For Immediate Release:
Press Release by:
Alice L. Lee, Chair
Maui County Council
media@mauicounty.us
Emergency council meeting on storm-recovery funding set for Friday morning
WAILUKU, Hawaiʻi (March 17, 2026)—An emergency meeting is scheduled for Friday at 8:45 a.m. to allow the council to take action on a $15 million appropriation in response to this past weekend’s Kona Low storm, Chair Alice L. Lee announced today.
Bills 53 and 54 (2026) would amend the fiscal year 2026 budget to ensure funding is available for emergency repairs and existing operational needs, Lee said. The regular council meeting set for 9 a.m. Friday will begin after the emergency meeting adjourns, Lee said.
“While damage assessments are ongoing, we know the destruction caused by flooding and strong winds was extensive throughout parts of Maui County,” said Lee, who holds the seat for the Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū residency area. “The devastation is heartbreaking, and we must move with urgency to repair and rebuild.”
The meeting on Bills 53 and 54 is being organized as an “emergency meeting” under the state Sunshine Law and a “special meeting” under the Charter of the County of Maui, Lee said.
Lee urged residents to consider following the Maui Emergency Management Agency’s guidance to submit damage reports to assist the county in obtaining federal funding for recovery efforts. Damage reports may be submitted at https://crisistrack.juvare.com/public/mauiHI/request.html.
Council meetings are livestreamed on Akakū Channel 53, at MauiCounty.us and on the council’s Facebook and YouTube pages. For more information, call the Office of Council Services at (808) 270-7664.
