​The Kula Community Association (KCA) is hosting a Candidate Forum on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Kula Community Center.  This event will feature candidates running for local Senate, House, and County Council offices covering 10 races, offering a platform for them to present their views and respond to questions.

“The Kula community, and the broader Upcountry community, want to hear what the candidates have to say.  We will happily provide that forum,” said KCA Board President Bobbie Patnode.  This forum is a key opportunity for Upcountry residents to hear directly from the candidates who wish to shape our county’s future.

All community members are invited to attend this free event that is open to the public.  KCA is committed to promoting informed civic participation and this forum aims to ensure that voters have the information they need to make informed decisions at the polls. Light refreshments will be provided.

This Candidate Forum will be streamed live by Akakū to their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@AkakuMaui/streams.

The recorded event will replay on Akakū Channel 54 beginning on September 12th.

​The Kula Community Association has a long history of conducting excellent candidate forums and we hope you can join us for an evening of candidates who will be questioned for the contested County Council races and several State legislative races.
 
WHEN:      Wednesday, September 11, 2024 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm
WHERE:   Kula Community Center on E. Lower Kula Road across from Holy Ghost Church
WHAT:      Candidates will face off with their opponents for a series of questions on state/county & district issues
WHY:         Your vote counts!  The Forum will help you prepare.

We have been informed by Goodfellow Bros. construction company that beginning Tuesday, September 3, there will be a major construction project on Kekaulike Avenue (Highway 377) to repair the damaged section of the road.  Goodfellow has announced that there will be detour signs placed on both sides of the construction site.  It is anticipated that the project will last from September through May 2025.

Click this link for a detailed map of the area to be closed:  Link to Kekaulike Detours

Here is the Goodfellow's specific notice:
Goodfellow Notice - Kekaulike Ave Road Shutdown at M.P. 8.2

On Tuesday September 3rd, 2024, Goodfellow Bros. will begin performing road work on Kekaulike Ave at M.P. 8.2. An entire road shutdown will affect travel in the surrounding area.  Users of Kekaulike Ave are encouraged to find an alternate route and adjust schedules as appropriate. If you are traveling from the north (Waiakoa Road side) Copp Road will be used as a detour. If you are traveling from the south (Alae Road side) Kula Highway will be used as a detour. Construction is scheduled to be concluded by early May 2025, subject to change. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this will cause. For more information, questions, or concerns, contact Goodfellow Bros. (Austin Fricke, Project Manager) at (808) 868-6536 or Bowers and Kubota (Russell Kapuniai) at (808) 214-4920.

​This week is the anniversary of the devastating August 8th, 2023 wildfires in Lahaina and Kula. In honor and remembrance, gatherings will be held from Thursday, August 8 - Sunday, August 11.  Please log into https://www.kuhiniamaui.org to sign up to attend an event.

On Tuesday, July 16, the Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will have a draft 2025-2028 TIP ready for Upcountry/North Shore review from 5-7pm at Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani.

The TIP is an important document for our island—it includes all transportation projects on Maui that use federal highway or transit money or are regionally significant. By identifying our most important near-term projects in the TIP, we can receive funding for roads, bridges, bus transit, trails, paths, and sidewalks.  

The Hele Mai Maui Long-Range Transportation Plan 2040 (Hele Mai Maui) has been used as the basis for this TIP update, as well as input from Maui residents through a Call for Projects. Coordination with the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT), Maui County Public Works (DPW), and the County Department of Transportation (MDOT) to identify priority projects and assign them to the appropriate years also occurred. Since the TIP is fiscally constrained—with about $14 million available each year for County projects—and since federal funds cover only 80% of project costs, staying within the budget and identifying local funds to fill the gap is a tricky balancing act. 

After your feedback on the draft TIP, it will be taken to the MPO Technical Advisory Committee and the Policy Board for final review and approval in August. Then Maui MPO will submit the TIP to HDOT for inclusion in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP must be reviewed and approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) before Maui can receive federal funds.

In order to provide transparency, the Kula Community Association will post our minutes from each Community Meeting on our website. 

The minutes from our April 17th Community Meeting are now available. They are initially posted to the KCA Home Page for a few weeks, and are archived permanently in our blog. You can always find them by clicking on the Recent Posts tab and selecting KCA Community Meetings.

​Click this link for the April 17th Community Meeting Minutes.

​Councilmember Tom Cook and Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura announced today that they will co- host a community meeting at 6 p.m. on May 8 at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center. The meeting’s intent is to gather input from the community and provide information regarding the County of Maui’s proposed water-delivery agreement with Free Market Ventures.

In early April, in response to community feedback and at the request of Director of Water Supply John Stufflebean, the Maui County Council recommitted Resolution 24-47 to the Water and Infrastructure Committee for further review. The resolution authorizes Mayor Richard T. Bissen’s administration to enter into an agreement with Free Market Ventures, LLC, which includes drilling wells in Kula and the County purchasing water from the private source.

