Panel advances Hopewell charter changes to streamline wastewater commission oversight

Senate Bill 289, introduced by Senator Eyre, would amend the City of Hopewell’s charter to address governance issues at the wastewater treatment commission. Eyre told the subcommittee the current charter creates a "cumbersome 2 step overstep oversight process" in which the commission votes on actions that the city council could later overturn, causing delays.

The bill would require one of the city’s representatives — either the city manager or a council‑appointed member — to be part of the voting process at the commission, creating immediate local oversight and reducing multi‑meeting delays. It would also establish a mechanism for large customers such as Prince George County and Fort Gregg‑Adams to participate in the commission’s governance and would remove the city attorney as an ex officio member to avoid an ethical conflict between advising the city and sitting on the commission.

Anthony Bissett, Hopewell’s city attorney, told the committee he had experienced delays including "over a month" between commission decisions and when those actions reached council oversight, and said he supports removing the city attorney as an ex officio commissioner because it forced him to appoint special counsel to represent the city in negotiations. Bissett also described how the bill would pave the way for large customers to become equity partners on the commission if they chose to do so.

The transcript records a motion to report the bill and a clerk call, but does not include a roll‑call tally in the excerpt provided. No in‑room or online opposition is recorded in the transcript.