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$168K supplemental budget for CPA projects, operation OK’d
»Mendiola, 5 new staff hired at ports agency; 6 more posts to be filled
The Commonwealth Ports Authority board of directors approved Monday a total of $168,274 in supplemental funding for its operation and projects, while announcing several new hires at the agency.
Board director Frances Mafnas, chair of the fiscal affairs panel, endorsed to the full board $147,211 in additional funding for operation and $21,063 in supplemental funds for fixed assets.
CPA’s operational needs will get the following: $64,300 for consulting services for the airport concessions; $42,738 for the pavement classification for the Rota airport; and $40,173 for the pavement classification for the Tinian airport.
For fixed assets, a total of $21,063 was approved for the following: $2,993 for a digital pressure gauge as required under CPA’s Cooperative Agreement for Aviation Weather Observers for the Rota airport; $13,370 for proximity suits (six sets) for four cadets, and two replacements at the Rota airport; and $4,700 for proximity suits (two sets) for cadets at the Tinian airport.
According to Mafnas, the supplemental funding approved Monday will be funded by Airport Gross Revenue funds.
Also on Monday, Saipan port master Chris Tenorio announced the rehiring of Joseph Mendiola as Tinian ports manager and the filling of four ARFF trainee positions for the Saipan airport, as well as one tariff technician for the Saipan port.
Since May, at least three personnel have resigned from the agency, Tenorio said. These include an ARFF mechanic II on Saipan, a ports police lieutenant on Saipan, and a firefighter I, also on Saipan.
Tenorio asked for the board’s permission to announce the vacancy for the ARFF mechanic II for Saipan.
Additionally, he asked that the board approve the hiring of a new full-time employee for a skilled electrician and to re-open the FTE of the assistant operations supervisor.
Tenorio said that because of the lack of a skilled technician at the agency, CPA is incurring about $42,000 in expenses for repairs. The board later approved this particular request, citing the cost benefit if a skilled electrician is directly hired by CPA.
