by Krystal Paco

Guam - The Guam Memorial Hospital is one signature closer to having a new chief financial officer. The Bureau of Budget Management & Research confirms that they signed-off on the contract for Alan Ulrich. The Arizona man beat out other candidates who applied for the challenging job of fixing the flatlining finances at the hospital.

The contract will now be sent to the Attorney General's Office for legal review and approval before it is sent to the governor for final signature. The hospital is looking to hire Ulrich and pay him $145,000 a year under a two year performance-based contract.

Officials are hoping to have him on board before the end of the year and in time for next month's launch of the new billing system.