A PRIVATE school located in the Perezville community in Tamuning without appropriate licenses from regulatory agencies will have a public hearing at the “village level” on April 17.
Department of Land Management Director Monte Mafnas yesterday confirmed that Providence International Christian Academy (PICA) will have a public hearing April 17 at the Tamuning Community Center at 6 p.m.
PICA, which opened its doors in July 2011, came under fire last month after it was discovered that the school lacked numerous permits to operate a school within a residential neighborhood.
After the revelation came out in news media, several inspections followed, but PICA failed to pass them. Specifically, the Guam Fire Department, the Department of Public Health and Social Services, and the Department of Public Works noted several flaws within the residential home.
Feasible
In their defense, PICA founders Pastor William Schmidt and his wife Paula Schmidt stated they were given the impression – by the same regulatory agencies that inspected them – prior to opening their door at their new location that opening up a school with less than 50 students in a residential community would be feasible.
While the Schmidts confirmed they did not pass the inspection, they said the inspectors from the government agencies advised them of what needed to be completed or modified in order to pass – further strengthening the school’s feasibility.
Mafnas stated that an application review committee, which would discuss the permit requirements of PICA, is forthcoming. He said DPW is ultimately the enforcement agency of the Guam Land Use Commission.
Mafnas also disclosed that DPW is in the process of appealing to the Legislature and the Attorney General's Office to give the Public Works Department “more teeth” in the enforcement of “illegal” activities, “and to include a fine because there’s no monetary fine at this point in time.”
