LAST month when the chairman and certain members of the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities tried to get rid of Executive Director Thomas J. Camacho, they used a sneak attack method by placing “executive session” on the agenda and waiting for their attorney to leave. Then, in executive session, they called for a vote and Tom was given 60 days notice of termination.
In other words, an executive director of an agency dealing with the federal government and receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid for citizens with disabilities was unceremoniously dumped from his job in a manner that violated a couple of CNMI laws. All this was done without an assistant attorney general being present and without Tom Camacho even knowing that his job was on the line. A very, very low class way of doing things.
The attorney general told the Council to do it over again which they did on Tuesday morning. This time members were given advance notice of an agenda item stating there would be a “discussion of personnel action regarding executive director.” This time an assistant attorney general was present to make sure the vote was taken in public and not in executive session. But still, certain members of the Governor’s Council were determined to bounce Tom and not have any discussion about it whatsoever.
Here’s how the scheme played out: After coming out of executive session, the well laid out plan began. A member made a very specific and narrow motion moving that the executive director be given 60 days notice of termination, without cause. Period. It was quickly seconded. When three of four members, including former Sen. Serafin Dela Cruz, called for a discussion and a listing of reasons for the termination, council member, Dr. John B. Joyner, representing the University Center For Excellence of the Northern Marianas College, eloquently spoke up. He explained that the motion was limited to giving 60 days notice only and there was nothing to discuss except the motion on the floor and it was time to vote. There was no discussion, even though the agenda item called for a discussion, and no one, including members of the public, was allowed to speak.
The chairman called for the vote and there were not enough votes to oust Tom. He still is the executive director.
Dr. Joyner argued his point of order articulately and as well as a lawyer would. But he wasn’t thinking like a smart lawyer, a serious council member or a good educator. Even if the policy permits otherwise, a smart lawyer would argue quite strongly that you don’t terminate a high profile executive director without reasons, and those reasons should be made public. A serious Council member would allow the executive director to defend himself and would urge other members who want him out to give specific reasons for removal. And a good educator would want a debate and discussion among the members so minds could be convinced or changed. Public participation would also be encouraged.
It’s all called due process and fair play and there was none of it on display Tuesday. Due process ought to be taught at the University Center for Excellence and to several members of this Council who should know better. Sneak attacks and rinky-dink motions/votes should be discouraged on all public boards and commissions. My compliments to the sensible members of the DD Council who wanted to hear reasons why the others wanted Tom out.
My guess is that even though Tom has received excellent evaluations from this Council, someone on the Council wants his job and is playing politics and manipulating emotions to get it. That’s the bottom line on this one, so keep your eyes open for the next executive director. The governor ought to take a closer look at his council and remove several of its present members, including the chairman, because sooner or later they will muster the votes and fire, without cause, an executive director who had done a hell of a good job for this community, even if he’s stepped on a few sensitive toes. In the end, federal money will be lost and the only people who will suffer will be the ones who can least afford it, the ones with disabilities.
KENNETH L. GOVENDO
Dandan, Saipan
