Kyle Fleming. By. KYLE FLEMMING VIA FACEBOOK
The V.I. Water and Power Authority Board on Thursday voted unanimously to elect V.I. Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming as chairman of the WAPA board, succeeding Property and Procurement Commissioner Anthony Thomas, who has held the position since 2018.
Mr. Fleming was nominated by Mr. Thomas, who expressed no interest in keeping the position.
Juanita Young was renominated for another year as board secretary. Young has chaired the board’s Audit and Finance Committee for several years.
A board vice chair was not elected on Thursday after several members declined to accept nominations for the position. Jed JohnHope, the former WAPA board vice chair, is said to have resigned, two sources with knowledge of the matter told the Consortium, though he was registered as excused for today's meeting. Mr. JohnHope told the Consortium Thursday he had no comment, and pointed the publication to Gov't House.
Governor Albert Bryan told the Consortium Thursday that he did not know what Mr. JohnHope told the WAPA board, and that he was scheduled to have a discussion with Mr. JohnHope on the matter when he returns to the territory. The governor is in Florida on a transportation industry-related trip with local lawmakers.
Mr. Fleming, who has been at the helm of the Energy Office for the past two years and most recently served as chairman of the board’s Planning and Economic Development committee, expressed his gratitude to fellow board members for their confidence in his ability to lead the board. He is expected to name committee chairmen shortly, according to WAPA communications head Jean P. Greaux.
In remarks before the election of officers, outgoing chairman Thomas said WAPA is poised to continue a major transformation that will lead to increased service efficiency and reliability and more favorable rates for WAPA’s customers.
In other board action Thursday, members approved:
- The Fiscal Year 2022 Water System Operating Budget totaling $31.5 million but did not approve a proposed Water System Capital Budget. WAPA’s fiscal year runs July 1 – June 30.
- Cost increase on specific items included in a material consignment contract with American Wire Group. The board action also authorized the addition of items to the supply agreement.
- Extension of the maturity date of Lines of Credit and Standby Credit Facilities with Banco Popular to October 31, 2021 and a similar extension of Lines of Credit and an Overdraft Credit Facility with First Bank through April 30, 2022.
The board voted down a proposed supply contract with Glencore Ltd. for No. 2 fuel oil and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel for the power plants on St. Thomas and St. Croix. WAPA’s current contract with Glencore Ltd. runs through December 31, 2021.
In executive session, board members discussed legal and personnel matters and approved a strategy to hire the Authority’s next General Counsel. Attorney Dionne Sinclair is serving presently as Acting General Counsel.
Board members in attendance included Chairman Fleming, Secretary Young, Thomas, Cheryl Boynes Jackson, Hubert A. Turnbull and Elizabeth Armstrong. Director Joel Lee and Jed JohnHope were excused, according to a WAPA release.
