The looming deadline for GovGuam to obligate millions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan act is just a day away. 

As you may recall, Guam received over half a billion dollars of the COVID recovery funds from the US Treasury in 2021. 

That has whittled down to some $100 million Governor Lou Leon Guerrero saved for her proposed medical complex and new hospital in Mangilao. 

As reported, the federal funds are at risk over a legal dispute between the Governor and Attorney General with both blaming each other. 

Plus, GMH also has $20 million they’ve been rushing against the clock to encumber but Adelup and GMH leadership both say they’re confident they will obligate all ARP funds by the Dec. 31 deadline. 

“We don’t want to return that money because we need it to make all the repairs and replacement of the critical infrastructure plus critical medical equipment. We need to keep this hospital operational for another 5 to 7 years until that new hospital is built,” said GMH CEO and Administrator Lillian Perez Posadas. 

Posadas said she had a meeting with the governor last week to make sure the funds are on track for the hospital’s critical capital improvement projects. 

Posadas added out of 52 projects, a majority have already been completed and obligated for. 

“Most of the projects, the critical CIPs such as the (air handling units), the HVACs, the envelope and roof repair and its associated repairs like the chilling towers, the PIXIS or automated medication dispensing system, those have been obligated,” said Posadas.

GMH is also working on expanding its parking lot, upgrading HVAC chilled water systems and replacing hospital beds but at least one key project won’t be getting completed. 

She admits the renovations for the maternal and child health services are facing a roadblock. 

“Unfortunately, we issued the IFB for a contractor to move forward with that construction but unfortunately no bidders. No contractors have come forward. So that we will probably have to reissue again,” she said. 

GMH had earmarked about $1.5 million in ARP monies for its architecture and engineering certification but Posadas remains confident the ARP monies won’t go to waste.

“Absolutely, we’re following through and the governor’s following through with that commitment for that $20 million ARPA funds. We will spend it,” she said.  

Meantime,  when KUAM reached out to Adelup they said they will share details on all the ARP allocations ‘soon.’