Panel approves watercraft donation
By MELISSA TANJI, Staff WriterWAILUKU - After more than four months in bureaucratic limbo, a personal watercraft is on its way to being donated to the county in memory of an 8-year-old boy killed in a car crash last year.
The County Council Public Works and Facilities Committee on Wednesday recommended adoption of a resolution to accept a personal watercraft, trailer and other accessories from the Will Smith Foundation. The resolution moves on to the full council for a vote, possibly in August.
Smith was killed in a head-on car crash on June 3, 2007, while he and his mother were traveling toward Wailuku on Honoapiilani Highway near Ukumehame Wayside Park.
Smith's mother, Susan Moulton, said the foundation wanted to use money raised in her son's memory to make positive changes, but she expressed frustration with county bureaucratic delays rooted in the time needed to have the watercraft accepted by a council resolution.
Moulton could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Parks Director Tamara Horcajo said parks officials are "very fortunate" to receive the donation of the rescue craft.
The parks department's Ocean Safety Division will station the $13,667 watercraft and its accessories in West Maui, although it could be used in other areas if needed in an emergency. The rescue craft will serve as a backup to other watercraft kept at D.T. Fleming Beach and Hanakaoo Beach Park. Those vehicles undergo periodic maintenance.
Committee Co-Chairman Mike Victorino said he has been trying to contact Moulton by letter and phone to have her present when the council formally accepts the donation, possibly during a full council meeting in August.
"I will try my best to reach her," he said.
Moulton, a part-time Maui resident, had been in her rental car last year with Smith when it was hit head-on by a 23-year-old Lahaina woman driving a Mazda sedan.
The force of the collision cut the Mazda in two, but the woman and Moulton walked away from the collision. Smith sustained severe internal injuries and died on an operating table at Maui Memorial Medical Center.
No charges have been filed in connection with the crash, which remains under investigation.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
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Swellmom
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07-25-08 1:33 PM
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Sherry clearly you are not a mom. Blaming a mother that has to live with the "what ifs" for the rest of her life is just plain evil. I see some bad karma coming your way chick.
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Sherry
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07-25-08 2:46 AM
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I agree that the comment I made may be insenitive and a off-topic, however I stand behind my opinion and my feelings remain the same. Of course I feel for Will's family, the loss is something most people never experience. All that I am saying is that we should all learn a lesson from Mom's mistake. We all need to accept the responsibility for our decisions and choices we make. I feel like the entire blame was placed on the Lahaina woman, and none on Mom. That's all. It was not an attack on Mom, it was simply a statement of opinion.
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mycommunity2
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07-25-08 1:21 AM
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Mahalo Mrs.Moulton, after all the foundation's monies in your son's memory could have been used elsewhere, but you have decided to give a "very fortunate" donation to Maui County's Ocean Safety. My goodness why so hard and takes so long when it is a donation?
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Escott
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07-25-08 1:03 AM
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Lava 76: This parks related item was before the Public Works and Facilities Committee because it's subject area includes all Parks related items. As for the delay, the Committee CoChairs scheduled this item for hearing at the first meeting after it had been received from the Council. Whatever delay might have resulted from communications with the Administration should not be blamed on the Council.
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mauiaina
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07-24-08 9:48 PM
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When UncleB and I nearly agree, you know it's snowing in hell. I wouldn't kick Sherry in the teeth, or even say she deserves it, but her remark was terribly insensitive. I say let the universe decide her punishment for saying such a thing.
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lava76
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07-24-08 7:14 PM
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What the heck is the Public Works Committee doing approving a donation to the Parks Department? Are they so tied up in red tape that can't even see what they're doing?
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kahanamoku
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07-24-08 5:22 PM
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Mahalo Mrs. Moulton for assisting Maui's Ocean Safety. Perhaps, Ocean Safety will reassign it to Makena someday?
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mauiaina
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07-24-08 2:11 PM
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Sherry's comments are inappropriate and unrelated to this article about the delays in the county accepting this donation.
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mioumiou
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07-24-08 2:01 PM
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Come on everyone - Sherry is just being "practical" in her statement - The fact that you insult people for giving their opinions is as negative as talking about the "what ifs". Yes, the mother has a lot on her plate for making a poor decision but things are bigger than this and we all have lessons to learn one way or another ... The bottom line is accidents happen every day because of mistakes we all make
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KaiMom
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07-24-08 1:26 PM
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Sherry...God forbid that anything ever happens to your child. Blaming the mother is so beyond cruel, I can hardly believe anyone would be that mean.
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Sherry
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07-24-08 1:02 PM
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I still feel that the mother had some responsibility in the death of her son Will because she placed the 8 year-old child in the front seat of the car. Everyone knows that the front passenger seat is not safety approved for any child under the age of 12 years. Although I am also saddened by the loss of this innocent child, at the same time I am still mad at the Mom for her decision to allow this small child to ride in the most dangerous place in the vehicle. Possibly, if she had made him ride in the backseat, where he should have been in the first place, he would still be alive today.
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KaiMom
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07-24-08 11:49 AM
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Four months to dot the I's and cross the T's for a DONATION?!? No wonder our county government is in shambles. What do these people do? Fire them all!
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