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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsLocal newsWAPA Board Elects Energy Office Director Fleming As Chair

WAPA Board Elects Energy Office Director Fleming As Chair

Kyle Fleming
Kyle Fleming is the Newly elected chairman of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority’ governing board. (file photo)
In a unanimous vote, the Water and Power Authority Board elected Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming chairman on Thursday. He succeeds Property and Procurement Commissioner Anthony D. Thomas who has held the post since 2018. The election of officers was one of several actions taken by board members meeting via Zoom Thursday, according to a release from WAPA.

Also, by an affirmative vote of all members present, long-serving board member Juanita Young was reportedly 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 Thursday after several members declined to accept nominations for the position.

Fleming is reportedly expected to name committee chairmen shortly.

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.

Separately, it approved a 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.

Members approved an extension of the maturity date of lines of credit and standby credit facilities with Banco Popular to October 31, along with 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.

In executive session board members reportedly 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 Fleming, Young, Thomas, Cheryl Boynes Jackson, Hubert A. Turnbull and Elizabeth Armstrong. Director Joel Lee and Jed JohnHope were absent.

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