November 16, 2016

Understanding some of the significant changes that are taking place upcountry will be the main subject of our Kula Community Association’s meeting at 7pm this Wednesday, November 16 at the Kula Community Center.  Beginning at 6:30pm. "In the spirit of Thanksgiving we will be sharing the usual great refreshments."  Desserts are welcome.
 
    Maui has an emerging new industry: the legal production and sale of cannabis for medical use.  Teri Freitas Gorman, Director of Community Relations & Patient Affairs for Maui Grown Therapies (one of Maui’s two state-licensed medical cannabis dispensaries), will discuss the opening of Maui’s new cannabis businesses. Ms. Gorman will explain the Stateʻs new medical marijuana dispensary laws and how this new therapy can be used. . Gorman is a fifth generation Maui girl who has more than two decades of executive experience in community relations and marketing.
 
    After the Kula Community Association elects its 2017 officers and directors, the annual Malama Kula award will be awarded to a person who has contributed so much to the betterment of our community.  For his lifetime contributions the award was presented last year to Mayor Elmer Cravalho who recently passed away.
 
    We will also hear from Haleakala National Park chief of interpretation Polly Angelakis regarding upcoming changes at the national park including the status of new commercial operations. Angelakis grew up near Boston and hiked Haleakala when she was an exchange student at UH Manoa in 1985. The experience inspired her to become a park ranger. Her background is in environmental education, volunteerism, and interpretation. She has worked in 11 national parks and at the National Capital Region.  
 
    Since there is a State mandate to become 100% renewable by 2045, Maui Electric President Sharon Suzuki will share MECO’s plans for making the transition from relying on fossil fuels to expanding the use of renewable energy resources.  Maui Electric is now able to chart its future course since the PUC decided not to allow Nextera to take over the company.
 
    All members of the Upcountry community are welcome at the meeting. Beginning at 6:30 pm, and "In the spirit of Thanksgiving we will be sharing the usual great refreshments."  Desserts are welcome.   Phone 283-4376 for information.

Benefit for Upcountry Foodbank - November 19th

2016 Harvest Festival - November 19th - 9am to 4 pm

Chris Bachaus, Principal shared this update at the KCA board meeting on 10/4/16 - Link to the Update

September 7, 2016

Mr. Dave Taylor, Director, Maui County Water Department
will give our upcountry community an update on important  water issues: a) the new rules on residential water-fixture  counts; b) the status of the proposed Maui Island Water Use  and Development Plan; and c) the ongoing efforts to issue  Upcountry water meters.

Dr. James Leary, Invasive Weed Management Specialist, Maui Agriculture Research Center
will discuss the very invasive  Glycine plant and what is or is not being done to fight it. Then he would like to hear from audience members regarding other  invasive species issues which they are most worried about  and need to be addressed.

Mr. Erik McLellan, G. M., Skyline Eco-Adventures
will cover the company history and operations (off Crater Road),  its community involvement in an upcoming Zip for Trees event,  and its application for a Haleakala Nat’l Park commercial permit.

This Wednesday’s meeting will be both an educational and pleasant evening with your neighbors!  All Maui residents are welcome!  KCA membership is NOT required to attend meetings but encouraged. For information: 283-4376.

May 18, 2016
Listen in Person: Kula Community Center  6:30pm
Or Listen LIVE on Maui’s AKAKU TV Channel 55

With two Councilmembers stepping down after completing their five terms, several new candidates are seeking to join the Council. In other races new challengers are attempting to replace incumbents. How can voters decide?
       For those who  like the lively “action” of a political event, all residents are strongly encouraged to come to the candidate forum sponsored by the Kula Community Association to hear the candidates live and to meet them in person.
       Maui residents will also be able to watch LIVE on their home televisions.  AKAKU will broadcast this candidate forum live from 6:30pm to 9pm this coming Wednesday, May 18 on cable channel 55.
       The top two vote-getters in each County Council non-partisan primary will square off in November’s general election.

