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HomeNewsLocal newsDavid Mapp Officially Tapped as VIPA Head

David Mapp Officially Tapped as VIPA Head

 VIPA Director David Mapp testifies at a 2016 Senate session. (Photo by Barry Leerdam provided by the V.I. Legislature)
VIPA Director David Mapp testifies at a 2016 Senate session. (Photo by Barry Leerdam provided by the V.I. Legislature)

After being tapped in December as interim executive director, David Mapp was appointed by the V.I. Port Authority board on Wednesday to officially lead the agency.

The appointment was made during a meeting of the VIPA board on St. Croix, during an executive session. Mapp has been with VIPA for more than two decades and has served as the assistant executive director on the port’s aviation side. He was appointed acting executive director in December after the board voted to fire its former head, Carlton Dowe.

Dowe, a former senator, had been VIPA’s executive director since 2013. According to the board, his contract was terminated without cause. Mapp, the governor’s brother, had served at least once before as interim director before Dowe was hired.

There is no word yet on what Mapp’s salary will be. Port authority officials said Thursday that any media request for the salary number had to be approved.

During the Wednesday meeting, Board members said they did not conduct an external search for a new executive director, though the board did discuss doing so during a meeting in January. At the time, board members said the matter would remain in the board’s personnel committee until ready for final action.

According to other media reports, board members said Wednesday that Mapp’s relationship to the governor did not factor into their decision to hire him as executive director. They said, instead, that Mapp’s track record speaks for itself.

Also in executive session, the VIPA board on Wednesday tapped Damian Cartwright, the agency’s acting director of engineering, to be the agency’s assistant executive director. A request from the Source for Cartwright’s salary was also sent in for approval.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Astounding. Nepotism and a violation of the Sunshine laws, all bundled into one. It is our taxes that pay salaries, yet we are not permitted to know how much we are paying our government employees? Dowe was fired as he ramped up preparations for his own gubernatorial bid. Coincidence? This Governor needs to go. He represents no one but himself.

  2. I’ve never seen such a statement that has so much inaccurate information. Matter of fact a statement overflowing with inaccuracies; driven by politics and a sheer lack of knowledge as it relates to the issues contained therein. Not a sole stopping former director Dowe from running for governor. Barbara BIrt since you are so knowledgeable…you find out when Mr. Dowe will make his announcement for governor ,then come back here and let me know.

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