Maui County Council Chairwoman Alice Lee receives the first copy of Mayor Richard Bissen Jr.’s budget Friday — The Maui News / Photo by MATTHEW THAYER

Posted by Alice L. Lee

Vice Chairman – Maui County Council

On the first anniversary of the August 8 wildfires, many Maui County residents gathered for a commemorative event to show solidarity and reflection.

This time, it was a solemn occasion to honor the lives lost and to remember the places that hold so many memories for countless people. We renewed a deep sense of unity as a community.

And as local policymakers, Maui County Council members are hard at work on recovery efforts while also doing everything we can to prevent future fires—a global challenge. As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has stated, “Climate change, including rising temperatures, prolonged drought and a parched atmosphere, were key factors in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires.”

Nowadays, the threat of arson is becoming more and more serious and requires special measures.

In Maui County, only a handful of arson cases have been closed or resulted in an arrest in recent years. For example, fewer than 5% of suspected arson cases were classified as solved in 2020.

On August 27, the council adopted resolution 24-154 by a majority vote of 9-0, “We urge the administration to consider establishing an Arson and Fire Hazard Mitigation Unit in Maui County.” Around the world and in many countries, many government agencies have established specialized arson investigation units, also known as arson squads.

The purpose of establishing an arson unit is to have a team of trained professionals in the disciplines of fire prevention and law enforcement. The unit may be assigned to determine the causes of fires, apprehend and punish perpetrators, and direct preventive work such as vegetation management.

Resolution 24-154, which I introduced based on my office’s research and initial meetings with department staff, also proposes that monies received from fees and fines be used in a new revolving fund for fire suppression. As many residents know, we have recently witnessed suspicious fires in several parts of Maui, including near Pi’ihana Farms and Crater Road. These episodes are difficult to manage after all that the community has been through since August 8, 2023, but they motivate us to remain vigilant and do everything we can to reduce the risk of further fire disasters.

I am grateful for the unanimous support of my colleagues for the resolution on the arson squad. This is a multi-faceted challenge that will require broad support from all council committees.

We look forward to working with Mayor Richard T. Bissen Jr., Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett, Fire Chief Bradford Ventura, Police Chief John Pelletier and other agencies not only to combat arson but also to address all fire prevention and mitigation efforts.

We are asking for the community’s continued support and input as we continue to heal and rebuild. County officials with the Office of Recovery continue to provide information to residents and hosted another webinar for homeowners on Aug. 29 to discuss recovery, expedited permitting, and assistance programs.

Federal, state and private funding remains an invaluable part of the recovery effort. Indeed, obtaining and effectively using grant funds may be more important than ever as the county faces critical needs that will cost billions of dollars over just the next few years.

To promote discussion of ideas to focus our grantmaking efforts, I introduced Resolution 24-155 to study the feasibility of a Department of Grants Management. The Council is also in the process of awarding a contract for the West Maui Roads and Infrastructure Master Plan to support the Office of Reconstruction and other agencies involved in the rebuilding effort.

As always, we appreciate your vigilance and ideas. Check mauicounty.us/agendas for upcoming opportunities to provide public testimony to me and my council colleagues.

n Alice L. Lee is the chairwoman of the Maui County Council. She holds the seat on the County Council for the Wailuku-Waihe’e-Waikapū residence area. “3 Minutes of Advice” is a column explaining the latest news on county legislation and community affairs. Go to mauicounty.us for more information.