Joeten Kiyu Public Library employees turned their backs on what they allege is a \u201cclimate of fear\u201d under executive director John Gonzales yesterday morning\u2014walking out on him and effectively forcing the library to close until after 2pm yesterday.<\/p>\n
They demanded his resignation and a formal investigation into his ethics, behavior, and finances as executive director.<\/p>\n
Saipan Tribune tried but failed to reach Gonzales as of press time. He had declined comment to local media in the morning, citing personnel regulations.<\/p>\n
Staff came together in the library\u2019s parking lot in protest, after walking out of the library a little before 10am.<\/p>\n
Around 11pm, CNMI Library Council members Soledad Tenorio and council member Rufin B. Inos arrived to inquire into what was happening. Council member Frank Villagomez later joined them. They then proceeded inside the library to speak with Gonzales.<\/p>\n
After 12pm, Villagomez stepped out of the library and, on behalf of the board, asked to meet with the staff. The staff made clear that they did not want to go back inside with Gonzales still there; they were accommodated.<\/p>\n
Council chair Mark Rabauliman showed up later with Office of Personnel Management\u2019s Andrew Orsini. The library reopened after 2:30pm, after the board and staff agreed that they would continue to work and meet again on Monday at 9:30am.<\/p>\n
Staff said the walkout was not planned but was triggered after a shouting match between an employee and Gonzales during an informal staff meeting in the morning.<\/p>\n
Tension had been building, the staff said, between them and the director over the years.<\/p>\n
The staff claimed that Gonzales had read a copy of the JKPL\u2019s transition report to the governor, where they confidentially had aired their grievances against him in oral testimony to the transition team who led the report.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told us he has a copy,\u201d an employee said. \u201cNow he is retaliating.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTensions have been building over the months here at the [JKPL],\u201d Technical Services librarian Rosalyn Ajoste said. \u201cStaff are unhappy with the leadership of the director. They feel that there is a climate of fear, a toxic environment, fear of retaliation if we were to speak up and say anything\u2014things kind of came to a head this morning\u2026Tensions escalated into a shouting match between him and one of our employees and it was just too much to take.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ray Deleon Guerrero, who has been with the library for seven years, said the meeting yesterday morning was unexpected. \u201cIt did not go well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ajoste added that they \u201cwe\u2019re all in this together\u201d and that Gonzales had \u201cbrought it upon himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said staff has been coming to her for months with their concerns but it seems that the director \u201cdoesn\u2019t really listen to staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erlinda Naputi, who has been at the library for 23 years, and Celina Foreman, who has been there for nine years, were also part of the protesters, save for one who remained inside.<\/p>\n
Staff alleged that a constant under Gonzales leadership was reprimand letters, final warnings for insubordination, his \u201chand in their face,\u201d his \u201cslamming tables,\u201d and \u201clavish trips\u201d routed by his secretary.<\/p>\n
Naputi claimed that there has been \u201cno financial reports during staff meetings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Naputi was the staff that had spoken heatedly with Gonzales that morning. She told Saipan Tribune it stemmed from Gonzales saying that her paid leave for Pacific Islands Association of Libraries last November would not be recognized.<\/p>\n
Naputi claimed that both she and Gonzales filed for leave on the same day on Nov. 7.<\/p>\n
When told this, Gonzales then said her travel authority had not been routed, adding that \u201cit was your job\u201d to do so, according to Naputi.<\/p>\n
Naputi claimed that Gonzales had his TA routed by his secretary that paid for ticket, food, car rental, and room, and was also routed to Japan and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Staff said Gonzales had told them that \u201cwhoever makes fundraising can go\u201d to the conference.<\/p>\n
Naputi said she had raised personal funds, filed leave on the same day as Gonzales did, but yet was told her leave would not be recognized.<\/p>\n
Both Deleon Guerrero and Naputi said that Gonzales goes to off-island training but never shares information or present it to staff, yet requires them to do so.<\/p>\n
Staff also questioned his personnel decision regarding ex-employee Victoria Cabrera who they felt was pressured to resign because Gonzales would not accommodate her maternity leave.<\/p>\n
Saipan Tribune spoke to Cabrera, who was at home taking care of her newborn after giving birth on Jan. 29. She said she resigned \u201cbecause they could not accommodate six weeks [of maternity leave] on doctors orders.\u201d<\/p>\n
The six weeks would have ended March 9, she said, but she was given until Feb. 7.<\/p>\n
She said Gonzales could not accommodate her and told her immediate supervisor, Ray Deleon Guerrero, to write termination letter because \u201cGonzales didn\u2019t want to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m shocked but I\u2019m not surprised because I know what\u2019s been going,\u201d she said when asked to comment on the protest.<\/p>\n
Staff said they would like a \u201cformal investigation\u201d into Gonzales\u2019 use of petty cash, education tax credit funding, and purchase orders, among others.<\/p>\n
In a phone interview after the library reopened, Ajoste said the staff maintain their position and prefer that Gonzales resign, but the board had urged the staff to find a resolution to the issue in \u201cthe most peaceful way possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
The board and staff \u201call agreed\u201d to meet again on Monday, she said.<\/p>\n
She said she understands due process but \u201cit took today to bring this issue to light.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to her, the board said they needed to clarify and \u201cfind out their roles and how they can approach\u201d the issue, and emphasized that they \u201cneed to be very careful\u201d and \u201cnot do anything hasty.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is unclear as of now whether the board acts only in an advisory capacity, and if rules and regulations leave it up to Gov. Eloy S. Inos to decide on the matter.<\/p>\n
According to acting press secretary Ivan Blanco, the governor is aware of the situation and is waiting to receive more information from the JKPL board.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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