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Saipan mayor prods passage of bill on appointing powers
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Posted on Sep 15 2000
Saipan Mayor Jose C. Sablan has urged the Legislature to pass a proposed measure vesting the mayor with the authority to designate an acting mayor who will carry out the official functions in his absence.
The filing of HLB 12-15 by Senate Floor Leader Pete Reyes stemmed from the issuance of a legal opinion by the Attorney General’s Office recommending the immediate passage of the law since absence of such authority would result in legal problems.
Mayor Sablan said the immediate passage of the bill is important because he has to attend numerous off-island trips. Such official trips include the annual student cultural exchange programs with sister cities in Korea and Japan, weekly meetings with the Association of Mariana Island Mayors, Vice Mayors and Municipal Councils and the quarterly U.S. Conference of Mayors’ sessions.
In justifying the off-island trips he has to join, Mayor Sablan assured that they serve the best interest of the local people. With the passage of the bill, the Mayor’s Office can still deliver the basic services to the people or perform functions such as attending budget hearings, conducting marriage ceremonies, or attending legislative hearings.
Mayor Sablan admitted that his off-island trips have delayed and or suspended operations of the office due to the absence of necessary in-house appropriations or documents needing his signature.
“Similar to the constitutional provision providing for an acting governor whenever the governor is off-island, I believe that such should also be adopted by this legislative delegation so that the office of the local chief executive or mayor will proceed undisturbed,” he added.
The island-municipality of Tinian has addressed a similar situation by passing a local law in 1992 which was signed by then Gov. Lorenzo De Leon Guerrero giving power to designate an acting mayor to the sole discretion of the elected mayor.
The powers and responsibilities of the Mayor’s Office are derived from both the CNMI Constitution and by statutory authority.
Neither Article VI of the Constitution or the statutes in the Commonwealth provide any authority for any acting mayor to be appointed when the mayor is simply not physically present.
