Molina

Jordan Molina’s appointment as the new director of the Public Works Department was approved by the Maui County Council on Friday, even as community members called for his disapproval amid frustrations over a large home being built in Napili.

The council voted 7-1 in favor of Molina’s appointment, with Council Member Gabe Johnson opposed and Council Member Mike Molina excused. Mike Molina recused himself as he did in committee discussions, as he is a relative of Jordan Molina.

Chairwoman Alice Lee, Vice Chairwoman Keani Rawlins-Fernandez and Council Members Tasha Kama, Kelly King, Tamara Paltin, Yuki Lei Sugimura and Shane Sinenci voted in support.

Mayor Michael Victorino appointed Jordan Molina to the post after former Director Rowena Dagdag-Andaya left in February to take a position with the Office on Aging. Jordan Molina had been serving as the deputy director since October 2019. He also had been serving as interim director before the confirmation Friday.

Johnson, who cast the lone opposing vote, said he took into account testimony he heard from the community about the appointment, including Deputy Planning Director Jordan Hart testifying on his own behalf and on his personal time in favor of Jordan Molina’s appointment.

But Johnson also alluded to the testimony Friday by those upset over the permitting and building of a large house in Napili, which has led to changes in law for the district and council committee discussions over its approval process.

Johnson recalled Jordan Molina saying that the home was not controversial. The council member said he doesn’t think “we should pick at the wound” of people in the community.

The home that stirred much of the opposition to Jordan Molina’s appointment is an eight-bedroom, two-story structure in Napili owned and developed by Greg Brown, a developer of homes in Launiupoko. Its size and height caught the eye of residents last year who worried it would become a large vacation rental. After violations were found with the home, the county issued two stop-work orders to Napili Beach House LLC in December but lifted them in February because the project is now in compliance, according to the Planning Department and a project representative.

Joshua Downer of the Napili Bay Community Association testified Friday and said he has not yet heard back from Jordan Molina regarding his willingness to reinstate the stop-work orders that came under his predecessors.

In a letter to council members this week, Downer shared the request he sent to Jordan Molina asking that he reinstate the stop-work orders issued by the Public Works Department “to halt the construction of an openly unlawful development in Napili.” The letter says that neither the Planning Department nor the developer have cured “the underlying invalidity of the permits and plans” so there is no justification to remove the stop-work order.

Council members who supported Jordan Molina’s appointment pointed to his experience and Maui roots.

Rawlins-Fernandez applauded him for stepping up to serve as director, as it is an appointed position and may only be for a short time. Victorino’s current term ends this year, and he is seeking reelection.

Matters over the Napili home aside, she said Jordan Molina has been wonderful to work with.

“But I do appreciate all the testifiers providing us with their feedback,” she said, pointing out how residents monitored the Napili house project before the county stepped in.

Kama said she felt a lot of pride seeing Jordan Molina, a Maui boy, come back home to work.

“This young man cut his teeth on Maui County,” she said. “This is a keiki o ka aina (child of the land).”

Sugimura said she would “fully support” Jordan Molina and noted his former work experience in the Office of Council Services and in the private industry.

Jordan Molina has served as a project engineer with T.J. Gomes Trucking Co. and as a civil engineer with the county Department of Water Supply. He is a former legislative analyst with the Office of Council Services.

Also on Friday, the council approved a resolution authorizing the disposition of a 2.8-acre portion of county property located at 275 Uhu St. in Kahului to Hale Makua Health Services. It will allow for expansion of health care services, according to council documents.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.