Mayors backing bills

by Krystal Paco

Guam - The Mayors Council is standing behind two bills affecting them.

At a meeting held earlier this week, mayors unanimously voted on resolutions in support of the passage of Bill 241 relative to mayor and vice mayor vacancies and elections.

Sinajana mayor Robert Hoffman says the bill would give the Municipal Planning Council, not the governor, the power to fill mayoral vacancies who are then subject to a confirmation hearing before the legislature.

"This basically gives more reasons for vacancies whether an incumbent sought a higher office or voluntarily quits and it also relieves the pressure from the vice mayor wanting to assume the mayors position if he chooses not to," he said.

At the same meeting, mayors also voted for a resolution in support of Bill 78 relative to reviving a mayoral seat on the Guam Education Board. Mayors voted in support of the resolution on the condition that the law be amended to provide mayors voting power on the GEB.