Senate committee forwards Joan P. Foy nomination to WAPA board after hearing on finances and operations
October 23, 2025 | 2025 Legislature, Virgin Islands
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Joan P. Foy, the governor’s nominee to the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority governing board, was favorably reported to the full Senate by the Committee on Rules and Judiciary on Oct. 23, 2025.
Foy, who served more than three decades at WAPA in finance and planning roles, told the committee she would press the authority to require cost–benefit analyses on projects costing more than $1,000,000, require monthly updates on board‑approved projects to limit cost overruns and improve reporting to the public so residents understand causes of outages. She said the board should balance affordability and system reliability while “telling the stories so that people understand and not speculate about what actually is happening inside of WAPA.”
The committee chair, Senator Carla J. Joseph, administered the oath to Foy before committee members questioned her about priority setting, safeguards for federal funds and efforts to restore public trust. Senator Avery L. Lewis asked how Foy would restore public confidence after chronic outages and billing disputes; Foy emphasized transparency and clearer communication about technical causes of outages. Senators Angel L. Bocas Jr. and Alma Francis Heiliger questioned her about internal operational priorities and past projects, and Foy cited the propane project as an instance where infrastructure costs outpaced fuel‑price assumptions.
Foy said she supports prioritizing plant maintenance and distribution work and described a practice drawn from her WAPA career: invest in smaller fixes that prevent larger, more costly failures. She also told senators she would advocate for local vendors and said, while she could not guarantee policy changes alone, she would use her experience to scrutinize proposals and push for fiscal discipline.
The committee moved and seconded the nomination and held a roll call. The clerk recorded four yeas and three absences; the committee report will send Foy’s nomination to the full Legislature for final consideration.
Votes at the committee: 4 yeas, 3 absent. Outcome: favorably reported to the full body.
Foy, who served more than three decades at WAPA in finance and planning roles, told the committee she would press the authority to require cost–benefit analyses on projects costing more than $1,000,000, require monthly updates on board‑approved projects to limit cost overruns and improve reporting to the public so residents understand causes of outages. She said the board should balance affordability and system reliability while “telling the stories so that people understand and not speculate about what actually is happening inside of WAPA.”
The committee chair, Senator Carla J. Joseph, administered the oath to Foy before committee members questioned her about priority setting, safeguards for federal funds and efforts to restore public trust. Senator Avery L. Lewis asked how Foy would restore public confidence after chronic outages and billing disputes; Foy emphasized transparency and clearer communication about technical causes of outages. Senators Angel L. Bocas Jr. and Alma Francis Heiliger questioned her about internal operational priorities and past projects, and Foy cited the propane project as an instance where infrastructure costs outpaced fuel‑price assumptions.
Foy said she supports prioritizing plant maintenance and distribution work and described a practice drawn from her WAPA career: invest in smaller fixes that prevent larger, more costly failures. She also told senators she would advocate for local vendors and said, while she could not guarantee policy changes alone, she would use her experience to scrutinize proposals and push for fiscal discipline.
The committee moved and seconded the nomination and held a roll call. The clerk recorded four yeas and three absences; the committee report will send Foy’s nomination to the full Legislature for final consideration.
Votes at the committee: 4 yeas, 3 absent. Outcome: favorably reported to the full body.
View full meeting
This article is based on a recent meeting—watch the full video and explore the complete transcript for deeper insights into the discussion.
View full meeting