[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":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,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6786868,"mediaKeyId","5598211-5f54bef854c5f521a3f88fd3165c3d1e","parentId",5598211,"title","Tinian DPW warns of staffing and solid-waste shortfalls as revolving fund access clarified","audioSeconds",259,"startMs",924850,"endMs",1184785,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5598211-5f54bef854c5f521a3f88fd3165c3d1e&start=924&end=1184","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5598211-5f54bef854c5f521a3f88fd3165c3d1e/thumbnail_924850.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6786868/Tinian-DPW-warns-of-staffing-and-solid-waste-shortfalls-as-revolving-fund-access-clarified","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6786868-f50a9b35b0fafbfd95115a3fa3f40153/orig.mp4?Expires=1770835577&Signature=C0CQZlj7MV-ijHwOe~QWXKzUivJEStHxMumBnn~FQ0lnIFX64wxJDJpeiPO~EZESZ00BHPXE3fnfYGMtHKul~L5zUJty54Hnw36giJKTAK2yr7S1tP1KtWQq6Juebf1BvkvfxvTzIR9GoI3LH-e27~JdEG9dsWoXbEBwSm6hywkEhZSib7~fG99~ADp9SaoxEQ01ELQ15WohD3lP9gMKx2xsXM2f~MgW19evmcMhemrkjCNW3GLX1K-zxjomKExNxgwVO84XYNt7~7H0ies6-iYkOIW468owADZfiL-2GaixOFQgLtINkkNgPDrYa4VViNroUmgtFbQk~UK6MAlGpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate - Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature","date","2025-08-18T22:06:37Z","article","The Tinian Department of Public Works told senators on Aug. 19 that limited staff and depleted operating funds are hindering routine road maintenance and solid-waste services on the island. \"Due to the high cost of fuel and lack of manpower and heavy equipment, DPW is striving hard to be resourceful in finding all means to accomplish its goals and mission,\" Joel Atalanta, resident DPW head, said in testimony.

Atalanta said the roads-and-grounds division currently has five staff, that several equipment-operator vacancies remain unfilled and that the department has lost employees to private contractors paying higher hourly wages. He asked the committee to consider salary increases for operator positions (operator 1 at $7.61/hr; operator 3 at $8.39/hr) and to approve a truck and trailer for road and grounds operations.

Committee members pressed DPW about access to the Tinian solid-waste revolving fund. Finance representative Eletary Palacios told senators the solid-waste revolving fund was not suspended under Public Law 24-01 and that the running balance available for Tinian was about $38,009 as of Aug. 18. \"You can use that one,\" Palacios said when asked whether DPW could access the fund. He also offered to provide a transaction-level breakdown on request.

Senators flagged inconsistencies between the department’s personnel submissions and the House budget proposal, where some positions appeared as vacant or had been removed. Several members said they would pursue reinstatement. \"It appears like it's a typo, but it's been removed,\" one lawmaker said; DPW and municipal staff said OMB and SIPED were working to rectify the submission so active positions will be accounted for in the final budget.

Other operational issues raised included the department’s difficulty sending staff to off-island training because of travel funding limits, and outstanding questions about hazardous-pay payments to former solid-waste employees. Senators urged DPW to provide detailed cost estimates (materials, equipment hours, and personnel needs) for maintenance projects — particularly for unpaved and newly allocated lots — and recommended exploring lower-cost surfacing options such as chip seal or geogrid for unpaved roads.

The committee requested follow-up documentation: a certification of funds or an expense report tied to the revolving accounts, and a cross-checked personnel listing that clearly shows which positions are funded under which account so the committee can determine whether to restore vacancies in the FY2026 budget.

The hearing ended with senators encouraging closer communication between municipal DPW, central OMB/Finance, and the local delegation to ensure revolving funds can be accessed in time to support operations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","250819 24th NMCL Sen FA [8:30am]","oneSentenceSummary","Tinian Department of Public Works told the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee it lacks equipment and staff to maintain roads and solid-waste operations; officials said a revolving fund balance exists but some positions were omitted in a House submission and will be reinstated after coordination with OMB/SIPED.","taxTitle","Senate, Northern Mariana Legislative Sessions, Northern Mariana Islands","taxId",20282,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6786863,"Finance clarifies CQ account and unpaid overtime as committee presses for transaction breakdowns",746,3370550,4116885,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5598211-5f54bef854c5f521a3f88fd3165c3d1e&start=3370&end=4116","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5598211-5f54bef854c5f521a3f88fd3165c3d1e/thumbnail_3370550.jpg","/articles/6786863/Finance-clarifies-CQ-account-and-unpaid-overtime-as-committee-presses-for-transaction-breakdowns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6786863-4959491c91bede7c73f139179e447556/orig.mp4?Expires=1770835577&Signature=A2B~5MmLCPNqMbHzWz9wZyn0uqzGQJ8y0b3RUACTiwxZgQeADWW2UnKRcxTm3rxr8AFXEXeCsYMqEbsD0CVrRjPIM0mi5sIfs-QQS8HNlv5NRM9-Pb6jvjcjVgoDHyXX8otF-o5FnaPpU6UaIrcZZTbgvNXw6QRiWR2jwuFdX8jwtQxdOYfwKjKD~oOmmvYqamj8KOmMM5wUXcCIe9YEt6kBw75RItPgJVnI-u4N-ht6aRD2-Te3YEqxxlAmrtupfqVRQoXOIV8SIEdKRH2TjGrZsfdJ8ibu3Dz2aN5GVu~nV03nSPxf7fpXQYbs7UqpvIbPAB5SKpFXNoBhgJDUrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Finance and customs officials told the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee on Aug. 19 that a mix of revolving accounts and temporary suspensions is complicating personnel funding and overtime reimbursements in Tinian.

