I’m a carpenter. I’m not a political guy. I don’t write to the papers. But I felt I had to write this viewpoint because I served on the Maui Planning Commission. I felt had to write this to support everyone who is willing to serve on the different boards and commissions in Maui County, including my fellow commissioners.

Planning commissioners are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the Maui County Council. I was on the Maui Planning Commission for five years. I was the chair of the commission when my term ended.

The members of the Maui Planning Commission and the members of all boards and commissions in the county come from the community. We volunteer to serve on boards and commission to give back to the place we love. No one is paid. We take time away from our work and families so we can give back. I lost money every day I was in commission because I couldn’t work.

The Maui Planning Commission makes many decisions, including advising the County Council about zoning bills, approving or denying applications for land use permits and approving or rejecting proposals to settle violations of the special management area rules.

Having a fully staffed commission helps to ensure that the commission has quorum so it can hold meetings, makes the commissioners’ jobs easier and leads to better discussions and decisions. Most decisions require a majority of the commissioners. Since there are nine seats for the Maui Planning Commission, most decisions require five votes. Commissioners aren’t free all the time. They travel and have scheduling conflicts. Many of our meetings run all day. Commissioners have jobs and child care. Sometimes commissioners must leave before a meeting ends. If we don’t have quorum, we can’t make decisions. Even when we’ve got quorum, getting to five votes can be challenging if there is disagreement among the commissioners.

Serving as a commissioner requires attention to detail, following the law and listening. Each member of a board or commission brings a unique perspective. It’s important to have these perspectives when deliberating and discussing the things that come before us. One member might see something that other members miss. Members might see the same thing differently. These different views and the discussions among members help us to consider all views, ensure that all issues have been identified and reach the best decisions. Holding meetings without a full commission or board hurts applicants and the community.

When there is an open seat on a board or commission, the mayor needs to appoint and the council needs to confirm a new member as soon as possible. But the council has refused to confirm good people.

It was personally hard for me that the council would not confirm Jerry Edlao for another term on the Maui Planning Commission. Jerry had previously served on the commission with distinction as he completed an unexpired term for a commissioner who had resigned.

The council also refused to confirm Wayne Hedani for the Maui Planning Commission. Wayne is one of our leading community members who had served before on the commission. Yet he wasn’t good enough for this council.

The council would not confirm Jay Margolis for the Lana’i Planning Commission because Mr. Margolis has only lived on Lana’i for three years. I don’t know Mr. Margolis. But here is someone so committed to his community that he’s willing to volunteer to spend hours in meetings every other week. He earned the mayor’s support. But council told him he wasn’t good enough because he hasn’t been here long enough.

There’s currently an open seat on the Maui Planning Commission and an open seat on the Lana’i Planning Commission. It’s past time to fill them. The council needs to do its job. It needs to approve good nominees, not refuse people for political reasons or because they think someone hasn’t lived here long enough.

Volunteering for a board or commission is not easy work. I have the utmost respect for the current and past members who have served.

I know it can be a thankless and burdensome task. To my fellow commissioners and all members of our boards and commissions, mahalo for your service.

* Christian Tackett is the former chairperson of the Maui Planning Commission.