OPM: Hofschneider’s hiring in line with austerity measures

Office of Personnel Management director Juan I. Tenorio said yesterday that the hiring of former Marianas Public Land Authority commissioner Henry Hofschneider at the Department of Lands and Natural Resources is in accordance with the austerity measures being imposed on all government agencies.

Tenorio said that Hofschneider’s new post—assistant to the DLNR secretary—was a vacant position previously filled by Tim Thornburgh, who is now the federal program officer for the Public School System.

“The governor informed all departments that because the Legislature had not acted on the budget, he would like to continue to live within the austerity measures that have been put in place. One is to continue to exercise prudent fiscal management and not to fill those positions that are either new positions or positions that are not needed in the department to fulfill its mandated responsibilities. During the previous secretary’s [Tom Pangelinan] term, he had a special assistant [Thornburgh], and so when the previous secretary resigned, his special assistant also resigned,” Tenorio said during an interview. “So what [current DLNR Secretary Richard Seman] is doing is just replacing the person.”

Meanwhile, Tenorio said he has granted Seman’s request to waive the job vacancy announcement requirement for the position, citing Hofschneider’s qualifications as well as the position being under a year-to-year contract basis.

“In most cases, if I see the need and I review the qualification of the candidate, and deem that the candidate is qualified or more than qualified for the position, I would honor the request of the employer. [The employee] can be terminated at the discretion of the secretary if [he] does not perform to expectations.”

Tenorio reiterated that requested waivers for civil service employment positions “would not be honored.”

“If it is civil service employment, meaning entry level to mid-management, we would announce it.”

Tenorio said he approved Hofschneider’s employment on Monday.

Seman earlier said that Hofschneider would be an asset to the department in implementing several major projects, including the planned acquisition of wetlands for wildlife projects.

He said Hofschneider could facilitate sourcing funds from the Managaha landing fees that go to MPLA’s coffers, to help implement additional conservation measures for the island.

Hofschneider would also be tasked to work with the department’s Division of Land Survey, particularly in setting aside public land that has been designated for the DLNR for use by the CNMI’s boy scouts. Other major projects that Hofschneider would be involved in are the Garapan Central Market and the Grotto Rehabilitation project, Seman added.

Hofschneider’s employment with the DLNR came amid a recent controversy on the prospective employee’s departure from the MPLA’s top executive post.

MPLA board chair Ana Demapan-Castro had already appointed a new commissioner for the agency, Edward Deleon Guerrero, sometime last month.