Our Four Candidate Panels

• There are five challengers for Mike Victorino’s Wailuku-Waikapu residency area.  Some candidates bring previous government experience and others have been involved in their community. They are: Alika Atay, Joseph Blackburn, Dain Kane, Keith Regan, and Hana Steel.
• Gladys Baisa’s Kula-Pukalani residency seat will have four candidates who bring considerable community experience and/or work with non-profit organizations. The four candidates are: Napua Greig-Nakasone, Eric Molina, Stacey Moniz, and Yuki Lei Sugimura.
• The Makawao-Haiku-Paia residency seat has two challengers to incumbent Council Chair Mike White: Trinette Furtado and Alan Kaufman.
• A forth candidate panel will have new-comer Tiare Lawrence challenging long-time incumbent Kyle Yamashita for the State Legislature’s Upcountry representative seat. This is a Democratic Party primary that could be the final election if there is no candidate from another party.

“While some candidates will tout their achievements, others will critique the way things have been done in the past and suggest ways to improve county operations. The forum should be interesting; it certainly will not be dull.”
       This will be an opportunity for residents to sit back and watch a live event in the comfort of their home, or to be part of the action at the Kula Community Center.

February 24, 2016

Our Maui County departments operate to serve resident and community needs.  Heading some of those departments are four newly appointed directors.  The community meeting will have these directors clarify their plans and respond to questions from our upcountry residents.  This will be an opportunity to express your concerns and hear those of your neighbors.
 
Director Kaʻala Buenconsejo, (Dept. of Parks and Recreation)
Director Don Medeiros, (Dept. of Transportation)
Director Carol Reimann, (Dept. of Housing and Human Concerns)
Director Stewart Stant, (Dept. of Environmental Management)
 
Agricultural Land Property Tax: 
Also on the agenda will be a presentation from the Agriculture Working Group on the related issues and impact of proposed changes in the County’s property taxation of agricultural lands.  The bill, BF-70, would eliminate our current “agriculture-use value” assessment, changing all agricultural lands to a “market value” assessment.  The bill is expected to be on the agenda of the Budget and Finance Committee on Monday, Feb. 29th, at 1:30.
more on BF-70 and KCA position (includes transcript of this presentation)

November 18, 2015

Election – Kula Community Association
2016 KCA Officers and Boardmembers will be elected at this general meeting.
       Nominations for 2016 KCA Officers and Board:
              Pres. Doreen "Pua" Canto, Vice-Pres. Bobbie Patnode, Treas. Shelley Maddigan, Secty. Paul Mikolay.
              Board Members:  Chuck Carletta, David Jenkins, Vinnie Linares, Dick Mayer, Gina Flammer, Victor Reyes,
                     John Wilson, Debbie von Tempksy
              Advisory Committee:  Jim Crowe, Alan Kaufman, Mitch Silver, David Jenkins

Kula Elementary School
Principal Chris Bachus will describe the school’s efforts to initiate an agriculture program and let our community know about the upcoming Harvest Festival.

"Malama Kula" Award will be presented by the Kula Community Association to Maui Mayor (Retired) Elmer Cravalho and Kula School Principal Chris Bachaus
This award recognizes acts or contributions that reflect the KCA purpose and/or vision.
The Vision of the Kula Community  Association is to preserve open space, support agriculture, maintain a rural residential atmosphere, and to work together as a community.
The Specific Purpose of this association is to improve the quality of life for the residents of Kula, to promote civic welfare, and generally to benefit the community of Kula.

Maui County Governance
Dale Bonar will explain Maui County Council’s effort to examine the governance of our county’s operations and to make possible recommendations to improve the governance structure. These efforts may lead to a Charter amendment on the 2016 election ballot.

Father Damien
Kula resident and KCA Board  member Vinnie Linares will perform selected parts of  the one man play, Father Damien, - a play he has performed since 2000 in Hawaii, on the mainland, and in Europe . While performing specific and important parts of the play, Vinnie will also  entertain questions about Damien, leprosy,  and relate Damien's historical significance to Hawaiian history .

