The Maui County Charter Commission is busy discussing proposals and important issues that have appeared on this letters page in recent months.

So far, the commission made tentative decisions to propose increasing the County Council’s term of office from two to four years, returning to a partisan election system for county races, establishing a county auditor position and setting a biennial budgeting process.

This week, the 11-member board appointed by the mayor and approved by the council to review the County Charter was expected to discuss the role of districts in the County Council elective process, whether Maui County should be involved with the issues of Environmental Protection and Sustainability, governance of the Fire Department, and changing the rules for initiatives, referendums and recalls.

“Our goal is to reach tentative approval of these issues before December, so that we can take these proposals to public hearings countywide and hear the residents’ opinions on these complex and diverse issues,” said Commission Chair Josh Stone.

The charter is the equivalent to the County’s constitution – the blueprint that sets the structure of county government.

Ultimately, the commission will pitch its proposals for changing the charter to voters in the 2012 election.

Learn more about the commission’s proposals at a public hearing in West Maui on Monday, Dec. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Lahaina Civic Center.

For more information, call 270-7742, e-mail charter.commission@mauicounty.gov or visit www.mauicounty.gov and access the Charter Commission through clicking “Mayor” and “Boards and Commissions.”