A Guam Business Magazine series that connects businesses to government agencies
Arriola
Guam Department of Public Works
- Phone: (671)646-3131
- Website: dpw.guam.gov
- No. of staff: More than 270
- Governing legislation: Public Law 1-88, section 5104
- Director: Vincent P. Arriola
Mission
“DPW is responsible for providing government wide services such as school bus[es], transportation, highway, construction and maintenance, capital improvement projects, building facilities and equipment, administrative and financial supports,” according to the fiscal 2020 Department of Public Works Legislative Budget Hearing.
Functions and services
- Maintenance of public roads, bridges, streetlights, bus shelters, culverts and ponding basins
- Maintenance of school buses and government vehicles
- Responsible for all government funded capital improvement projects
- Reviews building plans, issues building permits and ensures buildings and structures conform to current laws and building codes
Highlights and challenges
DPW has many upcoming projects, including improvements to bridges and roads throughout the island, transportation upgrades for school buses and various government projects. Additionally, DPW has partnered with contractors for the locally funded village streets paving program. “What a wonderful partnership between DPW and the contractor, presently Hawaiian Rock Products. We do the prep work and they come in and they lay the asphalt,” Arriola says.
DPW is also implementing a new Financial Management Information System, which will shorten its project payment time from the federal government from one week to 24 hours. This will result in speedier payment for contractors.
Arriola says in general, DPW’s biggest challenge is funding and personnel, which number between 270 and 280. DPW had more than 1,000 employees at one point, he says. “You used to see them all over the roads — maintaining the highway, bush cutting. I think a lot of that got pushed over to the mayors, including the funding.”
Source: Vincent P. Arriola, director, Guam Department of Public Works
Ada
Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Works
- Phone: (670)234-9828
- No. of staff: 104
- Governing legislation: Public law 1-8 (1 CMC §2401)
- Secretary: James A. Ada
Mission
“The Department of Public Works is committed to providing efficient and reliable services by maintaining the public roadways, providing solid waste management, encouraging energy conservation, ensuring compliant construction, and meeting the public work’s needs of the residents and guests of the CNMI,” Lorraine M. Seman, highway administrator for the NMI Department of Public Works Technical Services Division Highway Section, says.
Functions and services
- Construction and maintenance of all public works and roads
- Solid waste management services
- Ensures compliant construction through enforcement of building safety code rules and regulations and flood damage prevention regulation
Highlights and challenges
DPW has many new public works projects underway, including the recent groundbreaking for the 9.5-mile coastal road project in Rota. DPW also has many upcoming projects to better serve the community, including the reconstruction of Sugar Dock in Susupe.
One challenge the department faces is funding, Seman says. Despite that, the department continues to provide services to the public. One reason DPW is able to serve the public despite fiscal challenges is its employees. “Employees are the most valuable asset of the department, and they share responsibility in fulfilling our mission. It is critical to successfully provide quality public services, therefore, we recognize that quality motivation, and the performance of our employees are key factors in achieving that success,” Seman says.
Source: Lorraine M. Seman, highway administrator, NMI Department of Public Works Technical Services Division Highway Section
