Two years in the making and arriving at the perfect time. With public outrage still simmering over the neglected Tiguac Cemetery, the Department of Parks & Recreation just got a $12,000 boost in new lawn equipment — thanks to a federal grant from the Islandwide Beautification Task Force.

"Today DPR received a couple of riding lawn mowers, bushcutters coming in, tree pruners, we have blowers...whatever we need in the maintainence of our parks and areas around our recreational areas and even our cemetery. It comes in very handy as many are in disrepair, this equipment we received today, we welcome it and something we hope to continue seeing," said Warren Pelletier, the agency's deputy director.

He says this all started nearly two years ago, adding, "The grant was written by Stephanie Flores and her crew at the Guam State Clearinghouse at the direction of Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio, head of the Islandwide Beautification Task Force, and this was done almost two years ago."

The timing is critical — just days after KUAM revealed that Comfort Cuts, owned by Frankie Rosalin and Charissa Tenorio, was not fulfilling its cemetery maintenance contract. KUAM cameras found overgrown grass and graves buried under vegetation.

"It may not be that we get more personnel, but the more equipment we get- we're working in collaboration with the Department of Corrections and all they need is equipment, they will give us the personnel. This is what we're doing, we're trying to get into an MOA with them so the continuation of upkeeping the Vicente A. Limtiaco Cemetery will happen on a weekly basis and not something that is laid by the side simply because we don't have a contract being fulfilled," he explained.

With only four full-time employees, three LTAs, and DOC minimum-out inmates, DPR still cleaned up Tiguac Cemetery themselves. Acting Parks administrator Joey Terlaje praised the crew’s grit and dedication despite limited resources.

And as of Friday,  Sablan confirmed that DPR officially cut ties with Comfort Cuts — terminating the contract for non-compliance.

Although their contract is terminated for Fical Year 2025, tomorrow we'll take a closer look at their contracts from previous years and the financial discrepancies.