Manglona says promising jobs to individuals needs to be stopped

Department of Corrections Commissioner Wally F. Villagomez discusses DOC’s budget request before the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee last Thursday. To Villagomez’s left are DOC administration manager officer Rita Iglecias and DOC director Georgia Cabrera. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. Donald M. Manglona questioned Thursday the Department of Corrections proceeding with a corrections academy for 39 cadets without requesting approval for full time employee positions from the Legislature.

“We need to stop this practice of promising jobs to individuals without knowing whether they are secured or not,” said Manglona during a hearing for DOC’s budget for fiscal year 2023.

At the start of the hearing, Manglona noted that despite the administration’s current budget submission only funding for personnel, they are expecting a revised budget submission come July 1 to address some of the operational needs to all agencies.

He pointed out that DOC has a significant amount of new vacancies and that it is his understanding that there’s currently a corrections academy going on.

DOC submitted a budget request of $8.4 million to cover personnel and operations, with $5.1 million allocated to personnel and about $3.2 million for operations to include $834,000 in utilities.

Manglona said, however, that utilities will be covered through a separate account for the Executive Branch being paid out of the Secretary of Finance.

Manglona said that DOC asked for 127 full-time posts and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has proposed 142, which is an additional 15 positions.

DOC Commissioner Wally F. Villagomez said he understands that the governor’s proposal is short of their department’s request but they fully support of the governor’s submission.

“I have been assured that assistance will be available as needed,” Villagomez said.

The commissioner informed the committee that DOC has started 9th Cycle Corrections Academy with 39 cadets. He said the academy is being done with the collaboration of the Northern Marianas College, Workforce Investment Agency, Office of the Governor, and DOC. The academy started on May 31, 2022 and will end in the first part of October 2022.

Manglona noted that the administration’s budget proposal under Volume 1 shows 51 vacant positions for corrections officer 1, and that it looks like all of these were budgeted at least 50% to 80% on the general fund side.

Villagomez said they came up with 40 cadets, but one had to step down after failing a drug test. The commissioner said they can have another academy after this cycle.

As to Manglona’s question if the 39 is still not sufficient for DOC’s current operation, Villagomez said that, like any department such as DOC, having more manpower is better.

Villagomez said they currently have 19 vacancies for corrections officers that were all vacated in the past fiscal year. The commissioner said Torres assured that he will find a way to help DOC with their manpower shortage.

Manglona pointed out that the governor does not have the power to grant these FTEs, as it’s the Legislature’s power to do that.

Manglona said any changes to the budget for this fiscal year has to go through the Legislature and has to be approved by the Legislature.

The chair said these FTEs that DOC is asking for has to be approved by the Legislature. “And when we’re putting cadets in academy today, it’s like we’re giving them false hope [but] they may not be accepted by the Legislature,” the lawmaker said.

Manglona questioned why a request hasn’t been sent to the Legislature to approve these FTEs, plus a request to ensure that these cadets are secured, will be civil service employees, as oppose to contracted employees.

“When funds run out, you don’t get paid, and so on and so forth,” he said.

DOC director Georgia Cabrera said that, as Villagomez has stated, the cadets are expected to graduate in October. By then, this budget should be passed. Cabrera said it’s probably a gamble where they have these 39 cadets and then once the budget is approved with the FTEs that they’re asking for, then that means they are given the FTEs.

“If you decide to remove some of the FTEs, please reconsider and give us what we asked [for]. In the governor’s proposal, he’s asking for more FTEs. Just give us that,” she said.

Manglona said the common practice is for DOC to request for FTEs from the Legislature. “When they approve it for the next fiscal year budget, then that’s when you start the academy. But jumping the gun and hiring these 39 new cadets without the guarantee that they have these funding positions next fiscal year, I’m trying to see what’s the reasoning behind that decision,” Manglona said.

Villagomez said they did mention about the shortage of manpower at DOC at the same budget hearing last year.

Since the Legislature didn’t approve it, why did Villagomez go ahead and proceed with that academy? asked Manglona. Villagomez replied that they are still in the budget process and are reiterating that request.

“But you’ve already put 39 cadets into academy not knowing whether they’d be secured,” Manglona said.

DOC administration manager Rita Iglecias said they were assured that assistance will be provided by the administration and that Office of Personnel and Budget also recommended that they put in all new FTEs to increase DOC’s manpower level.

Manglona asked if the cadets are under the impression that their job is temporary as they’re not civil service positions yet. Manglona said the corrections officer position is a civil service position, but DOC is taking these new cadets in as temporary hires under whatever funding—whether it be American Rescue Plan Act or other sources—that is not guaranteed.

“When the funds run out, again we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul or taking from other agencies that also need these funding to pay for their personnel,” he said.

Manglona said they want to eliminate overtime and provide DOC with the needed manpower, but DOC needs to request the Legislature for these positions.

Manglona said the Llegislature has the power to amend the budget and include these FTEs if there is funding for it to ensure that these employees are safe.

“We’re giving hope to these cadets, not knowing what their outcome, what their pay will be in the next fiscal year. We continue to temporarily hire and then put a fire under the Legislature to hire these cadets, because they already went through the academy,” he said.