Why is it that our mayor feels he can turn down on our behalf a substantial gift to Maui County? I'm talking about the condo residents of Wailea who have officially offered to replace mature shade trees that were destroyed recently down at Ulua Park.
Remember those huge, shady trees that the adjoining hotel was given permission by our county leaders to bulldoze down in the name of getting a few more parking places, probably for their own use? The ones that shocked residents did not know were on the destroy list until after it happened? Oh, new drainage was a plus, officials said. But we know that new drainage was not the reason for destroying the trees.
While speaking recently before the Maui Chamber of Commerce and commenting about the planned unpopular judicial conference on Maui this summer, Arakawa publicly listed things that Maui County needs. Here are just a few he named - hundreds of broken sprinkler heads in a park, $200 million behind in development of the water infrastructure, and he calculates it will take 40 years to repair our roads (The Maui News, May 26).
I guess we can conclude that Maui is in bad shape. So, I think it is in Maui's best interest to accept as many appropriate gifts as residents want to make. Think about it. Our county leadership needs to get real. Accept the large shade trees for the Ulua parking lot, including hauling and planting. It's the right thing to do.
Marilyn Colvin
Kihei
