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Public testimony urges county support for YMCA scholarships, Hana playgrounds and parks contractors
Summary
Multiple public testifiers told the committee to fund community services and local projects: Maui Family YMCA requested $250,000 for scholarships and West Maui programming; a Hana high school student presented a petition for playgrounds; and contractors described workforce and contracting pressures on park maintenance.
During public testimony on the FY26 budget the committee heard appeals from nonprofit leaders, students and contractors seeking operational and program support from county funds.
Steve Scraggs, CEO of the Maui Family YMCA, testified in favor of a $250,000 appropriation that the YMCA would place into a scholarship pool for childcare, water safety, chronic disease prevention, memberships and wellness programs countywide. Scraggs said the YMCA's Kahului branch provided more than $500,000 in financial assistance in 2025 and that the new West Maui YMCA Community Resource Center in Lahaina will offer partner office space and free program space for senior services and other nonprofits. "Funds provided to the y will ensure residents continue to have access to quality programs that they could not otherwise afford," he said.
High school student Meliana Kurokawa of Hana requested playgrounds for Hana, Kipahulu and Keanae and told the committee she collected 410 petition signatures in support. She told the committee playgrounds provide physical, social and cognitive benefits and serve as gathering spaces that strengthen community ties.
Kaleema O'Malley (testifying as JD White in the record) described a decades-long contract to provide grounds and custodial services for county parks and said the firm employs adults with disabilities in those roles. The speaker requested stable contract funding and noted caps on county contract ceiling amounts have constrained service hours in some districts.
Why it matters: the public appeals highlight county-level choices about how to fund nonprofit service delivery, scholarships, playgrounds and park maintenance. Testimony asked the committee to consider local priorities like free childcare support in West Maui, rural playgrounds in East Maui, and contract caps that affect employment of people with disabilities.
What comes next: the committee asked departments to provide written follow-ups where appropriate and will consider program funding decisions during the FY26 budget process.
