The logistics of travel and communication and how Maui County serves its four-island community will likely be on the public agenda in the wake of Wednesday night’s fatal plane crash on Lanai.
"This will be the topic of the day for a long time," said Maui County Council Chairwoman Gladys Baisa. "Maybe there’s something we can learn from this."
Officials say the county might consider several things to help cut down on the number of flights required of its employees, including ferry travel and teleconferencing.
As of now it’s a matter of routine for county employees to fly across Maui’s channels to attend to the business of serving the outer islands. Flights occur on just about a daily basis as workers from various departments travel to board and commission meetings and attend to various government matters on the outer islands.
"Has this incident frightened staff?" said Rod Antone, Maui County public information officer. "Personally, yeah. I’m a little scared. There are others who say they’re afraid, too."
When meetings run late, the county often charters small plane flights so that employees can return to their homes. That’s what happened Wednesday when five Maui Planning Department employees left for Maui after staffing a Lanai Planning Commission meeting.
Baisa has taken hundreds of small plane flights to Lanai and Molokai over the years as director of Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. for 37 years and as a Council member the last eight years.
"There are moments when you get scared," she said. "Every time you get on one of those planes, you know something could go wrong. Those planes are very susceptible to turbulence. I fasten my seat belt really well when I’m on a little plane."
As Council chairwoman, Baisa said she’s taken a strong position against Council members taking late-night charter flights.
"Maybe the taxpayers will have to shell out more money if they want county employees to stay overnight," she said. "I know I don’t feel good putting them at risk."
Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa said the county will probably investigate teleconferencing — again.
The Council previously brought in video equipment to capture testimony from far-flung outposts of the county, the mayor said, but it was problematic after connections were lost and the Sunshine Law required meetings to be held over again.
J. Kalani English (D, East Maui-Upcountry-Molokai-Lanai) said the Sunshine Law needs to be changed to allow the county to take advantage of modern technology. The state Senate has been experimenting with teleconferencing, he said, and he’s experienced committee meetings with remote testifiers that went off without a hitch.
English is a former Maui Council member who has taken hundreds of flights over the years, including more than 200 last year as he serves a sprawling Senate district. But he has grown more cautious.
"I’ve been on flights where I’ve said, ‘Oh, my God, I should get off this plane,’" he said. "If something bothers me, I will not fly."
English joined the Maui Council shortly after Maui Council member Tom Morrow and four other Maui residents died in a small-plane crash on Molokai in 1996. They were returning from a political rally on Molokai just days before the election.
In 2012, Maui County voters approved a County Charter amendment requiring "interactive communications access" for public testimony at all Council and County Council committee meetings for the residents of Hana, Lanai and Molokai. The Council has since activated a process for receiving telephone testimony.
