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Saipan mayor seeks a higher budget to hire more workers
The Saipan Mayor’s Office budget proposal for fiscal year 2015 seeks to hire more full-time employees, or FTEs, as community workers, according to Mayor’s Office special assistant Henry Hofschneider.
The Mayor’s Office originally asked for $3.04 million for fiscal year 2016. However, in the budget proposal that Gov. Eloy S. Inos submitted to the Legislature, this was cut down to $1.64 million—a reduction of about $1.39 million.
With the $1.6 million proposed budget, majority of that—a total of $1,205,561—will have go to personnel costs, Hofschneider said.
Right now, the Mayor’s Office has 39 employees and is looking to add nine more employees, which will total 48. The nine employees will add to the number of community workers the Mayor’s Office has. There are over 20 community workers at the Mayor’s Office.
Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang earlier said the increased number of community workers would help with the priorities he has set for the office.
Apatang seeks increase the number of cleanups, road repairs, and other services his office provides.
He said not a lot could be done with the limited number of community workers they have, since the office is currently focused on an islandwide cleanup and the stray dog removal campaign.
Hofschneider said the $3 million they initially requested was supposed to be used to improve existing facilities and get new heavy equipment.
“Some of the existing facilities are dilapidated and no one can go near those because of the dilapidated roofs. It is dangerous for them,” Hofschneider said.
The other part of the budget—$443,435—will go to other costs such as rentals, professional services such as training and help from professionals, travels, repairs and maintenance, utilities, supplies, and other necessary needs for operations.
Hofschneider said they are communicating with the Saipan and Northern Island Delegation to lobby for a bigger budget for the office.