“As the Council further reviews this potential agreement, it is important for us to continue involving the community in the process,” said Sugimura.
“The Water and Infrastructure Committee also looks forward to continue working with the Department of Water Supply in examining this potential agreement and assessing its impacts to our community,” added Cook.

For a full text of the Resolution 24-47: https://mauicounty.granicusideas.com/.../65e286bef2b67087...
​
For more information, contact Cook’s office at (808) 270-7108 and [email protected] or Sugimura’s office at (808) 270-7939 and [email protected].

​Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura will host a community meeting this Wednesday, March 27 from 6 to 8pm at Pukalani’s Mayor Tavares Community Center. The focus of the meeting will be on a potential water source development agreement between the County of Maui and Free Market Ventures, LLC.  

The meeting should be of prime interest to residents of Kula, Haiku, Makawao, and Pukalani. However, all Maui residents may be affected by the agreement since water rates may rise countywide.

Sugimura announced that the County Council is reviewing a resolution to authorize Mayor Richard T. Bissen’s administration to enter into an agreement with Free Market Ventures, LLC.  The agreement would involve Free Market Ventures, LLC drilling wells in Kula and the County purchasing water from the private source.    

“Water is always such an important subject for our communities, particularly Upcountry,” said Sugimura, who is also the vice-chair of the council.  “This agreement could potentially provide an added source for Upcountry, but it is important that we provide our residents with as much information as possible before making any decisions.”

Participating in Wednesday’s meeting will be Department of Water Supply Director John Stufflebean and representatives from Free Market Ventures, LLC. Also speaking will be Dick Mayer who will be providing a critique of the proposed 30 year agreement that has many long-term and potentially expensive provisions.

“I want to thank Director Stufflebean and Free Market Ventures for participating in our evening meeting,” said Sugimura.  “An agreement such as this has wide-ranging impacts, and I appreciate these resources for taking the time to explain these impacts directly to our community.”  
Wednesday’s meeting will be televised and streamed by Akakū.  

Sugimura holds the council seat for the Upcountry residency area. She is also the chair of the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee.

​Mālama Kula is an action-oriented, results-driven organization that was formed to provide disaster relief in response to the Kula Fire, but also also aims to address current challenges facing the Kula community. At the last board meeting of KCA Kyle Ellison, Executive Director, Mālama Kula, asked us to share the following links with our email list.
 
The Maui WES (Wildfire Exposure Study) will be taking place at Kula Lodge this Saturday, Feb 17, and here is the link to sign up:
 
https://www.mauiwes.info
 ​
The Maui Wildfire Exposure Cohort Study, is the most comprehensive study to understand and mitigate the health and social impacts of the Maui wildfires. By joining this study, participants not only gain insight into their personal exposure risks but also contribute essential data that supports community resilience throughout the recovery phase.
 
We are recruiting adult participants living in Maui who were directly or indirectly affected by the Maui Wildfires.
 
Participants who qualify and complete the questionnaire and health metrics will receive up to $100. The health metrics include saliva, urine, height, weight, blood pressure, and a small amount of blood (30ml or about 3 tablespoons).
 
The other link is for the free Kula Curbside Recycling program for HI 5 beverage containers, and you can sign up at the link below:
 
https://www.malamakula.org/kula-curbside-recycling
 
Please contact Kyle Ellison for further information:  [email protected]

The Kula Community Association will host a community meeting for KCA members and all Upcountry residents at 7 pm on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at the Kula Community Center. Light refreshments will be available from 6:30 pm. Come and meet your neighbors.

From our prior KCA October discussions it became very apparent that there is a need to adapt upcountry land management. The meeting will explore ways to better manage our lands to both prevent wildfires and to contain those that get started.

We will hear presentations by the Hawai’i Wildfire Management Organization, Kula Community Watershed Alliance, and Malama Kula, -- all organizations focusing on stewardship and restoration as a community response to wildfires. This meeting is the first in a series working to create a path towards a fire resilient and water secure Upcountry community. 

Future KCA’s community meeting topics will focus on Upcountry Infrastructure and Community Response, respectively.

Remember Covid and flu season is still upon us, so please stay home if you aren’t feeling well.

For more information contact Jordan Hocker 808-495-1700 jhocker07@gmailcom

​Kula MEMA meeting has moved to Tuesday nights, 6 PM, in the Kula Elem. Cafeteria.

Mayor Richard Bissen announced today that weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings will launch Upcountry this week for Kula residents impacted by the August wildfires.

The weekly meetings, beginning on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, will be held at the Kula Elementary School cafeteria. They will continue weekly at 6 p.m. every Thursday in November and December as debris cleanup progresses, with the exception of holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, 2023.

The Kula Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings will cover progress, schedule and common community questions. Kathy Ho, Deputy Director of Environmental Health for the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, will be in attendance at this weekʻs meeting. Representatives from the county, state and federal agencies will be available after the meeting to answer questions and offer informational materials.
​
The Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings will be live-streamed and archived on the County of Maui Facebook page.
Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings for Lahaina residents began last week and will be held weekly at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Lahaina Civic Center.

