WAPA board finally identifies Knight as new CEO

Karl Knight

ST. CROIX — After weeks of speculation, the V.I. Water and Power Authority Governing Board publicly announced on Thursday the appointment of Karl Knight, chief of staff to Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., to serve as chief executive officer of the beleaguered utility. Upon convening that morning, the board quickly entered into executive session to discuss confidential legal and personnel matters. Rising back into regular session, Board Secretary Juanita Young announced Knight’s appointment, effective Monday.

The appointment appeared to have been an open secret or at least a foregone conclusion. Following a June 27 board meeting there were multiple reports that Knight had been selected to lead the utility during an executive session to discuss unspecified personnel matters. And, long before that, reports abounded that Knight had been handpicked for the job. During a Monday Senate hearing on the budget request for the Office of the Governor, Knight alluded to it being his last such meeting in that capacity.