Kula and Hana residents urge Maui County to help repair driveways and roads damaged during federal debris-removal work

Residents from Kula, Hana and other Upcountry areas asked the Government Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee on May 13 to help pay for or press the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and federal debris-removal contractors to repair driveways and small roads damaged during post‑fire cleanup.

The testimony centered on repeated accounts that heavy equipment and long periods of truck traffic left driveways cracked, edges broken and otherwise unusable, and that residents were told repair responsibility would be limited by “right of entry” (ROE) agreements signed at the start of cleanup operations.

Why it matters: Testifiers said the damage prevents reuse of driveways, complicates rebuilding and has produced repair estimates that residents cannot afford. Committee members and staff heard that some homeowners were told by federal crews the cleanup was “free” if they signed in, and later were told damage claims were limited by the ROE.

“Go to number 7 or so forth and read it and it basically says incidental damage,” said Mark Ross, a Kula resident who testified about his driveway damage, recounting his exchange with Army Corps staff. “I said, well, this is more than incidental damage.”

Other residents described similar experiences. Linden Holt Joysing spoke on behalf of her 98‑year‑old mother and said fire trucks and water tankers caused ruts and cracking that require graded repairs so emergency vehicles can access the property. Tom Liu told the committee he and others had been promised follow‑up but repeatedly received no repair work after on‑site measurements were taken.

Donna Waters, who lives on a one‑lane dead‑end road in the burn zone, told the committee that months of heavy equipment traffic left her asphalt road pocked with potholes and eroded edges; she provided a repair estimate of about $69,000 for removing the top layer and installing an overlayment. “For months the more crews went up and down the road the potholes and cracks got bigger,” Waters said.

Community member Kyle Ellison, who accompanied Army Corps personnel on Kula site visits, described the community decision to “opt in” to federal cleanup based on assurances that signing the ROE eliminated cost to residents. “They told us ‘opt in, it’s free,’” Ellison said. “People opted in. But then the trucks show up, damage the driveways, and are told that they have to pay.”

Committee members asked multiple clarifying questions about homeowners’ insurance and whether debris-removal was a policy line item. Testifiers replied that some policies did not list debris removal, others were unclear, and none reported being told they had to reimburse federal agencies directly at the time of cleanup. Several witnesses said they signed ROE paperwork under pressure and while under stress during the immediate post‑fire cleanup.

The committee heard that the County has received formal claims for damage and that several settlement or claim resolutions were on the committee’s agenda for consideration. The chair read four claims with amounts posted in the meeting packet: Resolution 25‑95 ($31,245.01 for 11 Kualono Place, Kula), Resolution 25‑96 ($97,444 for 196 Kulelani Drive), Resolution 25‑97 ($400,000 for 15465 Haleakala Highway), and Resolution 25‑98 ($69,778 for 200 Ala Nui Lili). Committee members deferred those items for further handling and scheduled them for the committee’s next meeting on June 3 for consideration and staff follow‑up.

The testimony captured repeated requests that the County “go after” federal agencies for reimbursement when possible, while residents acknowledged appreciation for County assistance so far. Committee members pressed staff about options but did not take final action on a policy requiring County pursuit of federal reimbursement during the May 13 meeting.

Details and next steps: Committee staff said written claims will continue to be accepted and that the four claims listed on the agenda would be taken up at the June 3 meeting. Several residents asked the County to review whether the ROE language and the federal contractor practices met expected standards and to clarify what residents can reasonably expect in future federal cleanup efforts.

Ending: Residents repeatedly asked the committee to help secure funding or press federal partners to cover repairs. Committee members acknowledged the problem and deferred the posted claim resolutions for further review and potential settlement action on June 3.