‘Probe incomplete projects’

A member of the Board of Education last Wednesday wants the Public School System to investigate the Northern Marianas Housing Corp.’s federal grant projects that did not come into fruition but were funded.

In an email obtained by Saipan Tribune, BOE member Andrew Orsini wants Education Commissioner Glenn Muña to investigate the over $96,000 owed by PSS from the previous NMHC Community Development Block Grant funding for previous projects at the Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High School, and at the Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School.

PSS broke down the amount to $69,575.30 for collateral equipment of MHS in 2006; $17,000 in architectural and engineering fess for the SSHS swimming pool in 2009; and $9,800 in architectural and engineering fees for GTC also in 2009.

Orsini in his email emphasized that he wanted to have PSS investigate the matter further to find out where the money went.

Andrew Orsini

“An inventory check conducted in 2010 found equipment such as laptops, desktops, projectors, and chairs, which accounted for $69,000 in missing equipment and no one knows what happened to the issue at hand?” Orsini asked Muña, who also wanted justification and the outcome of the other two projects that were not completed.

“I want be very clear that I am in no way faulting you in these past circumstances, since you were not the appointed COE at the time,” Orsini wrote. “However, I kindly request that PSS management should conduct an investigative probe and that a written report be provided the BOE of such instances that occurred and its findings and recommendation,” he continued, referring to it as a “questionable event” that had taken place within the PSS management level.

“In such findings, any appropriate personnel actions should be taken up against any personnel involved at the time and who are presently employed and are found to be of negligence and irresponsible of their respected duty, in so far as management is concerned. This type of a mismanaged behavior is totally unacceptable,” Orsini continued.

Saipan Tribune yesterday evening tried to reach out to Muña, but he did not immediately respond.

PSS currently unable to apply for CDBG

The BOE during their regular meeting last Tuesday morning agreed to discuss with NMHC how they could be reinstated into the CDBG program in order to secure disaster recovery funds, which is also administered by CDBG.

However, NMHC deputy director Jeannie Mafnas, noted in a brief explanation during the BOE meeting, that PSS is not even allowed to apply for CDBG and therefore could not avail of any possible disaster recovery funds.

She noted that in order to allow PSS to apply for CDBG money, PSS would first have to settle a total of $96,375.85 for CDBG funded-projects that were not completed, or the MHS, SSHS, and GTC projects.

Saipan Tribune learned that NMHC had to reimburse the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development the $96,375.85 previously awarded to PSS.