Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Tualauta Reps. Larry Sanitoa and Sam Meleisea met recently with Gov. Lemanu Peleti Palepoi Sialega Mauga to discuss various urgent and pending projects for the most populous county in the territory. It was also a chance for the lawmakers to get input back from the governor and his new administration.

Sanitoa told Samoa News that the meeting with the governor was to “address some issues which were recently brought” to his and Meleisea’s attention.

“One specifically and critical is the Paramount Builder’s asphalt plant and the availability of the Small Village Funds for numerous access roads throughout the district,” he said. (The asphalt plant is in Tafuna across from Veterans Memorial Stadium.)

The lawmakers also took the opportunity to share with the governor the list of priorities for Tualauta — many of those priorities are urgent —going back for the last 8 years.

“Governor Lemanu was very receptive and assured us of the administration support for the numerous pending and proposed projects,” said Sanitoa, who also provided the same information to Public Works director, Faleosina Voigt in advance of a meeting late last week.

“The governor even shared his intention of reviving the Tualauta Mitigation project as there is funding available for this important project,” said Sanitoa, who noted that he and Meleisea met last week with Voigt and Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM) director Lisa Tuatoo, for an update on numerous pending projects.

The same priority list was also given to Voigt and Tuatoo. Top of the list of priorities is the need for a new vacuum truck, as the current one has been down waiting for parts to arrive.

Sanitoa said that it was during “our meeting that we learned that parts for the old vacuum truck should be on the island soon; plus, ODAPM has a special grant now earmarked for a new vacuum truck.”

Sanitoa shared this information with the American Samoa Power Authority executive director Wallon Young, asking again for ASPA’s help with their vacuum truck to drain the stagnant water by Hope House.

ASPA dispatched the truck on Monday this week as the stagnant water continues to build up whenever there’s heavy rain.

Sanitoa expressed appreciation to the governor and his cabinet members — Voigt, Tuatoo and Young —  for their support of the priorities for Tualauta.

Early this week, Sanitoa — on behalf of himself and Meleisea — wrote to Voigt and Tuatoo thanking them and their respective management teams for making time to meet on Mar. 17th.

“It was a very productive and resourceful meeting, in reviewing several pending critical projects for our district and the plans for the next steps,” Sanitoa said, adding that he and Meleisea look “forward to our continued collaboration to address the urgent needs of our residents.”

Among the major projects on the Tualauta faipules’ list are the Fagaima/ Ottoville Road and Drainage Project, Hope House drainage, and drainage for  Ili’ili behind the Golf Course.

Click on attachment to download PDF complete list of projects