HIRING engineers for building safety and highway projects remains a challenge, Department of Public Works Administrative Director Peter Camacho said.
He and DPW Secretary James Ada appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee which conducted a budget hearing in the House chamber on Thursday.
The other DPW officials who attended the hearing were acting Roads and Grounds Director Joey Castro, Solid Waste Manager Blas Mafnas, acting Building Safety Officer Isagani Salazar, Highway Administrator Lorraine Villagomez and highway engineer Henry Bautista.
During a discussion of DPW’s budget request for fiscal year 2023, Rep. Tina Sablan asked if the department was able to recruit the staff it needs for the building safety division.
DPW requested $721,000 for FY 2023 in local revenue allotment, but Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ budget submission indicated that the department would receive $839,000.
DPW explained that solid waste funding for Rota and Tinian was not included when DPW submitted its budget request, but it was included in the governor’s budget proposal for DPW.
Hard to fill
As for recruiting a building safety official, Camacho said they announced the job vacancy several times but they didn’t receive any qualified applications.
He said they are trying their best to recruit engineers for the current fiscal year. They announced a job vacancy for a highway engineer “but we have not gotten any luck on that.”
However, Camacho said DPW was able to hire two architects and is now in the process of hiring a heavy equipment technician.
“We are exerting all efforts but unfortunately the challenges we face are in regards to salary,” Camacho said.
He said they were told that even Guam, too, has been been having a hard time recruiting engineers who are offered a minimum salary of $120,000 a year.
But Camacho said DPW was able to recruit an environmental engineer for the solid waste division.
For her part, acting Special Assistant for Management and Budget Nadia Pua informed the lawmakers that DPW “has a very good practice of utilizing all their available resources.”
She said DPW has revolving funds.
“DPW is one of the best in living within their means and utilizing all their resources,” the acting OMB chief added.
Aside from the committee chairman, Rep. Donald Manglona, and Rep. Tina Sablan, the other committee members present during the budget hearing were the committee vice chair, Rep. Corina Magofna, House Floor Leader Ralph Yumul, Reps. Richard Lizama, Denita Yangtemai, Leila Staffler, and Celina Babauta.
Department of Public Works Secretary James Ada and other DPW officials appear before the House Ways and Means Committee during a budget hearing on Thursday in the House chamber.
