Apatang underscores importance of rebuilding Legacy Project

Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang extolled the importance of regularly maintaining the historic iconic Municipality of Saipan complex east of the main U.S. postal facility during Sept. 14’s groundbreaking ceremony at the Saipan municipal administration property where the longest-serving Saipan mayor Vicente D. “Kilili” Sablan together with past municipal councils provided municipal services in Chalan Kanoa.

In his speech, Apatang echoed the strides performed by the island’s forefathers and mothers centuries past saying, “we cannot let our history fade away, (because)…letting that happen would be a grave mistake and a disrespect to our forefathers and mothers.”

“Chalan Kanoa is rich with history of the early days of our growth following the war.”

Apatang recalled “Chalan Kanoa (as) a place where residents living in the various villages met and shared family stories, caught up with current events. Civic activities were carried out in the historic place, like over at the Kiosku.”

Apatang also underscored the responsibility of the present generation to “preserve the memory and history for our future generations,” pointing to the surrounding properties where once stood the old post office, the island dental clinic, the municipal offices and other municipal government offices, which not far from the groundbreaking site were retail stores lined the clean streets in Chalan Kanoa.

“Proudly, as mayor, I conveyed (the) use of the mayor’s (Chalan Kanoa) office property, the old equipment repair shop and plant nursery (there) for the development and construction of the (Saipan) municipal complex…to house the mayor’s office, the municipal council officesdestroyed by Typhoon Soudelor, a (modern) conference hall, and a (new) museum to showcase all past mayors and council members.”

Presently, the municipal mayor occupies a private building next the Oleai track and field and pays rent at an estimated cost of $100,000 annually, or approximately $500,000 in four years.

The new municipal legacy project is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Office of Internal Affairs, precinct II leadership infrastructure project, and third senatorial district project cost sharing match.

Former 14th municipal council chair L.J. Castro (who was the master of ceremony during Thursday’s groundbreaking), in a May 23, 2018 official communication to mayor Apatang stated: “Do know that this has been a desire of the municipal council to restore the unity that existed witin the municipality of Saipan in the early 1960s, where the seat of local government in Chalan Kanoa consisted of the mayor, the municipal council, the municipal treasury, the local public health and dental care, and a local bank.”

Castro continued, “(w)hat worked well for the chartered municipality of Saipan in the 1960s could very well yet again today when we are all united on a mission to making our island of Saipan and Gani responsive, progressive, and work in partnership within our villages and communities.”

Castro pledged “to restore unity in the 3rd Senatorial District Municipality…(by)…establishing a Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Complex in Chalan Kanoa” in his June 15, 2018 official letter to then-DPL secretary Teregeyo.

For his part, Apatang echoed Castro’s call for unity in the Saipan municipality to DPL: “(w)e joined together on an important project to build the future Municipal Complex Center in Chalan Kanoa, (which) when completed…will be the permanent home to the Office of the Mayor of Saipan and the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, and will be appropriately sited in the heart of the old municipal location of Saipan.”

Apatang concluded his June 25, 2018 letter to the DPL secretary whereby Apatang concurred that “(t)he joint project will be immensely beneficial to members of our community for our offices will be conveniently located in the center of Saipan and in one building.”

Construction project contractor R3A who was present during last week’s groundbreaking is responsible for the projected completion of the new facility complex next year. The project was designed by TRMA as reinforced concrete foundation having load bearing capacity of two additional floors above the first-floor structure. The TRMA design is intended to accommodate the mayor’s panoply of administrative offices for community services requiring heavy equipment service, timely repairs of village potholes, timely response to requests for village tree cutting services, regular roadside litter clean-up, consistent village roadside lawn care and trimming, access to local postsecondary assistance services, comprehensive dog control services and dog care, regular village sanitation services throughout the villages in Saipan, including the pending municipal treasury authorized the mayor through a local ordinance and the proposed charter commission.

The A&E also incorporates a public parking which features concrete safety curb, curb stop, pavement stripping, entry/exit sign, stop sign, and ADA signs. The parking facility is also connected with sidewalks to and from the ground floor main entrance to the building.

The parking is also secured with parking steel light poles and solar-operated flood lights equipped also with interior and exterior CCTVs.

The construction contract also adds a landscaping component on the entire municipal facility using local trees such as cassia glauca, tournefortia Argentea, and Singapore plumeria.

Palms will add a tropical flavour to the landscaping with cocos nucifera, and ptychosperna machartiurii.

The landscaping will feature shrubs including allamanda cathartica, bougainvilla spect, gardenia jasminoides, alpinia purpurta, heliconia humilis, and hibiscus rosa sinesis.

As ground covers, cynodon dactylon and ophiopogon japonicum will feature prominently in the landscaping.

When completed next year, the Chalan Kanoa municipal facility will accommodate precinct two representatives in performing public services to their constituents at the centralized Chalan Kanoa satellite office. The networking is a partnership by municipal leaders in the Saipan council with the two precinct two legislative officials along with the mayor’s office all within walking distance to the Chalan Kanoa Leadership Kiosku Courtyard, the United States Postal Services, and the residents residing in the Saipan capital village of Chalan Kanoa. (PR)