The Honorable Mayor Charmaine Tavares has been involved in public service for over 40 years.  For sixteen years she worked with youth as a high school teacher, counselor, and an athletic director, then as the program director for Maui Community College’s Upward Bound program for 7 years. Her six years as the director of the County’s Department of Parks and Recreation were followed by ten years as a member of the Maui County Council.

She was elected in 1996 to the County Council representing the Upcountry Maui area, and won re-election four times. During her tenure on the Maui County Council she successfully introduced a charter amendment that called for the mayoral and council elections to be non-partisan. Her charter amendment creating a new Department of Environmental Management also received voter approval – the new department established a more focused and efficient way of handling wastewater, solid waste and recycling services.

As the County’s Parks and Recreation Director. Mayor

Tavares pioneered the County’s highly successful Play and

Learn Sessions program, commonly known as PALS. The

popular PALS program has provided recreational and

educational programs for thousands of children of working

families.

She is widely known for her belief that Maui County

must take steps to become more energy efficient.  While

she chaired the Energy and Economic Development

Committee of the Maui County Council, she was successful

in promoting passage of the first “Energy Code” for

Maui County.

Upon taking office in 2007, one of Mayor Tavares’ early initiatives was organizing the first Energy Expo that was held in September of that year with a sold out attendance. Due to the overwhelming interest of the private and public sectors, five Working Groups were formed to put together a course of action that would lead to energy sustainability in Maui County. These Working Groups have met for over a year fine-tuning the recommendations that were unveiled at the 2009 Energy Expo.  After feedback from the expo participants and other public input, the final report is expected in May this year. The development of Working Groups and its partnership approach has garnered national recognition for its bold and compelling work.

Because she believes wholeheartedly in “walking the talk”, Mayor Tavares jumped at the opportunity to participate in a test program for hybrid electric vehicles. The Mayor can be seen driving a white Toyota Prius Hybrid emblazoned with green lighting bolts. This County of Maui vehicle has an extra plug-in battery installed by the Idaho National Energy Lab. The County’s special hybrid is one of two on Maui, one of six in Hawaii (3 are on Oahu and 1 in Hilo) and one of 120 in the nation. 

The US Department of Energy is gathering data regarding this test battery under a diversity of climate and geographic driving conditions. As Mayor Tavares drives around Maui, the hybrid vehicle is getting between 60-65 miles per gallon - even with her daily drive to her home in Upcountry Maui.

As Mayor, she oversees an annual budget of over half a billion dollars encompassing seventeen departments with over 2,000 employees that serve approximately 140,000 residents on three islands.

In her first term as mayor, her administration has focused heavily on good fiscal management in order to weather the global economic meltdown, while simultaneously advancing major projects that have experienced decades of delays - including the South Maui Community Park and the Lahaina Watershed Flood Control Project. 

Born in Hana, Mayor Charmaine Tavares made history when she became Hawaii's only mayor whose father also served as mayor. Hannibal Tavares, served as mayor of Maui County from 1979 – 1990.

Her genuine caring of our community, an ability to succeed through collaboration and a common sense approach to issues are often cited as hallmarks of her leadership.

Mayor Tavares at a Glance

Education

- 1967 B. Ed. – University of Hawaii – Manoa

- 1970 5th Year Professional Diploma – Education – UH Manoa

Professional Career

- 1997-2006 Maui County Council

- 2005-2006 Chair – Planning Committee

- 2003-2004 Chair – Energy and Economic Development Committee

- 1999-2002 Chair – Planning Committee

- 1997-1998 Chair – Human Services, Agriculture & Housing Committee

- 1989-1995 Director – Parks & Recreation Department, County of Maui

- 1983-1989 Director - Upward Bound Program, Maui Community College

- 1967-1982 Public school teacher, counselor, coach and Athletic Director

Community Involvement

- 1986-2006 The Maui Farm – Board Member

- 1993-1998 Nissan Hall of Honor State Selection Committee

- 1992-1995 Maui County Fair Parade Co-Chair

- 1984-1985 Maui County Committee on the Status of Women

- 1983-1986 Bobby Sox Association of America – State Commissioner

- 1983-1985 Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Maui – Board Member