[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},"mediaId",6536085,"mediaKeyId","3847398-ad825a6458c31fe3d92e3a078ba4c002","parentId",3847398,"title","Tinian Municipal Council and finance divisions answer committee questions on fringe benefits, rent and special accounts","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",7664000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847398-ad825a6458c31fe3d92e3a078ba4c002&start=7664&end=7664","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847398-ad825a6458c31fe3d92e3a078ba4c002/thumbnail_7664000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6536085/Tinian-Municipal-Council-and-finance-divisions-answer-committee-questions-on-fringe-benefits-rent-and-special-accounts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6536085-29015a609bc01027b4146aba1808d811/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191406&Signature=Dj-w78ftn~Q9zTfQRUdur69-NeYP0GzY-g7vfBYPFXIY19ge4duSrMhMvtumPuROgaedoGejz19LQTm8nG1iMz9zcmaNlOfGMIaaeUzyBcr9efJFvgTZuOGTeMxkDlgQyMoet8Mf-CdGKLIFngiQdSZUZh6k8F7k2fksryw078TntvTGyOT2pp~Bgv7KBctexjZA1ReB6rfFw6i7RxRGloN9cj8~aoKJqN8Hqj1j~ewWjUGp8xGaWhfGqU0pvI8ioOrw2Ya2lsjodcV4mXW6fe36WjcfvB1f1WSoROZs5T62e7pmTsUvLPkvEoz9tx8sCsxRapobxVx1EceATipaJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House - Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature","date","2025-06-16T14:49:46Z","article","The Tinian Municipal Council and Tinian resident directors from the Department of Finance answered committee questions about small allocations, benefits variances and where utilities and rent charges are reflected in municipal budgets.

Municipal Council
Anna Marissa Nicholas, acting chairperson of the Tinian Municipal Council, told the committee the council currently has seven employees and no vacancies. Members asked about a $3,000 contribution-and-donations line in the council\u0000s request; Nicholas said the funds are used for small requests such as water donations for public events and traditional community needs and that the council does not maintain a separate special account for donations.

Utilities and rent
Committee members clarified that the municipal council\u0000s utilities are paid by the Department of Public Lands because the council\u0000s office is housed in a DPL building; the council therefore did not request a utilities appropriation. Separately, the mayor\u0000s office and other departments discussed a likely spreadsheet typo where the governor\u0000s worksheet showed $9,048 for office rental while committee and mayoral staff discussed a $96,000 annual rental figure for mayor\u0000s office facilities; the mayor\u0000s staff and OMB said they would reconcile that line.

Department of Finance divisions
Resident Director Ardi (Marissa) Mendiola walked the committee through procurement services, revenue and tax, financial services and customs/biosecurity. She flagged several technical issues:
- OMB adjustments to fringe-benefit calculations cause differences between municipal submissions and the governor\u0000s proposal because OMB recalculates benefits based on actual employee elections at the time of compilation.
- Financial-services payroll line items show what appears to be partial funding for two accounting staff; OMB agreed to verify and correct underfunding for those FTEs.
- Revenue and taxation said specialized overtime is requested for peak tax-collection periods to process filings and data entry.

OMB/Finance follow-up
OMB told the committee it will verify two underfunded FTEs identified in the finance division and communicate corrections to the legislature. Secretary of Finance confirmed the MOU for CUC arrears and explained that the MOU included an amount to encourage transition to prepaid billing for government accounts; she also noted some arrears and account balances are being reconciled and will be part of a status conference with the court.

