WAILUKU, Maui - Beginning July 1, Maui County landfill hours will be cut to accommodate a $1.7 million decrease in the county's landfill operations budget for the fiscal year that begins next month, the Department of Environmental Management announced.

"The county will need to reduce the operating hours of all county landfills in order to meet budget constraints," Mayor Charmaine Tavares said. "Constraints that include the removal of over $1 million from the Department of Environmental Management's landfill operations budget by the County Council."

This was the second announcement in recent weeks that indicates how county budget cuts will affect public services. Officials announced last month that nine municipal swimming pool complexes would be closed on 13 holidays as a result of budget cuts.

Regarding the reduction in landfill hours, Tavares said her administration is working with the United Public Workers Union "to address union employee concerns and reach an important formal agreement regarding union employee work schedules."

UPW Director Dayton Nakanelua was quoted in the county's announcement as saying that the union is "committed to find a way to make this work for the people of Maui County."

"The county's administration has made it clear that these fiscally challenging times will require all of us to collaborate together to find solutions we can all live with," he said.

The new landfill schedule includes a minimum of one weekend day open per week at each landfill.

The new landfill schedule is:

* Central Maui Landfill, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Saturday; closed Sunday.

* Olowalu Convenience Center, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday; closed Sunday.

* Hana, Molokai and Lanai landfills, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.