Report: All DPW vehicles have expired licenses, no insurance

Ray N. Yumul

The Transition Committee for the Department of Public Works has found that all DPW vehicles currently have expired licenses and have no insurance coverage.

The Transition Committee’s report, a copy of which was obtained by Saipan Tribune yesterday, also found, among other things, that the handling of tipping fees at DPW’s Transfer Station in Lower Base has raised flags for the committee, which recommends that the Office of the Public Auditor audit the daily tipping fee collection at the Transfer Station and Marpi Landfill.

The tipping fee, which is also called a gate fee, refers to a fee paid by anyone who disposes of waste in a landfill.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s questions about the report, acting DPW secretary Ray N. Yumul, who served as leader of the Transition Committee for DPW, said yesterday that all DPW vehicles still have expired license and without insurance coverage. Yumul said he will have to purchase insurance and update the vehicle registrations.

Regardless of the fact that the CNMI government is generally “self-insured,” if the accident is caused by a DPW driver’s negligence, that person may potentially be personally liable, he said. This is especially so, Yumul said, if the staff takes department vehicles home.

At this time, roads and grounds staff with 24-hour response vehicles are allowed to take DPW-issued vehicles home to enable them to quickly respond to downed trees blocking roads, flash floods, and other matters.

As for the concern about the tipping fees, Yumul said it was observed that the only payment method accepted is cash, company checks, or charge on account for approved haulers.

Yumul said credit cards are currently not being accepted as a form of payment and cash is predominantly the main form of payment.

With respect to vehicles, the committee said DPW has a total of 39 vehicles, with four down for maintenance and two on loan to other agencies.

The committee said there are a total of 15 vehicles assigned as 24/7 response vehicles, although DPW’s normal business hours are from 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday except for the Solid Waste Management Division, which operates on Saturdays. The committee recommends that the 24/7 vehicle use must be revisited and limited.

With respect to the Solid Waste Management Division, the committee found that for fiscal year 2021, the tipping fees collected at the Marpi Landfill amounted to $1,007,064, and for fiscal year 2022, the amount collected reached $982,353.

The committee also found that the former DPW secretary has issued “waivers” of tipping fees to government agencies.

On the waiver issue, Yumul said yesterday that in order to stay in compliance with DPW’s permit to operate the landfill, tipping fees must be collected to assure that they can close cells once they become full.

“Funding for the cell closure must be in place. Collection of tipping fees and beautification tax is the funding source,” Yumul said.

He said private and commercial trash haulers are dutifully paying their tipping fees and that the CNMI government must do the same.