Arakawa merits four more years at Maui's helm
The pace of change on the Neighbor Islands is accelerating, and nowhere can that be seen as clearly as on Maui.
The Valley Isle faces enormous pressures from development that have intensified over the past decade with the conversion of cane lands into resorts and subdivisions. Although it's encouraging to see several experienced in county government willing to take the reins in steering the growth on Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i, The Honolulu Advertiser believes the one best equipped to move the county forward as mayor is the one finishing his first term, Alan Arakawa.
His opponent, longtime councilmember Charmaine Tavares, is likeable, and familiar to those who remember the years that the mayor's job belonged to her late father, Hannibal Tavares. However, in some of the key demands confronting the county government — enabling more affordable housing, managing water responsibly, and improving capacity of roads and other public utilities — Arakawa's approach seems more logical and comprehensive.
For a second term, Arakawa should ensure that he has assembled the best team for his administration; the execution of his plan for Maui will unfold more effectively through collaboration and consensus-building with the community and the council. Last week's showdown over the use of pesticide-contaminated water from wells in Pa'ia, for example, might have been averted if the community's concerns had been anticipated earlier and plans made accordingly.
But on the whole, Arakawa's determination and energy is working well for Maui. He's been beset with some difficult issues and has shown the political courage to confront them head-on. He worked with the governor to find a stopgap storage yard for abandoned vehicles that were piling up and causing hazards because of the lack of a junked-car processor. And, his administration has helped restart scrap-metal recycling in industrial Kahului.
Arakawa, a former planner, worked to put an end to the catch-up game in which county infrastructure lagged behind development — attempting to learn from mistakes made on O'ahu in prior decades. His Geographic Information System maps serve as dynamic blueprints that provide guidance on where roads and schools may be needed. Paired with the council's own work to update countywide and district plans, his work can help the county keep its growth in balance with other needs.
Among these competing demands is the public call for open space to be preserved; Arakawa has favored a more rational approach to the disposition of marginal agricultural-zoned lands, directing that some be kept as a greenbelt preserve, using a special fund to acquire 277 acres of coastal property at Waihe'e. Along these lines, it would be good to see him continue the drive to create the North Shore Heritage Park in Pa'ia, now stymied by the Republican administration in Washington. He is a vocal supporter of restoring water formerly diverted for agriculture to streamflows that are important to local farming kuleana.
One of the knottiest issues before Maui today is the anticipated start of Superferry service, a controversy that has roiled the community. Although the concerns about environmental and traffic impacts are well-founded, Arakawa parted company with the council by deciding against joining a court challenge to the project. His decision to work with the state on resolving the shortage of harbor space and other critical matters seems the most realistic approach.
Arakawa has discovered that the tough work of delivering county services does not always place the chief executive in a comfortable position. If he draws on the assistance of a well credentialed administrative team, Alan Arakawa will be a key leader in helping Maui chart its future.
Correction: Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa's professional county post was as wastewater treatment plant supervisor. Also, he has supported the North Shore Heritage Park, located in Pa'ia. Arakawa's work history and the location of the park were incorrect in a previous version of this story.
