Yona mayor appoints MPC members while in jail

The village of Yona is still without a working mayor because he's behind bars waiting for his trial.

According to the Mayors' Council of Guam, Yona Mayor Jesse Blas has finally appointed ten residents to be members of the villages' Municipal Planning Council. Although it's mandated by law, he never appointed an MPC since he was elected in 2017.

The appointment letters were received today from Blas' attorney Joseph Razzano's office. The letters will be hand-carried individually to the appointees to see whether they will accept or decline the appointment. According to a media release once the process is completed their names will be released to the public.

In response, Vice Speaker Telena Nelson said, "Appointing a Municipal Planning Council while incarcerated is not servant leadership."

In a press release, she said Yona residents have made their concerns known during two town hall meetings. Most residents, called for immediate action to fill the void in village leadership.

Nelson introduced Bill No. 259 in the last week of December. The bill is relative to initiating the recall election of the Yona Mayor, who has been confined and unable to carry out his mayoral duties since Sept. 18th of last year. She is imploring the speaker of the 35th Guam Legislature to convene a special session to discuss and move forward Bill 259, so the people of Yona may find leadership in other esteemed candidates who are able and willing to serve their village.