​To notify Kula residents of nearby debris removal activities, the Kula Community Watershed Alliance and MEMA have compiled a schedule. It is now on-line and will be updated by the Watershed Alliance. You may view the schedule at https://bit.ly/KulaPhase2

​Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimora sent us this announcement today.

Aloha Everyone,

We are holding a Community Meeting tonight from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Eddie Tam Community center to discuss the ongoing debris removal and recovery process Upcountry. I apologize for such short notice as we have only just recently been able to finalize all of the logistics. This meeting is being held by the Mayor's Office and the Maui Emergency Management agency, in partnership with my office.

My office has been fortunate to help facilitate meetings with owners who lost property in the wildfires and responding agencies. We have been pushing for a broader community as well, and hope that you can join us tonight.

Kula Community Watershed Alliance has notified us that the Phase 2 Debris Cleanup began this week at the burned house sites in Kulamanu subdivision. They have asked Kula residents to please stay safe and avoid this area if you can. From what they can tell from the Department of Health fact sheet, use of PPE is recommended in the area.
Kula Community Watershed Alliance invites any concerned residents living near burned building sites to complete a survey (https://bit.ly/KulaDebris) which will help them keep neighbors informed of cleanup schedules. Right now, those who gave Right of Entry to the Army Corps of Engineers are the only people being informed, but they are hoping to change that to include neighbors in the surrounding areas.
If you are a neighbor who is concerned that the ash from cleanup sites may reach your living space, please complete this form to help this Hui coordinate communications and understand community need: https://bit.ly/KulaDebris

Due to drought conditions, the Department of Water Supply has issued a Stage 2 Water Shortage as daily demand in Upcountry is exceeding supply by 20%.  This declaration requires Upcountry water users to stop using water for irrigation, watering lawns, washing vehicles or other nonessential activities. Also, the use of temporary construction meters is prohibited. At this time, there is no change to water rates.  The Upcountry service area includes Makawao, Upper and Lower Kula, Pukalani, Kaupakalua, Ulupalakua, and Kanaio.  For more information follow this LINK.

The official County of Maui website for recovery efforts related to the August 2023 fires on Maui has had a successful launch. Those impacted are encouraged to visit the site for important information and ongoing updates. Please review important safety information for returning to fire-impacted areas.

Follow this LINK for the new website.

​COUNTY PRESS RELEASE
The Department of Water Supply has lifted the Unsafe Water Advisory for Upper Kula, removing the two remaining areas, UK-2B and UK-5. Water serving buildings and homes in Area UK-2B and UK-5 is declared safe for unrestricted use effective October 31, 2023.

At this time, the Department is requesting all Upcountry, Maui water consumers to refrain from using water for irrigation, lawns, personal washing of vehicles, or other nonessential activities. If the water demand can be reduced then no further restrictions will be necessary.

For more information follow this link.

This project update was sent to the KCA today by Michael Reyes Senior Ecologist/Principal, Maui Environmental Consulting, LLC. He asked us to share it with our members. Please view the attached pdf file at this link. At the very end of the pdf file you will find a link to the text of the draft version of the Maalaea Bay Watershed Management Plan.

​Fifty members of the Upcountry community came together to explore and learn from the opportunities, dilemmas, and experiences we faced during the wildfires and the immediate and ongoing recovery efforts.

The KCA facilitated three rounds of dialogue with a focusing question for each round:

1. What are the opportunities and dilemmas we faced during the Upcountry wildfires and during the immediate and ongoing recovery efforts?
2. What would make the most difference to the future fire and water safety of Upcountry?
3. What would it take to create change on how we manage fire and water safety in Upcountry?

At the conclusion of the dialogue rounds, the participants synthesized their conversations into the two most compelling insights from each question then shared those with the entire group.  
​
Follow this link for a synthesis of the major insights.  Also included is a listing of insights by question and photographs of the tabletop templates where participants shared their manaʻo throughout the rounds of dialogue.

Aloha KCA members!  

The Kula Community Association will host a facilitated community conversation on the recent upcountry wildfires, both the impact and a way forward, for KCA members and Upcountry residents at the Kula Community Center on October 18th, 2023 at 6:00pm.  Unlike our traditional general membership format of a panel of speakers, this will be a facilitated meeting where we will talk story and begin community problem solving through rounds of questions and small group discussions.

Attendees will have an opportunity to process the impacts of the fire on our community while focusing on three key questions:  

• What are the opportunities and dilemmas we faced during the Upcountry wildfires and during the immediate and ongoing recovery efforts?
• What would make the most difference to the future fire and water safety of Upcountry?
• What would it take to create change on how we manage fire and water safety in Upcountry? 

The goal of this meeting is to collectively begin to create a path towards a fire and water resilient Upcountry community.  As the facilitator, KCA will gather participant input and organize our needs into an Upcountry Fire and Water Resiliency Plan. 

Seating is limited.  Please wear a mask as Covid and flu season is upon us. 

Contact Name:    Jordan Hocker
Phone:    808-495-1700
Email:    [email protected]
Website:    https://www.kulamaui.com