Committee direction
Members asked the council and finance divisions to provide account-level documentation and narratives supporting repair-and-maintenance, rental, and utilities requests and for OMB to provide corrected fringe-benefits calculations before further appropriation action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","250616 24th NMCL HoR W&M Public Hearing 10:30 a.m.","oneSentenceSummary","Tinian Municipal Council and the Department of Finance reviewed their FY2026 requests with the committee. Questions focused on fringe-benefit variances, a small donations line, who pays utilities for the municipal council, and underfunded FTEs OMB will correct.","taxTitle","House, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands","taxId",20281,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6536090,"Customs and biosecurity seek overtime funds, note K-9 gaps and invasive-species responses",985,5708000,6693000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847398-ad825a6458c31fe3d92e3a078ba4c002&start=5708&end=6693","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847398-ad825a6458c31fe3d92e3a078ba4c002/thumbnail_5708000.jpg","/articles/6536090/Customs-and-biosecurity-seek-overtime-funds-note-K-9-gaps-and-invasive-species-responses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6536090-94284eee42fddbfacf5899e330074c3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191406&Signature=kguBT9AGwQqdE-u4ny-aoh05chm~gpCuwCMd9DCYFC2zvi~md0V0Wfycej2Umqc8wHQyysE2qHl3C~3QmmZ8JmxCdz3V7U0tV6WXEeEBYyMDzXHKx4lWOfHOUpcd1IqLQQZTHjDu4NUatPvx0cC4xeWkUfhsVUoYa4wWpyeXnpSnqt1hqPGEl--9ovcUur7g7SLy~6WkEXT7RuuwsehWO3C~Ocp4FDGN2CYOLJiEjyuh8BTxvRIv3jZ96oK5h3nfRXkIQCX798YQCMOFpZseYRWnBAcrISa8c8vNBcbFT-tDqduDB61k7AiX3Jc3BL7Rs2yJBeHe--aTjD9O2PutOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Officials from customs and biosecurity told the House committee that the division needs additional overtime funding to cover after-hours enforcement and other non-billable operations and that staffing and equipment gaps affect readiness.

Major (Customs and Biosecurity) told the committee the division requested $20,000 for overtime to cover \"special operations\" and after-hours work that is not billable to consignees. He confirmed that overtime related to vessel or cargo inspections that can be billed to a consignee is billed; the requested amount covers enforcement and other non-billable demands.

Vacancies and K-9 capacity
Committee members confirmed the office was assigned four positions in FY2025; three were partially funded at the dollar level and one position remained funded but vacant pending hiring. Major said the department is filling the advertised vacancies and that Saipan often provides K-9 handlers and equipment on request because of proximity and resource sharing.

Invasive species and inspections
Customs and Biosecurity said they have found invasive species in incoming shipments (the transcript cites discovery of small fire ants on a vessel). In that case, the vessel was returned to Guam for treatment; the consignee covered the cost. Major said the agency coordinates with Guam counterparts for cleaning and clearance, then allows discharge once the issue is resolved.

Procedures and procurement
Committee members asked whether customs receives vessel arrival schedules, and Major confirmed the office receives schedules and conducts inspections locally in Tinian. The office said it does not receive separate federal grant funding for biosecurity operations at entry points and often uses local requisition and procurement channels for supplies.

Certification and training
Members asked about firearm training and ammunition for officers. Major said customs maintains instructors and that Saipan procures ammunition and schedules certifications; availability can affect certification cadence. Committee members urged the office to examine fee structures for port services and to coordinate overtime billing and landing fees with CPA and other agencies where feasible.

","Customs and Biosecurity directors told the committee they requested overtime funding to cover non-billable enforcement work, are filling four funded vacancies, rely on Saipan for some certifications and K-9 capability, and have used vessel returns to Guam to remove invasive species.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":71,"_73":71},6536095,"Tinian mayor asks Legislature for more operating funds, urges developer—s tax assessment on DOD projects",439,336000,775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847398-ad825a6458c31fe3d92e3a078ba4c002&start=336&end=775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847398-ad825a6458c31fe3d92e3a078ba4c002/thumbnail_336000.jpg","/articles/6536095/Tinian-mayor-asks-Legislature-for-more-operating-funds-urges-developers-tax-assessment-on-DOD-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6536095-58028559f84f8ba6b73487dfb5c51c55/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191406&Signature=J4hrZPhH2yfLrynXCuBxBxj1LhGEIo2rhsJyUkLo8fVQi3MPbZldscaijM2PqjgoPqIJohUdxkoHTAqGnQfy9ier7V3yBEu8NHjtK5o9fNGfb3W7~u3bE~tLoSDZ1gYrb1EWu8x6SCmbui90n-uZUD2crfZV711m01fIu1GqwDWdqONVM3pEKMtpfiBw5G5iovpUivoUK3BfhpsWHtNSzxP5Q061CRma-lDXaqNbGuzV9BWLgwLBVhKt7jeMYOiQdo~kdbQu4DIKQrhhHfLQcvjJQbMJH2rT~6vwLFGZOZxwbQTDJWJkXY9uBhooq3edcLJUvkeMEusm5z5pvQ0NIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tinian Mayor Edwin Piaudon told the House Standing Committee on Ways and Means on the island that his office needs additional operating funding and authority to maintain essential public services as the DOD-driven build-up increases demands on municipal operations.

Piaudon said the Mayor\u0000s Office employs 141 people and manages services including the library, youth center, ID division, parks, municipal scholarships, the slaughterhouse, the municipal treasury, emergency preparedness, and grant administration. \"These funds are vital so that we can sustain, at a minimum, the basic public services that our community depends on daily,\" Piaudon said.

