Arce appears on track for director of agriculture spot

Homesteaders, former colleagues support Arce; full council approval still needed

Saying they were impressed with Molokai homesteader Rogerene "Kali" Arce, a Maui County Council committee on Tuesday unanimously recommended that she fill the first-ever county Department of Agriculture director position.

More than a dozen testifiers vouched for Arce, a Native Hawaiian with over 30 years of farming, agricultural education, agroforerstry, land conservation and ecosystem restoration experience across the state.

Arce was appointed to the position in July by Mayor Michael Victorino and now needs council approval.

"Testifier after testifier today, we heard how Ms. Arce was faced with challenges and each time rose to the occasion, and each story was a reflection that our community members see themselves in Ms. Arce, and when she rises, she lifts the community with her and we all rise together," Council Vice Chairwoman Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, who holds the Molokai residency seat, said during the Government Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee meeting on Tuesday.

Among the testifiers was Molokai extension agent and longtime homesteader Glenn Teves, who has known Arce for 35 years and noted how she "understands the needs of agriculture."

"I know this is going to be a challenge for her and we'll need to be very supportive of her efforts and we need everybody involved in terms of moving agriculture forward," Teves said. "There's a lot of low-hanging fruit we can address."

In addition to being a longtime farmer and homesteader, some of Arce's 30 years of professional experience include working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture resource services in Hilo, serving as an extension agent with the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Cooperative Extension Service and as a lecturer at UH-Maui College teaching agriculture and Hawaiian field biology, as well as working with Monsanto on Molokai and nonprofit Molokai Land Trust.

She's also served as a volunteer with the Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board, Molokai-Lanai Soil Water Conservation District, Molokai Earth Day Advisory Board, Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee and others.

"Her experience and background speaks so many volumes and she will be a very great asset, not only to the county, but to the department and all of its people," said Phillip Stephens of the Kalamaula Mauka Homestead Association. "Her willingness and tenacity will help to fulfill the mission of the department to promote resident and ecosystem health."

Retired extension agent Alton Arakaki said Arce was among the first female agriculture extension agents in a heavily male-dominated farming community and "excelled."

"In the end, we had decided that she had the academic background, core value, personal character and strong support of aptitude for agriculture for the sustainability of Hawaii for the farmers in the industry," Arakaki recalled. "I've had a tremendous experience working with her."

Although there were some concerns with Arce's previous affiliation with Monsanto, which has come under fire for producing genetically modified organisms and using harmful pesticides, Zhantell Lindo said Arce is trustworthy and hardworking.

"You didn't choose the job because you had a choice, you chose that job because that's how you supported your family and it didn't mean you always agreed with the choices that the company made," Lindo said. "Molokai has come a long way from getting rid of that stereotyping, ugly look at people as the reason why all this stuff wen happen. We get good Molokai people. ... If there's any question about her dignity, her loyalty or her commitment just to the betterment of Maui County, it shouldn't be based on where she used to work."

Members from the Sovereign Council of the Hawaiian Homestead Association, Maui Family Farmer Training Network and the state Board of Agriculture also shared their support Tuesday.

Maui County Deputy Managing Director Josiah Nishita said that there were 18 applications and 12 applications initially submitted for the director and deputy positions, respectively.

The selection committee narrowed down the applications to four each based on qualifications before interviewing and recommending Arce and Weston Yap as candidates for director and deputy, Nishita said. Their annual salaries are $114,000 and $102,000, respectively. Yap, as the deputy director, does not need council confirmation.

"Kali was the consensus pick," said Bobby Pahia, Hoaloha Farms manager and selection committee member. "As we all know, there's a lot of needs in agriculture that need to be addressed. There's a lot, and I feel Kali has the skills and the communication skills, especially, and I strongly feel that she'll be a very strong candidate."

Arce will stay on Maui from Monday through Friday while she works from the new Department of Agriculture office on Kaohu Street, remaining through the weekend as needed, but she does commute back to Molokai to help tend to 35 acres of family homestead property.

The first Molokai resident to take a director role, Arce said Tuesday during the meeting that she's "privileged and humbled" for the opportunity.

"This development is unprecedented and will be a historic event for the county and Hawaii state," she said. "Setting up a new department comes without directions and is no easy task by any leader, it takes trust by the community ... By having this foundation, I provide a balanced perspective of all agriculture farms that will be vital in setting the framework in leading the Department of Agriculture."

During Arce's and Yap's first 50 days as the acting director and deputy, they've been working to take a deeper look into what the council and their respective communities view as the most pressing concerns and how those can be addressed, she said.

The office has also been working to connect with Maui, Molokai and Lanai stakeholders to begin building relationships for future collaboration, she said.

Two draft job descriptions are also in the pipeline for a grant management specialist and coordinator, as well as for an intern, she added.

Council Chairwoman Alice Lee, Committee Chairman Mike Molina and Council Members Tamara Paltin, Shane Sinenci, Yuki Lei Sugimura and Kelly Takaya King voted in support of Arce filling the historic role.

Arce's appointment will now go to the full council for a final vote. The date is to be determined.

* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.