The Saipan Mayor's Office

Introduction

Commonwealth law requires the office to report annually to the Governor and the Legislature, and to inform the public on local priorities, programs and operations of the Saipan Mayor's Office.

The Saipan Mayor's Office is one of four local municipal governments in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The office consists of three major Divisions: Administrative Services, Community Services and Field Operations.

The Administrative Services include the Administration, Municipal Identification Card, Customer Services, Accounting, Marriage Section, and Youth Services. The Community Services include Building Maintenance, Community Services and Beautification. The Field Operations include Water Deliveries, Heavy Equipment, Road Repairs, Mechanic Shop and Safety.

Constitutionally, the office is charged with the responsibility to repair and improve secondary roads. Maintaining Saipan's more than 40 mils of secondary roads island-wide has been a constant challenge because of frequent rains, in addition to rapid breakdowns of our aging heavy equipment. Priorities were concentrated on secondary roads damaged by heavy rains.

Background

The office of the Mayor of Saipan is tasked to carry out certain constitutional and statutory duties.
The constitution duties include:

1) To serve on the Governor's Council; 2)Review the government services and appropriations provided by law for review by the Governor; 3) Expend for local purposes the revenue raised by local taxes that are designated by law; 4) Issue marriage licenses and performs marriage ceremonies; 5) To appoint, supervise and remove employees as provided by law to assist in the performance of mayoral responsibilities; and 6) Investigate complaints and conduct public hearings with respect to local matters and submit findings or recommendations to the Governor.

Statutory duties include:

1) To report to the Governor and the Legislature annually; 2) Regulation and licensing of dogs; local public recreation programs not provided by any other government agency or government agency or department; 3) Licensing of privately owned or operated public recreation or sports activities, including cockfight, bingo and batu games.

The Saipan Mayor's Office has an additional responsibility to repair access roads leading to farm areas, tourist attraction sites and remote areas; land clearing or earth moving activities for the purpose of allowing community access to village and other social or cultural events.