In a move that’s sure to keep the county’s anti-Monsanto/GMO activists buzzing for months (but perfectly illustrates the very tight bonds that connect local government with big business), Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa has appointed Carol Reimann to be the new Housing and Human Concerns Director. Reimann, as you might have known, has spent the last two years as a lobbyist (“Community & Government Affairs Manager”) for Monsanto. But strangely, Arakawa didn’t refer to Reimann’s most recent Monsanto work when he announced her appointment in the August issue of the county’s High Street Journal newsletter.
“That is why I feel very fortunate to have someone of Carol’s caliber accepting the position,” Arakawa said in his monthly “Message From The Mayor” column. “During her time with the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, Carol has worked with almost every developer and construction company on Maui, the same people who would be building affordable housing. Altogether she has more than 20 years of executive level experience in this community, including speaking before our County Council.”
Alas, conspiracy buffs, Reimann has indeed left Monsanto. County Communications Director Rod Antone confirmed this, noting that she officially starts at the County full time on Aug. 10. On July 30, Reimann also wrote a brief letter to the County Board of Ethics asking them to “terminate my lobbyist registration.”
Joann Ridao, Reimann’s predecessor at Housing and Human Concerns, retired last month.
Reimann did not return a phone call and email for this story.
Photo courtesy Carol Reimann’s Twitter bio
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