SCBM council tackles SVES flooding

Members of the School Community-Based Management Council of San Vicente took a couple of early Saturday morning sleep-in hours to tackle the issue of chronic flooding in the school.

In its first meeting of the year, parent and council Chair Tony de Leon Guerrero presided over the meeting attended by the officers of the Parent-Teacher Association, school administrators and other SCBM council members. High on the meeting’s agenda was the gnawing issue of what to do with the flash flooding that had plagued the school this monsoon season since the start of the school year.

The chair updated the body on the Department of Public Works communiqué to PSS on their plans for the drainage system along the road, which would divert the water runoffs from the San Vicente hills toward Lau Lau Bay. This requires engineering designs at a cost, as well as the requisite budgetary allocation from the Legislature for the drainage construction.

SVES principal Janet C. Villagomez discussed with the group the widely known financial situation of PSS with operating budgets from the CNMI government on hold for the last two years. That made it clear to the group that the council would have to take the initiative to locate funds if the drainage issue were to be dealt with in the short term.

Ivan Groom, PTA vice president, and a local project implementor of environmental projects on Saipan, informed the group that a member of a natural resource management network on island indicated interest in assisting with the engineering designs for flood control measures. Vice principal James Rayphand was assigned to formally request for such service, ensuring that the service is delivered within the week so that funding can be located expeditiously for implementation.

Sixth graders Simeon Skilling, Richelle Borja, Cathy Emboltorio, Krystal Anade and Jhaneeka Atalig had in the previous two weeks gathered parents’ signatures in a petition for the Legislature’s assistance. This is to be forwarded to the appropriate officers this week. Parents who have yet to sign the petition were encouraged to do so at the principal’s office.

The SVES principal also disclosed that the school year 2004-05 opened without sufficient funds to provide the necessary school materials and supplies needed in the classrooms. The school ordered the needed supplies on credit from one of the island suppliers. The PTA was asked to utilize its funds to settle the account.

Cecilia Camacho, outgoing PTA treasurer, reported that three air-conditioning units were purchased with PTA funds over the summer to replace aging units that had been in service for a decade. Villagomez disclosed that another three new units are needed immediately, and that repairs of existing units that have recently been showing their age need immediate attention as well. This, along with the request to pay for the materials and supplies procured on credit, and on top of the current expenditures in toners for the school main duplicating machine, sent alarm bells ringing on the precarious state of PTA emergency funds.

The chair subsequently went into a discussion on how additional funds can be raised. The school administrators were also asked to prioritize the anticipated needs for the whole year so that the council can properly allocate funds on hand to prioritized needs.

In addition to De Leon Guerrero as chair, the Management Council meeting also included council vice chair and newly elected PTA president Greg Borja, PTA vice president Ivan Groom, PTA treasurer Marsha Arriola, and PTA PIO Jaime Vergara, grade level representatives Rose Adams and Kinai Salas, and reading teacher Fely Lifoifoi. PTA secretary Noreen Borja was unable to attend. A community member-at-large is to be designated before the next meeting. Two designated officers of the SVES Student Council will also join the next SCBM Council meeting.