NORTHERN Marianas Technical Institute interim chief executive officer Jodina Attao on Friday reported to the board of trustees that NMTI had not received CNMI-Only Transitional Worker or CW-1 funds since last year.
Quarterly allocations of $325,000 were provided to the institute on Oct. 19, 2018, Jan. 1, 2019, April 18, 2019 and July 11, 2019, amounting to roughly $1.3 million.
The $325,000 quarterly allocations resumed on Dec. 12, 2019, Feb. 13, 2020, and April 14, 2020.
Attao said the institute has yet to see any CW funding since then, but she expects the institute to receive funds soon.
“All of the budget proposals that I’m working on are getting broken into what we are able to allocate,” said Jodina Attao, adding that an NMTI budget proposal will be submitted on April 15.
She said NMTI is a recipient of an American Rescue Plan grant, which will help cover most of the facilities’ maintenance and repairs.
NMTI will also get funds from the U.S. Economic Development Agency as well as educational tax credits.
NMTI Chairman Mario Valentino noted that after taking into account how much funding was available and the obligations that needed to be met, the institute spent roughly $740,000 on a year when there was no school due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Additionally, he said, NMTI is anticipating approval of the Employment and Training Administration grant, which will help the institute move forward.
Noting that Attao has been wearing many hats, the board authorized the interim CEO to bring on administrative staff, including a human resources officer, to assist her.
Valentino noted that there is enough funding to bring in at least a human resources officer.
But trustee Rick Kautz expressed concern over the hiring process, saying there were NMTI regulations that slightly differed from those of the CNMI Office of Personnel Management.
After a lengthy discussion, the board of trustees decided to adopt a set of rules and regulations, which can be amended as deemed fit.
Once a human resources officer is appointed, he or she will assist with the contracts for staffing, employee handbook, and code of conduct, the board stated.
Also on Friday, trustee Catherine Attao, along with Chairman Valentino, commended interim CEO Attao, as well as former CEO Agnes M. McPhetres, for the work that they have done for NMTI.
“As our chairman says time and time again, ‘It’s not about who’s right; it’s about what’s right,’” trustee Attao said.
The other trustees are Ana Maria Mendiola, Carmelita Faisao, Irene Holl and Ray Pangelinan.
Holl and Pangelinan were excused from the board meeting on Friday.
Northern Marianas Technical Institute interim chief executive officer Jodina Attao, left, joins board members Rick Kautz, Carmelita Faisao, chairman Mario Valentino, Ana Maria Mendiola, and Catherine Attao in a meeting Friday at NMTI.
Photo by K-Andrea Evarose S. Limol
