Aloha and Mahalo, Bryan Baptiste

Our Mayor, Bryan Baptiste passed away suddenly last night. We will miss him. A couple years ago, he consented to be interviewed by my son (then 14) for a project. His replies reflect many things about him (he remembers I had been bugging the County for years about a 500 meter pool- which the YMCA is just now constructing.) and the fact that he even granted this interview says the most.

Byron (ukuleleboi) Interview with Mayor Bryan Baptiste
December 22, 2005

Q: In the context of your Vision Statement and Mission Statement for the Kauai County Team, What are some of the challenges and successes during your time as Mayor of Kauai?

A: Challenges are many- including long-deferred maintenance on infrastructure. Roads, sewers, water were never upgraded and now we have overcrowded roads and not enough facilities to serve the people. There is a shortage of affordable housing too. We are making progress but it takes a long time to get it done.
The feel-good things- we are making headway with the Kapaa corridor and morning Westside traffic and there are plans 2600 affordable housing units to be built in the next 3-5 years.
The youth activities and anti-drug programs as well as high-tech training for kids so that they can find jobs at places like the Base are also positive.

Byron: I chose to interview the Mayor because he has a broad overview of the County.

Mayor Baptiste: Just don’t ask me when a 500 meter pool will be built in Waimea. I don’t think that will be soon but the plans to upgrade the Waimea Pool are underway.

Q: Are there any plans to build a mall (like Kukui Grove) anywhere on the Westside?
A: Nothing now. Kikiaola’s project are residential in nature. A&B is residential with a tiny mall in Port Allen. Nothing like Kukui Grove is planned in the short term.

Q: What is some of your personal background?
A: I graduated from Kapaa High and U.H.

Q: Why did you decide to run for Mayor?
A: It is a position where you can make a difference for the people you serve. In some departments, you can go to work every day and do your job but you don’t always get to see the results of what you do directly benefit people. (A mayor) balances hardships and difficulties and makes progress. (A mayor) can have a direct impact on what gets done.

Q: What did you do before you became Mayor?
A: I was a small business person with two retail flower shops and did flowers for many hotels.

Q: What are some of the changes you have seen on Kauai since you became Mayor?
A: Biggest change since becoming Mayor over the last 3 years is the high demand for real estate. We were not ready for new-found “stardom”. Kauai is on the map and people are coming here with money to live here. We have never experienced anything as quickly-ascending as this real estate market has been. We can’t stop people from selling and buying and we have to deal with the realities of all this happening. The interest rates, the economy, the effects of 9/11 make Kauai the perfect place for people to live in a safe, domestic, exotic location. Suddenly Kauai become something feasible now that California is more expensive- and Kauai is much more beautiful.