Just a week after the removal of long-standing State Historic Preservation Officer Lynda Aguon, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero says she is currently in the process of looking for a qualified replacement, acknowledging concerns expressed by the public.
“I am appointing … I am looking into another person for acting SHPO that has experience in this work. I should be able to affirm that by either tomorrow or Thursday,” the governor said.
She said that while the acting director is in place, she will call for resumes so the members of the Civil Service Commission can select a potential candidate to occupy a more permanent position.
As for re-appointing Lynda Aguon, who is currently going through the appeals process with the Civil Service Commission, the governor says that a re-appointment is a personnel issue that would ultimately fall on the commission.
“I have not thought about that. I wanna look and see what is going to transpire through the process of the Civil Service Commission. I am not privy to any details,” the governor said.
This search for a new SHPO was caused by members of the community expressing their concern about needing such an official in the midst of new archaeological sites being discovered.
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