Flores attended the 79th Annual Conference of Mayors in Baltimore, Maryland last month, and he said they discussed various projects and funding sources for the nation’s cities and municipalities.
“It’s very good thing for me to know what this mayors conference is all about but I’m surprised that for the past eight years the Saipan mayor never served even in one committee at all,” he added.
He said he wants to be a member of a committee that could help secure resources for the island.
During the conference, he said they adopted many resolutions.
These included the resolution calling on the U.S. Congress and the Obama administration to provide funding to the Environmental Protection Agency’s climate showcase grants for local governments, and water infrastructure innovative financing.
Also adopted were resolutions from the committee on tourism, arts, parks, entertainment and sports which seek federal funding for arts, humanities and museums.
According to the EPA climate showcase resolution, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, or U.S.P.L.-110-140, established a new Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program at the U. S. Department of Energy that authorizes $2 billion annually over five fiscal years in formula grants to cities, counties, and states to develop energy efficiency strategies to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The mayors conference also approved the resolutions from the committee on children, health and human services that support President Obama’s 2011 prescription drug abuse prevention plan, as well as a resolution eliminating contraband tobacco sales and combating childhood obesity by strengthening physical fitness education program and initiatives.
Flores said he will look into these resolutions to see what federal funds can be tapped by Saipan.
