“White Ginger” by Shelly Ferreira. From the collection of Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

May 5, Tuesday

7 p.m.—The session was called to order at the Civic Hall by Mayor Manuel Tomoko. Council members in attendance were: Mr. Harald Stevens (1st Chair), Cincinnati Hadad, Maui “Sugar” Eglington, Krystall Cordeiro and Thomas “Slats” Laulima. Sheriff Royden Kamoku was also on duty. A slate of speakers was listed on the agenda, as well as a PowerPoint presentation on the “Hale‘uila Looks to the Future” program. The Council Secretary (undersigned) took minutes. (Side comments will be deleted later: I add them to keep awake.)

7:10 p.m.—First to be recognized by the mayor was Donald Marin, who stated that “the various agricultural operations in Hale‘uila Town were suffering, largely due to the mayor’s lack of interest and inability to fund needed Town grants.” He passed out flyers to the Council members on the already submitted grants. Mr. Marin wore a torn shirt, which bore the phrase, “Hawai‘i Game breeders, I Love My Birds.” There was no follow-up discussion. He thanked the Council and stepped down.

7:15 p.m.—Second speaker was Samuel “Shoots” Baldwin, owner of Baldwin’s Bargains in town. He stated that unless the parking meters in the business district were removed it would harm business in the hoped-to-be revitalized downtown. He noted that Mayor Tomoko had insisted on the necessity of the revenue thus generated from the meters. He added that though some income was generated from parking violations, the constant meter-feeding prevented a flow of new customers. He added that “the mayor’s own private vehicle had been tagged numerous times lately outside the new “Hale‘uila Looks to the Future” office (former Western Auto Store), but the funds generated did not justify the continued use of the meters.” He distributed fact sheets on income from the meters, courtesy of the tax office. Mr. Baldwin seemed overdressed for the occasion, sporting a palm tree necktie and laced oxfords.

7:25 p.m.—Next to rise wasHarriet Lyman, deaconess of the Hale‘uila Congregational Church. She complained about the lack of facilities for the homeless, explaining that “while the Church was willing to help out, Town support was needed, and that though the local churches had written a grant to invest in the vacant Western Auto Store, instead the mayor had placed the ‘Hale‘uila Looks to the Future’ program there, where he had a vested interest.” She had obviously failed to invest in a hairbrush, and her sweater was tattered at the elbows.

7:30 p.m.—Mayor Tomoko called for a break in order for the Council to get their papers and testimony in order. Refreshments—juice and malassadas from the Hale‘uila Bakery—were available in the rear of the hall. Before the Council had departed their table, a scuffle broke out in the rear of the hall. Apparently some attendees were not allowed to testify, as they were not on the agenda. Sheriff Kamoku took charge in his usual masterful way, and soon order was restored.

7:45 p.m.—Town meeting reconvened. Several local boys —Boonie Crawford, Bozo Fuqua and Bear Wesselhoeft —presented a request for use of the local bandstand and for it to be refurbished for use as a venue for music concerts, as it was used years ago. At the present time it is a squatters’ haven for the local homeless population. If it were done, “The Three Bees” said, they would be the first to perform. Their belts were uniformly slung low, and when Councilman Hadad remarked that they only played Rasta music and Jawaiian, The Three Bees became loud and unruly, and Sheriff Kamoku calmly ushered them out.

7:55 p.m.—Carole Shuey, a local activist, who for the last six months has been sitting in a lotus position outside the post office every Friday afternoon protesting the war, asked why the mayor and the Council have not passed a resolution against the war, as she had requested at an earlier meeting. She asked why the Council had not taken a stand on the war “while she was sitting, no doubt,” especially in light of the fact that two Hale‘uila boys had been injured in Baghdad. There was no discussion, and she proceeded to sit in a lotus position until Sheriff Kamoku carried her out as though she was an infant. Her makeup was overdone around her eyes, underdone elsewhere.

8 p.m.—Just when the Council was preparing for the final presentation,more excitement was generated when Councilman Maui Eglington, a rather bulky man, was overcome with heat exhaustion, and perhaps overindulgence in the malassadas (he’s a diabetic). The always alert Sheriff Kamoku called 911 and organized a stretcher. He and The Three Bees, now cooperative, carried him out to meet the EMTs.

8:15 p.m.—The Council was settling down for the Power- Point presentation when clusters of winged termites—it was termite season in Hale‘uila—began circling the lights and falling into everyone’s hair. Seats were temporarily vacated while the Hall’s custodian, Robert “Cha Cha” Freitas, was called in to spray and sweep them up.

8:30 p.m.—The meeting was again reconvened. The final name on the agenda was a new one to me. She was listed as Serena Visitacion, tourism consultant to the mayor’s office. She wore a haku lei and one of those slinky slit dresses, and flung her long black hair for emphasis. As she was introduced, she went up to the Council table and jokingly tried to sit on the mayor’s lap. He seemed flustered. She then picked up a microphone, clicked on the PowerPoint and dimmed the lights. Music rose and the words “Hale‘uila Looks to the Future” came up on the screen. It spoke of developing the beach shoreline, creating a mall-like downtown and erecting a colorful welcome sign for the town—all part, Ms. Visitacion said, of a “tourist-pull” effort. She had returned to the mayor’s lectern as she spoke, her voice soft, but highly accented through her mic. When the lights came on, she said, “I’m sure your forward-thinking (she said powered-tinking) mayor will be looking to the future (she said poocher), him most of all!” AndMayor Tomoko ... winked ... at ... her ... He can look forward to driving home alone ... or with Ms. Visitacion, if he so chooses. The Council Secretary hereby submits her resignation. She will be escorted out—and home—by Sheriff Royden Kamoku.

8:45 p.m.—Councilmeeting adjourned. Minutes are hereby submitted (no deletions made)

—Ms. Minnie Tomoko, Council Secretary (ret.)

JOSEPH THEROUX is a public-school administrator on the Big Island and writes on aspects of Hawai‘i and Pacific history.