "a lot of challenges" from emergencies in her first year.

But he wanted to hear more about specific projects and proposals that could affect West Maui in the coming year, and said Tavares should have provided more details about her plans for the future.

"We want to see a good solid direction, and I didn't hear a lot of that this morning," he said.

County Council Chairman Riki Hokama said he didn't see many "highlights" from Tavares' first year, but he felt she'd improved the quality of county services overall.

"I feel her administration has performed at a level that she's raised the standards we can expect from our departments," he said.

He said he thought Tavares had done a good job responding to emergencies in her first year, and agreed the upgrade in the county's bond rating was a key accomplishment.

"Maui County will be better able to deal with the economic slowdown," he said.

Hokama liked Tavares' focus on cooperation in her speech Tuesday.

"I really appreciated the tone," he said. "It was still quite positive and upbeat."

He said he didn't feel the mayor was lacking in specifics, saying he appreciated her approach of "informally consulting" with the council before making a proposal, rather than "throwing out initiatives" that might not have support.

"Her style has been a lot more workable," he said.

For more Maui news, visit The Maui News.