Tinian Public Works seeks higher pay, equipment and staff to meet road, waste and building duties

Tinian's Department of Public Works told a municipal budget committee on an island budget hearing that it needs higher wages, a truck and trailer, and two building inspectors to carry out road maintenance, building inspections and solid-waste operations.

“The operator ones are making $7.61 per hour, and operator 3 makes $8.39 per hour,” Resident Department Head Joel Ontellon said, adding that employees were leaving for private employers that pay substantially more. He said DPW currently has five staff in roads and grounds and seeks salary increases and another truck and trailer to pull equipment.

The request matters because DPW is responsible for paved and unpaved road safety, signs, guardrails, drainage, pavement markings and inspections of building safety codes on the island. Ontellon told members that the department also handles solid waste collection and disposal and is trying to collect fees once resources allow.

Committee members pressed for specifics on several budget lines. Ontellon said a line item of $123,700 listed as "cleaning services" on the department’s submission appears to be a typo in the department request. He also said a funded building-inspector recruitment has been open since January, was reannounced through OPM and currently closes Oct. 10; the administration’s proposal shows two funded inspector positions. “Nobody has applied for our building inspector position since we opened it,” Ontellon said.

Finance staff on the call gave differing numbers for two revolving funds tied to building safety and solid waste, prompting members to request reconciled balances. Finance staff gave a building-safety revolving balance of $37,801.23 and a solid-waste ledger balance later reported as negative $49,985.14; participants noted multiple, conflicting account figures among agencies and called for a joint reconciliation meeting.

Committee members and DPW officials also discussed alternative funding and support. Ontellon said the department has used revolving funds for vehicles and is coordinating with the mayor’s office and the Department of Lands and Natural Resources for assistance. He thanked the mayor’s office and DLNR for prior help. Ontellon said some solid-waste positions are in process and that the department is working with the Office of Planning and Development (OPD) on SADRA grant resources but cannot access SADRA funds until the CNMI comprehensive plan is completed.

The department gave a price estimate for a new truck and trailer — about $50,000 and $5,000 respectively — and said a building-inspector salary of about $25,000 (funding line) would likely attract applicants. Members suggested redirecting part of other request lines (for example travel or cleaning) to pay travel for inspector training in Saipan if necessary.

The hearing produced no formal motions or votes. Committee members asked DPW, finance and the mayor’s office to reconcile revolving-account balances and to confirm procurement inventories before approving any vehicle purchases.

Ontellon closed by thanking the committee for visiting Tinian and said the department will provide any additional details requested by members.