Maui mayor gets
8% pay hike

A retroactive increase also benefits
county directors and deputies

WAILUKU » Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and most of his department heads and deputies have received an 8 percent pay raise retroactive to July 1 and could see another increase in early 2005.

And the County Council appears headed toward at least a 13 percent pay raise.

The Maui County Salary Commission is scheduled to vote on raising the Maui County Council's salary on Dec. 10. The meeting starts at 8 a.m. in the Mayor's Lounge.

With the 8 percent raise by the commission in October, Arakawa receives $103,680 yearly and becomes the highest paid county executive, surpassing Police Chief Thomas Phillips' salary of $103,000.

The 8 percent pay raises cost the county an additional $164,640.

Managing Director Keith Regan receives $97,200, up from $90,000, and Prosecutor Davelynn Tengan, Public Works Director Gilbert Agaran-Coloma and Water Director George Tengan get $89,640, up from $83,000.

Those directors getting pay raises to $86,400 from $80,000 include Corporation Counsel Brian Moto, Planning Director Michael Foley, Parks Director Glenn Correa, Fire Chief Carl Kaupalolo, Finance Director Kalbert Young and Transportation Director Kyle Ginoza.

Liquor Control Director Franklyn Silva, Human Concerns Director Alice Lee and Personnel Director Lynn Krieg are getting $83,160, up from $77,000.

Deputies in the departments of the Prosecutor, Water and Public Works are receiving $85,320, up from $79,000.

Top deputies in the Corporation Counsel, Planning, Finance, Parks, Fire and Transportation departments receive $82,080, up from $76,000.

The deputies in Human Concerns, Personnel and Liquor Control departments receive $78,840, up from $73,000.

Phillips and Deputy Police Chief Kekuhaupio Akana received a $20,000 raise in March.

Commission members supported the 8 percent increase as a temporary fix, partly as an attempt to resolve the problem of some department directors receiving less pay than some senior civil service employees.

The commission plans to meet in early 2005 to reassess the system of compensation for the mayor and administrators.

Commission Chairman Scott Matsuura said although a subcommittee has discussed raising Council salaries to between $65,000 and $85,000, some have indicated they might support a lower pay range.

Council members, who are regarded as part-time workers and may have an outside job, receive $44,000 annually, and their chairman, $48,000.

Matsuura said he does not have a problem giving the Council members a raise, but the majority of the commissioners are having a "hard time" looking at the higher salary of $85,000.

Matsuura said he believes the salary of a Council member should keep up with inflation, but "to me it was never contemplated to be a full-time job."

"It is a tough job they have, but that's all part of politics," he said. "They choose to do it."

Commissioner Anthony Lemmo said he believes the Council's pay should be in the range of $50,000 to $55,000.

"I think we need to be prudent on how we spend out taxpayers' money," he said.

Commissioner Gladys Baisa, a member of the subcommittee, has supported the pay range of between $65,000 and $85,000.

Baisa said the Council work requires long hours and carries with it the responsibility of legislating ordinances in a county with an annual budget of close to $400 million.

Commissioner Helen Nielsen, also a subcommittee member, said even though the position might be regarded as part time, she supports paying Council members $65,000 annually because she wants smart, competent people for the job.

"I want intelligent people who can survive on that kind of a salary," Nielsen said.