But Mayor Donald G. Flores said his office continues to work for the approval of the permits from Coastal Resource Management, the Division of Environmental Quality and the Zoning Office.
He said they are determined to comply with all the requirements of the law.
“We don’t want to operate without the green light from the regulatory agencies,” he added.
He said they have also collaborated with the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. for the connection of the animal shelter to a sewerline.
The cleanup of the building was completed last year.
The masonry, carpentry and electrical students from the Northern Marianas Trades Institute, have been tapped to prepare the facility.
Flores said they are finalizing the draft for another memorandum of agreement with NMTI to continue the development of the animal shelter.
“We want the construction to be done by phases,” he said, adding they still have to construct the kennel.
The mayor said they have $30,000 left for the animal shelter.
Recently, his office secured a $89,688 technical assistance grant from the federal government for the dog control project, which was mandated by a 1995 law.