September 9, 2015

Preparing for a disaster, new programs at King Kekaulike High School, and Haleakala’s solar telescope will be the topics at 7pm this Wednesday, September 9 at the Kula Community Center.  Beginning at 6:30pm the usual great refreshments will be available. Officials from Maui Electric Company and Maui County’s Civil Defense Office will discuss what residents can do to protect themselves before and during a disaster.  In our upcountry region this could be a major storm, a wildfire, an earthquake, or an influx of coastal residents fleeing a tsunami.  Are we ready?
       King Kekaulike High School’s new principal Mark Elliott will describe programs and changes at the high school.  With the construction of the school’s new $30 million theater will there be greater opportunities for the community to consider the campus as its upcountry cultural center?
       The solar telescope on Haleakala’s summit has resulted in considerable controversy.  Proponents feel that the advances resulting from the telescope’s operations will provide major scientific benefits. Concurrently, there are those that are strongly opposed to locating the telescope on the summit.  Both sides have been invited to present their case to the community, but only those who oppose the construction have accepted the invitation. Kilakila ‘O Haleakalā’s Kiope Raymond will describe the telescope’s history and the legal issues that are still being argued in court.  Kānaka activist Trinette Furtado will explain the rationale and goals of those who recently have protested the telescope by attempting to prevent the delivery of materials to the summit.

May 20, 2015

Mr. Wes Lo, Maui regional Hospital Director
Dr. Nicole Apoliona, Clinic Medical Director, Kula Hospital
Dr. Lui Hokoana, Chancellor, University of Hawaii Maui College

Significant changes in both Maui’s health care and higher education are happening.  Upcountry residents can learn about them at the Kula Community Association’s meeting at 7pm this Wednesday, May 20 at the Kula Community Center.  Beginning at 6:30pm the usual great refreshments will be available.
       Maui Regional Director Wes Lo and Dr. Nicole Apoliona, Kula Hospital and Clinic Medical Director, will clarify the recent legislation authorizing Maui Memorial Medical Center and Kula Hospital to transition their operations and facilities into a public-private partnership. Mr. Lo will provide: a rationale for why the conversion is needed; the likely time frame/schedule; and the potential new private partners.  Of special importance will be the medical changes -- for better or worse -- that we might expect at both Kula Hospital and Maui Memorial.
       Dr. Apoliona will discuss changes that might occur at Kula Hospital from a public-private partnership and the special challenges for the hospital given its unique mission as both a long-term care provider and as an emergency and clinic facility.
       New University of Hawaii Maui College Chancellor and Kula resident Lui Hokoana will speak on the transition of Maui Community College into a four-year institution.  Will there be new degree offerings, an expanded faculty, and continuation of the two-year vocational/technical programs?  Of interest to upcountry residents is the relationship of the college to the expanding telescope operations on Haleakala’s summit.

February 18, 2015

Upcountry residents can learn about the potential for upcountry Maui to become much safer and healthier at the Kula Community Association 7pm meeting on Wednesday, February 18 at the Kula Community Center.  Beginning at 6:30pm the usual great refreshments will be available. 
       Our new Maui County Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu, a 29 year police veteran, will address ways in which his department can better communicate with the public and how to reduce the level of fear in the community.  Chief will address traffic issues, bike safety, and police presence in the upcountry areas.
        Dr. Nicole Apoliona, Medical Director, Kula Hospital and Clinic, will share the latest legislative efforts to authorize Kula Hospital and Maui Memorial Medical Center to enter into an agreement with a private entity to transition its facilities and operations into a new private, non-profit Hawaii entity.
          Charnan Carroll, Program Manager, Community Emergency Preparedness (CERT) Team, will speak on how to prepare ourselves and family members to best respond to emergency situations. CERT training prepares everyone to stay calm and useful in a natural disaster, to be helpful to your family and neighbors. CERT training is fun and interesting as residents learn how fire, police, first aid, radio communications and weather reports work to keep us safe.