“Of all that is good sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just. Perseverance is the foundation of all actions.” ~ Lao Tzu

1. MAYOR ALAN ARAKAWA - WATER RESOURCES CHAIRMAN ALIKA ATAY
ACQUISITION OF WAILUKU WATER COMPANY̶ AGREEMENT
Wailuku, Maui ̶ December 14, 2016
Today the Arakawa administration transmitted a budget amendment to Maui
County Council members, seeking their approval for funding to appraise
property and infrastructure owned by the Wailuku Water Company, LLC.
Should funds for the appraisal be approved, it would allow the county to fnally
begin eforts to purchase a portion of Wailuku Water Company, in this case
approximately 8,764 acres of land in the West Maui watershed area along with
its water conveyance system. The proposed acquisition price is $9.5 million.
Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa stated during a press conference today that while
there is still a long way to go towards making this purchase a reality, this is an
important frst step in returning a valuable public resource to public hands.
“We’re doing this for several reasons. The frst is to return surface water back
into the streams and rivers, the second is to return a public resource into public
hands and fnally, we want to improve the efciency and reliability of the
county's public water system,” said Mayor Arakawa. “If this purchase goes
through I believe it will not just be a win for native water rights but also make
our Maui County water system the best in the state.”
During the press conference Mayor Arakawa ceremoniously handed over the
budget amendment to Councilmember Mike Victorino, who represents the
Wailuku district.
“The community has been divided for a long time,” said Councilmember
Victorino. “But this proposal is something we can hopefully all fnally agree
upon.”
Councilmember-elect Alika Atay, who takes over for Victorino next year, said
he was “ecstatic” to hear the news.

2. “I'm very hopeful,” he said. “We are truly serving the public by doing this by
returning this public resource to the community. I look forward to reviewing
the details with the rest of the council.”
Source: The process begins for maui county to acquire a portion of Wailuku Water
Company. MAUIWatch. December 14, 2016, accessed March 19, 2018
http://mauiwatch.com/2016/12/process-begins-for-maui-county-to-acquire-a-portion-of-wailuku-
water-company/
Wailuku, Maui ̶ September 15, 2017
Mayor Alan Arakawa
I am pleased to announce that earlier this week the Maui County Council took
another step toward preserving our natural resources by approving the funds
needed to appraise Wailuku Water Co. LLC.
The request for an appropriation of $150,000 went before the Budget and
Finance Committee on Tuesday. The money will be used to pay for an
appraisal of the property and infrastructure owned by Wailuku Water Co. so
that when the time comes, council members can make an informed decision
about whether or not to buy it.
The reason this is so important is because the WWC is a private entity
controlling one of our island’s most precious resources ̶ water. If we can take
it out of private hands and put it into public ones, we have more of a say as to
how it is distributed.
For example, we could decide to return more surface water to streams and the
community at large. We could also use the water to improve upon the
efciency and capacity of our county’s public water system.
As former Council Member Mike Victorino said when the administration
announced the proposed purchase last December, getting our water resources
out from under private ownership is within all of our best interests.

3. “The community has been divided for a long time,” Victorino said. “But this
proposal is something we can hopefully all fnally agree upon.” The WWC
property comprises 8,642 acres within the West Maui Mountain Watershed
area, which includes its water infrastructure, or “Surface Water Conveyance
System,” as it is called. Last year, WWC proposed an acquisition price of $9.5
million to the county. Currently, the county pays WWC $250,000 annually for 3
million gallons of water a day.
Once the county completes the appraisal, it will be presented to the council for
its review. During this time, the council has the full authority to reject or
request modifcations to the acquisition agreement.
Source: Council advances Wailuku Water appraisal. Honolulu Star-Advertiser. September
15, 2017. From The Maui News, September 15, 2017. Alan Arakawa “Our County”.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-maui-news/20170915/281852938738962
________________________
THE MAUI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Maui Chamber of Commerce urges the County and State government to
support agriculture and aquaculture industries that are important to Maui's
economy and develop policies and programs to promote the health of and
bring down the cost of doing business for these industries.
Source: MCC. http://www.mauichamber.com/agriculture.html
________________________
Maui may seem an agricultural Eden, with its wide range of microclimates for
growing crops from apple bananas to zucchini. But those who farm here for a
living know that it's never easy, and that Hawaii growers face a unique set of
challenges.
What's holding agriculture back?

