Maui residents weigh in on new councilmember selection

By Yiming Fu, Report for America corps member

Maui is looking for a new Kahului councilmember after Tasha Kama, who held the seat since 2018, unexpectedly passed away October 26.

Residents testified on three selected candidates at Maui’s county council chambers Thursday morning, highlighting Kauanoe Batangan’s government experience, Carol Lee Kamekona’s community advocacy and Virgilio “Leo” Agcolicol’s kind character. Maui’s county council will choose the person to serve the rest of Kama’s term until January 2027.

Kamekona and Batangan were both nominated by a current councilmember, and Agcolicol entered the race himself.  The council has to pick the new member by November 25, otherwise the mayor will decide. 

At stake is the much-discussed Bill 9 that hopes to limit Airbnb’s. The late Kama was one of three members who voted against the bill at the Housing and Land Use Committee. Batangan said he cannot support the bill in its current form, Kamekona wishes to pass the bill with no changes, and Agcolicol said he needs more time to decide.

Evan Dust, Kama’s son-in-law, hopes to fulfill Kama’s dying wish of appointing Batangan.

Kama and Batangan talked about Batangan running to take her spot in the 2028 elections, Dust said. This pick, Dust added, would mean honoring what Kama’s supporters voted for in the 2024 election.

Batangan says he will approach every issue in a way that’s faithful to Kama’s legacy.

Lahaina resident Rick Nava and the executive director of the West Maui Taxpayers Association said he has known Batangan since 2018. He commended Batangan’s integrity, commitment and deep understanding of the needs of his community. 

Nava also highlighted Batangan’s experience leading Maui’s Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Department of Transportation, as well as aiding wildfire recovery efforts at the Maui County Office of Recovery. 

Lahaina fire survivor, Lahainaluna PTSA president and small business owner Laurie Lei DeGama said she admired Batangan’s organization and compassion working in fire recovery.

As part of the mayor’s advisory board after the Lahaina fires, DeGama worked with Batangan once a week.

“He was always diplomatic, he wasn’t reactive, and a very good listener,” DeGama said. “His compassion —  at a time of high energy, trauma, the unknown and all the questions  — was not unnoticed by me.”

After DeGama’s testimony, councilmember Tamara Paltin raised the concern that if Batangan becomes a councilmember he will have to leave his current job. 

If elected, DeGama said she hopes Batangan will fulfill the promise he made to her to serve all the people of Maui for good.

Kamekona hopes to make policy with the next seven generations in mind. Though she differs from Kama politically, Kamekona said the two are both connected as Hawaiian women living on Maui.

Lahaina community organizer Jackie Keefe said Carole Lee Kamekona should get the job because of her activism for Kānaka Maoli rights, Iwi Kūpuna and the unhoused community.

“She shows up consistently, not only in meeting rooms, but out in the community where the impact of our policies are felt every day,” Keefe said. 

Kamekona ran against Kama three times for the Kahului seat, in 2020, 2022 and 2024. In 2024, she lost with about 22,000 votes to Kama’s roughly 27,000. 

Keefe said appointing Kamekona would mean honoring someone with strong community support and would help increase community trust in the selection process. 

“I don’t know anybody who has been more engaged with local politics,”  Ann Pitcaithley said, “she has been present, engaged and visible at many council meetings and committee meetings.” 

Pitcaithely said she appreciates Kamekona’s focus on affordable housing, investing in workforce development and small businesses.

Nara Boone, the director of Maui’s Housing Hui, said Kamekona has consistently proven she cares about community, especially the underserved, underrepresented and underappreciated.

“This is about our people,” Boone said, “And bless Tasha Kama, but she did not represent all of us.”

Two testifiers supported Agcolicol Thursday morning. Jackie Keefe said appointing Agcolicol, an immigrant from the Philippines who has lived on Maui for more than 50 years, would engage the island’s large Filipino community that remains underrepresented in politics. 

Jewelyn Kahele is one of Agcolicol’s tenants on his Kahului property. As a single mother with three children, Kahele said Agcolicol was the only landlord who gave her a chance.

Kahele also said he’s helped her with first-time homeowner applications and community resources.

“He’s given me the chance of stability,” Kahele said.