Mayor’s Office receives $200K from MVA

The Saipan Mayor’s Office just got more leeway in implementing its beautification projects after receiving a $200,000 grant from the Marianas Visitors Authority.

Special assistant Henry Hofschneider of the Saipan Mayor’s Office said that about $93,124 of the $200,000 is intended for beautification projects along the Governor Froilan C. Tenorio Beach Road Pathway.

According to Hofschneider, the amount would go to the installation of pot décors filled with colorful flowering plants that will hung on light posts along the pathway.

“We are also going to use the money for planter boxes that are very decorative. We are going to put them along Beach Road so that our tourists and locals could enjoy [them],” he said. “All we need to do now is to work out the details of the project.”

Hofschneider said additional project details would be looked into and possible assistance worked out.

“The lampposts are not designed to bear too much load, so we are going to look at planter boxes that could hang and not damage the lamp post,” he added.

The $106,876 leftover from the MVA grant is still with MVA. He said that MVA would draft the agreement and, after all has been approved, MVA will authorize the transfer of the $106,876 to the Saipan Mayor’s Office, where it would be held or managed until it is needed.

“It’s to pay off heavy equipment rental and contractor work at Sugar King Park,” he added.

Hofschneider mentioned that $23,000 was also granted to the Saipan Mayor’s Office to improve plants and other fixtures at Sugar King Park.

Unlike the $200,000, the $23,000 grant is strictly for the renovation of Sugar King Park.

“[SMO wishes to] improve plants at Sugar King Park and repair wooden benches that are dilapidated. We are working with a contractor now to give us price estimates,” said Hofschneider.

He added that the money would be used to repair cracked or uneven walkways in the park.

He said the Saipan Mayor’s Office was given a year to spend the money, but SMO does not wish to wait that long.

MVA managing director Chris Concepcion said MVA is in full support of government agencies that wish to beautify the island.

“The MVA values our partnerships with these agencies and others as we work together to beautify our islands,” he said.