4. The biggest long-term need is to develop more water sources, transport and
storage. Persistent drought makes water scarce, but setting up new systems
is expensive and complicated. It all comes down to costs. We are part of a
global economy. We can grow about anything̶but competitively? No. And, as
the demise of the Kula potato shows, consumers persistently choose the less
expensive product. Harold Keyser, Former County Administrator for the University of
Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR)
The biggest thing is reeducating the consumer that food and transportation are
expensive. Lani Medina Weigert, Ali`i Kula Lavender, Hawaii AgriTourism
Association.
Source: Home Grown. Maui's farmers face a host of challenges. By Jill Engledow. Maui No
Ka `Oi Magazine. https://mauimagazine.net/home-grown/
________________________
There's no reason why we should go to a grocery store and see a banana from
Ecuador or Mexico. We can grow banana here. Why do we go to the store and
see mango from Chile, not mango from Maui, when Maui grows some of the
sweetest-tasting mango in the world? Because in the last 200 years we never
had the land and the water available ̶ until now."
~ Maui County Councilman Alika Atay, Chairman, Water Resources Committee.
Member: Budget & Finance Committee; Housing, Human Services, and Transportation
Committee; Infrastructure and Environmental Management Committee; Land Use
Committee; Parks, Recreation, Energy, and Legal Afairs Committee; Planning
Committee
{Emphasis and Clarifcation Supplied]
Source: With pineapple and sugar production gone, Hawaii weighs its
agricultural future. By Brittany Lyte. The Washington Post. December 17, 2017,
accessed March 19, 2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/with-pineapple-and-
sugar-production-gone-hawaii-weighs-its-agricultural-future/2017/12/17/c6e69236-e105-11e7-8679-
a9728984779c_story.html?utm_term=.cbfba8f1efdb

5. Agriculture is deeply rooted in Maui history and will continue to be an
important industry from an economic, social, and environmental perspective.
Although the face of Maui agriculture has evolved over the years, the important
role it plays in the islands economy, environment, and way of life remains
consistent, if not increasingly signifcant in the light of steady growth and
expanding urbanization. Agriculture will continue to gain importance in
shaping the form of future growth on Maui.
A strong agricultural sector is an important component of a balanced,
diversifed, and sustainable economy. Agriculture is an integral element of
Maui’s economy, and community, cultivating a diversity of jobs, generating tax
revenues, and producing a variety of crops for diferent local and export
markets.
These key challenges include urban development pressure, availability of
afordable water for irrigation, competition with mainland and international
commodity products, high inter-island transportation costs, and shortage of
farm worker housing.
In order to support the viability of agriculture and maintain it as a vital
component of Maui’s economy, key challenges will need to be addressed.
Source: Ofce of the Mayor, Ofce of Economic Development
https://www.mauicounty.gov/144/Agriculture
________________________
USDA DESIGNATES MAUI COUNTY IN HAWAII AS A
PRIMARY NATURAL DISASTER AREA
Release No. 0136.17. Washington, October 30, 2017
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Maui County in
Hawaii as a primary natural disaster area due to losses and damages caused by a
recent drought.
[Emphasis Supplied]
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency
https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-room/emergency-designations/2017/ed_2017_1030_rel_0136

6. SLIDE SHARE
https://www.slideshare.net/cliftonmhasegawa/maui-mayor-alan-arakawa-legacy-vision-for-maui
MAYOR ALAN ARAKAWA
ESTABLISHING A LEGACY FOR MAUI TODAY, TOMORROW AND THE FUTURE
PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF MAUI COUNTY
PROTECTING MAUI'S ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY
PROTECTING MAUI'S WATERSHEDS
 Finish the Iao Water Treatment Facility, which is almost complete and will be able to
process an extra 1.5 million gallons a day.
 Purchase 8,764 acres of Wailuku Water Co.’s infrastructure and water resources, a
proposal that is currently before the council. The asking price is $9.5 million.
 Partner with the state and federal government to acquire 3,276 acres of former Von
Tempsky property to create Kamehamenui Forest, a conservation park.
________________________________________________________________________
WATER RESOURCES COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ALIKA ATAY
I believe that the state of afairs pertaining to the health and welfare of the people in
this island community is the priority of delivery from the policy making and
governance council of the County of Maui. “IT'S COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE FIRST”
I'm committed to delivering and addressing the vital issues that afect the people of
Maui County: from protecting our natural resources, especially our drinking water, to
addressing the issue of providing truly afordable homes for local family residents, to
increasing economic development in the areas of agriculture and the “green collared”
job/career opportunities. I strongly believe that we must continue to embrace the Maui
values that keeps Maui Nō Ka `Oi. In doing so, we must always maintain our islandʻs
own uniqueness and its own authenticity of culture at all times.
I strongly believe that Maui's future growth opportunities rest in the area of agriculture.
Source: Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce. http://www.mauiflipinochamber.com/2016-
candidate-questionnaire/#Atay