Legislature moves multiple historic preservation nominees to voting file amid calls to reconvene board

During floor business on July 2, senators moved multiple nominations to the voting file with recommendations to confirm them to the Guam Historic Preservation Review Board. The nominations placed in the voting file included Pa'le Eric Forbes (appearing in the record with variant spellings), Vincent A.R. Leon Guerrero, Michael W. Mendiola and Lynn Rosalie Seo Leon Guerrero. Judge Jonathan Arriola was also placed into the Committee on Economic Investment’s voting file for confirmation as a Superior Court magistrate.

At an earlier oversight hearing cited on the floor, a senator who conducted the hearing said the review board has not convened meetings in recent years and emphasized that delaying confirmation would further postpone the board’s reconvening. Senators urged the nominees, once confirmed, to meet promptly to develop rules and engage the public, citing the board’s role in advising the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and filling regulatory gaps.

Why it matters: The Historic Preservation Review Board helps determine which properties are listed and protected and advises the SHPO; filling vacant slots and reconvening the board affects preservation decisions and community input on development and historic sites.

What’s next: Nominations were placed in the voting file and carry recommendations to confirm; final confirmation votes were not recorded in the transcript and will occur in subsequent proceedings.