Rosario said the committee completed its information-gathering mission, which included the inspection of all municipal properties, on Dec. 16.
The subcommittee chairmen for administration, finance and accounting operations are now compiling all the information to be included in the final report, Rosario added.
After the examination of the final report, Rosario said a personnel committee will be formed which will be comprised of three to four individuals.
This committee will be headed by the incoming mayor’s choice for director of the human resources division.
The personnel committee may be composed of the mayor-elect, the HR director, and the fiscal and budget officer.
Rosario said this committee will be tasked to examine employment applications and job placement, prepare employee contracts and perform other administrative functions.
Asked about his assessment of the documents submitted by the outgoing mayor, Rosario said, “I will refrain from commenting further on this matter because the transition report has yet to be finalized. “
“The report should be completed in the next two days,” he added.
Flores has extended his “utmost gratitude to his predecessor, Mayor Juan B. Tudela, and his office staff for their cooperation in ensuring a smooth transition process,” Rosario said.
Regarding the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance program, Rosario said the mayor is only responsible for appointing its board members and removing them for specified grounds as prescribed by law.
The administration of the local scholarship program rests solely with the SHEFA office and its officials, he said, adding that unless the law is amended, the Saipan mayor’s office has no legal authority or jurisdiction over the program, aside from appointing members to the SHEFA board and “removing any board member on the grounds of gross neglect of duty, conviction of a felony, or mental or physical incapacity.”