Resident Finance Director Melissa Mendiola said Customs & Biosecurity had four FTEs reflected in the CQ account last fiscal year and that desk-audit salary adjustments are apportioned between the local Tinian account and the CQ accounts. \"So customs and biosecurity, a certain percentage is funded by the Tinian account, and then the remaining percentage is funded by CQ account,\" Mendiola said.

Committee members pressed for clearer accounting after a fiscal analyst highlighted large totals in excess-excise-tax categories and questioned why only a small running balance appeared in the island accounts. Finance representative Eletary Palacios provided an interim running balance number for CQ-related funds and later stated a consolidated balance of about $1,610,082 for certain CQ accounts.

Customs officers described the overtime-billing practice: agents fund activities, government officers are paid first, and agents later reimburse the government. They said this process creates delays and cited about $11,000 in unpaid military overtime related to recent trainings. \"The only overtime concern that we have is the military…we're showing, like, $11,000 of military overtime that's not paid,\" a customs representative said.

Senators asked Finance to supply transaction-level breakdowns and year-to-date expense reports so the committee can trace transfers, suspended earmarks, and the source of personnel funding for positions routed for hiring. Lawmakers also directed staff to draft letters to DOD/CBMA representatives to pursue reimbursement for unpaid military overtime and to copy the municipal delegation so local leaders can track responses.

No formal appropriation decisions were made. The committee requested follow-up documents — detailed transaction reports, certified fund balances for CQ/9040/9044 accounts, and a clarified personnel roster showing which positions are locally funded versus CQ-funded — to inform upcoming budget votes.","Finance and customs officials told the Senate committee that some revolving earmarks were suspended, desk-audit salary adjustments were funded from CQ accounts, and roughly $11,000 in military-related overtime remained unpaid; senators asked for detailed transaction reports and certified fund balances.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6786859,"Labor Department asks for one enforcement FTE and outlines JVA process amid local hiring concerns",706,6863920,7570190,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5598211-5f54bef854c5f521a3f88fd3165c3d1e&start=6863&end=7570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5598211-5f54bef854c5f521a3f88fd3165c3d1e/thumbnail_6863920.jpg","/articles/6786859/Labor-Department-asks-for-one-enforcement-FTE-and-outlines-JVA-process-amid-local-hiring-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6786859-0db6827c2ebc02eb497d434fcd735c4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770835577&Signature=XxbHL7VNJNtjye2NdcP7vZESSVsB8ybAB97eijBLOJG1b3bpHQCDqRXrRX4r1Qlb9G8Bx7ETRrFb3D0XR6l~-KmLOSOjgczAjPJ5T6LhotFHQu4dZvKi-qJIMCRsfc30FxjNuzLQAC3WJamoCj0nPE8fRofPLN-fwsSCTrGkPvhe7VULkT4ZEjwD3U02PEPEdGO1DTfQfxrx8Uhi0FVeU6dw0r9-BMesLeR-Cx6TfTxdbAJHkIOyWdLEj-IljWa8CC7Yb94xUFI5bXKyyTSXqQ9kObAvaGskwGO5kpS1cpoMrqDztIW0Z7KpquvYsXS8PNm0WiprFzH27CXb7~SCcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Labor resident director Jason Klas told senators on Aug. 19 that his FY2026 request centers on six operational line items and a single new FTE for labor law enforcement. \"In my budget request for FY 2026, I have listed 6 operational budget items...and I would like to request funding for 1 FTE, labor law enforcement 1,\" Klas said.

Klas described annual operating amounts (communications $2,000; office supplies $3,000; operational supplies $2,000; fuel $1,000; utilities $4,005) and said unused funds would be returned to government coffers. He said Employment Services oversees the JVA review process and stamps JVAs after confirming no qualified local applicants are available.

Senators sought clarification on JVA timing and verification steps. Klas said the JVA posting and employer review process typically takes about 10–20 days before the department issues an employment certification that indicates no local applicants. Lawmakers expressed concern that some private employers list qualifications that could exclude locals, and they asked Labor to monitor and, if necessary, call employers to rectify mismatches in job descriptions.

Committee members also asked whether Labor has partnered with local training providers to improve residents’ competitiveness for private-sector jobs; Klas said no sustained NMTI training presence had been established on Tinian and offered to follow up. The committee asked Labor to provide hiring and unemployment metrics so lawmakers can evaluate whether local hiring outcomes are improving.

No formal votes were taken. The committee asked Labor to provide figures on JVAs, hiring rates of local applicants, and any available training partnerships to inform the FY2026 budget review.","The Department of Labor’s Tinian resident director requested $12,000 for office rental and one labor law enforcement FTE; senators probed JVA timelines, certification steps and whether employers’ job requirements may be excluding local applicants.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Tinian DPW warns of staffing and solid-waste shortfalls as revolving fund access clarified

Finance clarifies CQ account and unpaid overtime as committee presses for transaction breakdowns

Labor Department asks for one enforcement FTE and outlines JVA process amid local hiring concerns