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