Previous Story
Zoning board now complete
Igitol is new treasurer
The Saipan Zoning Office board is now complete after the Senate’s confirmation of chair Diego Blanco in March.
Blanco joins vice chair Gus Kaipat, secretary Bruce Bateman, treasurer Alice Igitiol, and members Joe Ayuyu Jr., Elizabeth Balajadia, and Herman Sablan. Igitol, who rejoined the board in October 2013, was recently named treasurer of the board.
Zoning administrator Therese Ogumoro said her office and the board have been urging the government to complete the seven-member the board.
“With the board reaching its max membership at seven, this will help ensure that their meetings and reviews on zoning issues or conditional use applications will not be disrupted and will remain consistent every month,” Ogumoro said.
The board initially had only five members and Blanco said that it was a little difficult to reach a quorum if two of the members are sick or if they go off-island.
Ogumoro also told Saipan Tribune that they have been fortunate enough to have seven members, because at least four members have to be present to constitute a quorum.
“That’s the best thing about it, the members are now complete and help each other to come up with a quorum each meeting and that applications are heard accordingly through public hearings and zoning matters are revealed in a timely matter,” she said.
Blanco said “sometimes we have had problems in establishing a quorum and sometimes we can’t reach a decision if less then four members are present but I am now happy that we have a complete board.”