Why it matters: Council members pressed for specifics because several line items in the mayor\u0000s request differ from the governor\u0000s proposal. Committee members flagged a $59,067 variance in fringe-benefits funding for mayor\u0000s office personnel and a shortfall in requested utilities funding.

Key requests and details
- Operating funding: Piaudon asked the Legislature to provide sufficient operating funding for the Mayor\u0000s Office and municipal agencies. He said inadequate funding jeopardizes public-safety and utility services.
- Fringe-benefits variance: Committee questioning established that the administration\u0000s $59,067 variance largely reflects OMB adjustments made after municipalities submit budgets and employees later change participation in insurance and retirement options. Alan Perez, the mayor\u0000s staffer, said his office submitted 141 FTEs but that current funded FTEs in OMB\u0000s package appear as 130, with 11 positions not funded.
- Utilities: The mayor requested $384,000 for utilities; the governor\u0000s proposal funds $250,000. OMB said the governor\u0000s utility calculation prioritized accounts that are on prepaid schedules and used the municipality\u0000s package and actual enrollments to compute the governor\u0000s figure.
- Hotel-occupancy and HUD-linked funds: Piaudon urged the committee not to suspend hotel-occupancy allocations for Tinian in FY2026. He referenced Public Law 20-17 in saying municipalities are to receive specified HUD-linked allocations and said Tinian received $153,000 from December 2023 to June 2025, which he characterized as insufficient.
- Suspended revolving funds: Piaudon asked that suspended municipal revolving funds (including e-gaming and developer\u0000s tax revenues) be restored. He identified an active tobacco-settlement account (about $54,000 annually under budget law) and a CDA bond-interest account with an unclear balance; staff estimated about $16,000 available after Munis reporting irregularities.
- Developer\u0000s tax on DOD projects: The mayor urged the Department of Finance and DPW to assess developers\u0000 tax on DOD-related projects. He cited Public Law 8-23\u0000s text on exemptions and said the municipal office has asked finance and DPW to assess these projects; he said the attorney general indicated no legal obstacle to assessing contractors.
- Emergency funds and Senate Bill 23-08: Piaudon requested a standing allocation for emergency procurements. He also urged support for Senate Bill 23-08, which he said would transfer expenditure authority over the solid-waste management fund from the secretary of DPW/BPW to the municipal mayor to improve local response and compliance with EPA/ECQ requirements.

Staffing and MOUs
Committee members asked how many MOU/MOA staff the mayor\u0000s office funds and how those positions are paid. Piaudon said the mayor\u0000s office currently funds MOU staff assigned to other departments and autonomous agencies under memoranda of understanding; those MOUs are paid from the mayor\u0000s operating allotment. He also said some FTEs are dollar-funded but will not be filled without a funding source.

Repair and maintenance, rentals and vehicles
Piaudon said the mayor\u0000s repair-and-maintenance request ($24,000 in his submission) covers vehicle parts, building and grounds maintenance, and emergency repairs islandwide. Committee members asked the office to provide a line-item narrative for the repair-and-maintenance request. The mayor and his staff confirmed the office collects and maintains several older vehicles and sometimes cannibalizes parts from other agencies.

What the administration and OMB said
OMB staff explained differences between the mayor\u0000s submission and the governor\u0000s proposal: OMB adjusts fringe-benefit line items based on actual employee elections in the payroll system after municipalities submit initial budgets. Secretary of Finance and OMB representatives were present and fielded questions about specific accounts and arrears.

Next steps and committee follow-up
Members asked the mayor and OMB to provide clearer account balances for the CDA bond-interest and tobacco-settlement accounts and to list the total number of MOU/MOA positions. OMB agreed to verify the fringe-benefits allocation and respond to the committee.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the mayor\u0000s requests during the hearing; members said they will consider the mayor\u0000s testimony as they review the FY2026 executive budget proposal.

","Mayor Edwin Piaudon told the House Ways and Means committee that the Mayor\u0000s Office needs increased operating funds, restoration of suspended revolving funds, and a clearer allocation of hotel-occupancy and other shared revenues to sustain municipal services amid the island\u0000s military buildup.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Tinian Municipal Council and finance divisions answer committee questions on fringe benefits, rent and special accounts

Customs and biosecurity seek overtime funds, note K-9 gaps and invasive-species responses

Tinian mayor asks Legislature for more operating funds, urges developer—s tax assessment on DOD projects