Committee defers Kelly Davidson nomination to full council meeting on July 8

The Maui County Government Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee on July 1, 2025, heard from Kelly Shane Davidson, the mayor’s nominee to the Salary Commission, then deferred the nomination to the full County Council meeting on July 8, the committee chair said.

The nomination, transmitted by the mayor on June 12, 2025, would fill a Salary Commission seat with a term expiring March 31, 2030. The committee’s agenda noted the item was posted for no legislative action; the council’s 30-day deadline to approve or disapprove the nomination is July 12, 2025.

Jody Yoshida, boards and commissions liaison, summarized Davidson’s background for the committee. Yoshida said Davidson “serves as a senior executive vice president for Exodus Financial Partners located here on Maui,” holds a degree in international business from the University of Texas at El Paso and “over the last 20 years, he has built multiple successful businesses in retail, wholesale, and e-commerce.” Yoshida also noted Davidson retired as a major from the Army Reserves after 24 years of service.

Kelly Shane Davidson, introduced in the meeting materials as the nominee, told the committee his stated reason for seeking the seat was to become more involved with Maui County government and to “help in any way that I can.” He said he runs a financial-services business that operates in 12 states and described community work including free financial-literacy classes. “We sent three of my agents out this last weekend out to Hana and they met with about 90 kupunas, teaching the elderly how to set up their own trust,” Davidson said.

Committee members asked about Davidson’s availability, his initial preference for a Planning Commission appointment, and his views on local wages and economic diversification. Davidson said he originally applied for a planning seat but was later considered for the Salary Commission after planning seats were filled. On wages, he described the local cost of living as high: “It’s too expensive. They’re priced out of paradise,” Davidson said, and said boosting local business opportunities and training could help residents capture more economic benefit.

Chair Nohelani Uhudjens closed public testimony and moved to defer the item to the full Council meeting. “This resolution was posted for no legislative action because we’re gonna be voting on it on the council meeting of the eighth because our due date is July 12. So I will now defer this item without objection,” Uhudjens said. The committee recorded no objections and took no vote.

No public testifiers spoke at the committee’s remote locations during the hearing. The committee meeting lasted about 32 minutes and the item will appear on the July 8 County Council agenda for action before the July 12 deadline.

If the Council approves the nomination, the seat would run through March 31, 2030, per the nomination materials submitted June 12, 2025.