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Board advises Deputy Corporation Counsel Caleb Rowe to step down from Imua board if noncompetitive County funding exceeds $500
Summary
The Board recommended that Deputy Corporation Counsel Caleb Rowe must step down from Imua Family Services' board for the term of any noncompetitive County contract or grant exceeding $500; the motion passed 8‑0 with one abstention and was later reopened for further review.
Deputy Corporation Counsel Caleb Rowe appeared April 8 in his personal capacity to seek guidance on whether his unpaid board membership with Imua Family Services creates a conflict while he serves as a Maui County deputy corporation counsel.
Board staff summarized State precedent that nonprofit board members often have fiduciary duties that can create a “substantial interest.” Staff noted a key distinction between competitive grants and noncompetitive line‑item grants. The Board recommended that, under the plain language of Charter Section 10‑4.3, Rowe should step down from Imua’s board for the term of any County line‑item contract or grant exceeding $500 that is not competitively awarded. The motion passed (8 Aye, 0 No, 1 Abstained).
The minutes note the Board later reopened this advisory opinion at its May 13, 2026 meeting and paused the decision while a permitted interaction group (PIG) reviewed Charter Section 10‑4.3 and related administrative rules, indicating the initial recommendation may be reconsidered.
The action is advisory and framed to avoid automatic prohibition of nonprofit service; instead it sets a trigger threshold tied to noncompetitive County funding that would require temporary removal from the nonprofit board for the duration of the contract or grant.
