Tension rises over GDOE spending priorities

Concerns from a Guam Department of Education division head were front-and-center as facilities manager Jimmy Pangelinan advocated for his team—even as education officials emphasized that funding remains tight. 

Frustration boiling over at a recent Guam Education Board meeting as members took a hard look at budget concerns. GEB vice chair Dr. Mary Okada stressing that spending priorities should not include hiring additional facilities and maintenance staff, pointing out that funds have already been stretched thin. She said, “The reason the $10 million is tapped out prematurely is that we took all F&M payroll and moved it to the $10 million. In the previous year, the $10 million was added on top of the appropriation that we received, and so, in order to balance the budget, they had to move all the personnel into the $10 million, and currently, that’s at $5 million.”

She added that after other expenditures are factored in, there would be no money left—especially with the spending plan listing no identified vacancies. Okada further highlighting there’s no room to hire, with $38 million in unfunded spending priorities and nearly $10 million in water and power costs that are not fully funded for the upcoming year.

She emphasized the board is not restricting hiring, but rather responding to the information presented by management, noting,  “There’s already $1.7 million in hires that are not funded–that are already in progress. We don’t want this to continue. So, adopting this spending priority right now clearly sends a message that we can’t be hiring or promoting or advertising positions that are not funded.”

But Pangelinan pushed back, arguing that right-sizing his division was essential—even as his team took on vehicle maintenance, fence repairs, welding, HVAC work, and more. “How do I retain those people? How? That’s the only way to retain people is to pay them what they’re worth," he stated.

“It’s very frustrating because my men go out of their way—they do things that are not even in their scope of work. But for the love of the kids–I’m going to say this one more time: for the love of the kids, they do it. I do not want to lose those men.”

Okada ultimately reiterating that a spending plan is required by law, noting that incoming superintendent Dr. Judi Won Pat will have the option to amend it once she transitions into the role.