Council Member (Kahului)· 2026-01-05 - 2027-01-01
Kauanoe Batangan
Maui County
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 77
- Total speaking time
- 8:41:08
- Avg per meeting
- 6:46
- Segments
- 8121
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Top issues during term (20)(Public Safety)
Emergency evacuation routes for South Maui
Building a North Kīhei bypass or opening ranch-road access would require major county infrastructure spending not yet funded.
Kula (Waiakoa) gym damage and possible total loss
Potential full facility replacement if deemed a total loss; FEMA eligibility pursued through reclassification.
Safe parking pilot program expansion (Bill 133)
Funded from the council-approved emergency needs set-aside; testifiers questioned the cost versus using existing park infrastructure.
Open Space Fund and wildfire fuel reduction
Would have redirected Open Space Fund money toward wildfire prevention; withdrawn before fiscal analysis.
Countywide disaster preparedness and evacuation planning
Lobbyist regulation in Maui County
Lobbyist violations would carry fines of up to $5,000 — five times the $1,000 cap for employee ethics violations.
Ha'ikū Fire Station land entitlements and disputed title
Building the station is projected at roughly $18 million or more, and a title lawsuit could add costs and delays that fall on taxpayers.
License plate reader data regulation (Bill 113)
The cameras came bundled with a Motorola radios contract plus a $150,000 federal JAG grant; yearly licensing fees run roughly $150-$200 per camera, already budgeted for FY 2027.
Workplace safety and harassment policy review
Kona Low storm impacts on county parks
Hundreds of thousands in storm costs sit on the parks budget while FEMA reimbursement is uncertain — if the appeal fails, taxpayers eat the cost.
emergency shelters and closures
The main money impact is public spending on shelter operations and closures, plus possible out-of-pocket costs for people who evacuate or lose access to services.
Countywide homelessness plan still in development
The council approved an additional $1.5 million in the upcoming budget to support the director's new programs.
Settlement of USERRA lawsuit against Maui County
Settlement dollars would come out of County funds — the exact amount hasn't been made public.
Facial recognition technology moratorium question (Bill 112)
No facial recognition purchases are currently budgeted; costs of future systems were not stated.
Firefighter union labor settlement and pay increases
Firefighters get added 1.5% raises in 2027 and 2028 on top of the arbitration award, a multi-year cost to the County budget.
South Maui Houselessness Strategic Plan
Estimated at up to $100,000, funded by county, state and private sources.
Board of Ethics Staffing
Adds two full-time positions to the Board of Ethics budget.
Wildfire evacuation and infrastructure-first growth
Infrastructure concurrency would cost the county heavily; grid hardening falls to HECO after its $2 billion settlement.
Emergency preparedness for kūpuna and disabled residents
West Maui Recovery Grants
Loans up to $500,000 for homeowners, $100,000 for personal property, and $2 million for businesses, at rates as low as 2.8%.
Decisions during term (1)
Recorded while Batangan was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Voting record (0)(Public Safety)
No votes found matching Public Safety.