Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Construction Manager/ Architect of the new Fono building slated to be completed in November, Mark Lively, has also been hired by the Department of Public Works as a consultant to oversee the renovation of the Executive Office Building, according to DPW Director Faleosina Voigt during her department's joint budget hearing yesterday morning.

Administrative Services Director Afalava Eliki Afalava on Wednesday told lawmakers that Lively had been working and communicating with government engineers on the EOB renovation project since 2021.

Afalava also said that Lively had submitted several plans, and invoices for his services, which amounted to nearly $1 million.

When asked if Lively had signed a contract with the government and submitted an overall plan for the renovation project which included the scope of work and a timeline for its completion, the DAS director said no and that up to now they still haven't paid his bill.

Afalava said that they were waiting for ARPA funds to pay the bill.

Senator Togiola brought up the matter again yesterday with DPW Director Voigt who explained that in the course of their correspondence with Lively regarding other government contracts he was awarded, they had negotiated with him for a quote on taking on the EOB renovation project.

Togiola asked if there were no civil engineers at DPW who could oversee this important government project because up to now, "there is no contract, no plan inclusive of the scope of work and timeline but he has submitted a bill of nearly one million dollars for services rendered!"

Togiola said Lively also has not submitted any plan of action to prepare government departments to relocate to new temporary premises once the renovation works are set to begin.

The former governor asked Director Voigt why this has been allowed to happen when DPW as the main government department responsible for infrastructure projects, should have been on top of this from the start.

In response, Voigt explained that they were looking for funds to pay him.

"The big question here is, how can you allow someone to do a job when you know very well that there are no funds earmarked for that job," Togiola said. "So if there are no allocated funds, we will go back to the well-known 'cut the banana bunch today and ask the owner tomorrow' Samoan scenario."

He asked the DPW director why this kind of scenario keeps on happening every financial year and reminded her that they should be the ones to advise the governor on the right course of action to take that is within the law, in these kinds of situations.

Other major government projects that Lively is designing is for the Department of Education, which he mentioned in his testimony during a Senate hearing earlier this year, include the Juvenile Alternative School building, Administration Building and the new School Lunch Warehouse building.

As stated in the ASG FY 2024 first quarterly report, these projects have a total budget amount of $86.5 million

Senator Togiola also questioned the increase of proposed amounts for Contractual Services for the last fiscal year, pointing out that the amount for FY 2024 is $450,000 and for FY 2025 it is now $700,000.

Samoa News should point out that the amount listed in the budget document is $500,000 for FY 2024, not $450,000. The budget document indicates that the $700,000 amount is for “ASG Fuel for Local Fleet”. The amount for FY2023 was $34,038, jumping to $500,000 in FY2024.

According to the DPW director the jump to $500,000 is because the category (ASG fuel) used to be with the Governor’s Office, but was moved to DPW. She did not explain why.

Samoa News notes that the fuel pumps for ASG’s fleet of vehicles is located at the DPW compound in Tafuna.

BACKGROUND

DPW is one of the largest local government departments in terms of employees and the scope of its stated work, which encompasses engineering, construction and related activities carried out by government for the benefit of its people. This includes the acquisition, leasing, maintenance and disposal of immovable assets held by ASG.

According to the proposed FY2025 ASG budget, DPW is asking for around $9.7 million, up $300K from FY2024. Breakdown is as follows: Basic Request is about $5.8 million, Interior Grant in Aid is $2.3 million, and Federal Grants is around $1.2 million.

Total of DPW employees that include the director and Manu’a employees is 279 for FY2025, compared to 270 in FY2024.

FY2025 proposed personnel costs are higher, despite 9 fewer employees.

Personnel costs are listed at $7,099,500 million for FY2025, and $7.011,500 million was proposed for FY2024, while $6,518,702 million in FY2023 is listed as actual expenditures.

FY2025 personnel costs represent around 73% of the total DPW budget.