Hopewell appoints new city manager after firing former city manager, clerk without cause

HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) -- The City of Hopewell officially announced its new city manager Friday afternoon, one day after a contentious meeting that ended in the termination of both the former city manager and city clerk without cause. The city's three Black councilors, as well as several members of the public, stated they believe the move was motivated by racism.

"This is one of the saddest days in the city of Hopewell that I have seen since I've been born, and I am born and raised in Hopewell, and I am 63 years old," said Yolanda Stokes, one of the city's three Black councilors. "We have just stepped back. We have just stepped back at least 40 years."

During the city council proceedings on Thursday, May 1, council members voted to terminate now-former city manager Concetta Manker and city clerk Brittani Williams "without cause." They will still receive severance and benefits under their contracts.

Then, in a press release from the city on Friday, May 2, Hopewell announced the hiring of the new City Manager, Michael C. Rogers, effective immediately.

This decision comes less than two years after Manker was named permanent City Manager in June 2023, when it came to light that the city had not submitted a financial audit to Virginia since 2014.

Each vote on Manker and Williams was 4-3, with the city's four white council members -- Mayor Johnny Parton, Vice Mayor Rita Joyner, Ronnie Ellis and Susan Daye -- voting in favor of the terminations, while the three Black councilors -- Stokes, Dominic Holloway and Michael B. Harris -- opposed them.

The firings prompted strong emotional reactions from both the public and city officials.

Concerns about a councilor's potential conflict of interest

According to Hopewell's city website, the city manager serves as the executive of the City of Hopewell, while the Clerk's Office handles administrative duties such as record keeping, staffing, service counters and screening solicitors.

During the meeting, there was discussion about an alleged conflict of interest between Manker and Ellis, who is also a Battalion Chief and an employee of the city.

Following the meeting, a spokesperson with the City of Hopewell elaborated on these concerns The spokesperson stated that Ellis was "both above and under" former City Manager Manker in the city's chain of command -- specifically, Ellis was a subordinate to Manker in his city staff position while also being her superior as a voting council member.

His dual roles in the city have been a point of contention previously.

During Thursday's meeting, Ellis did not recuse himself from any votes, nor did he answer questions other councilors asked about this potential conflict during the meeting.

Accusations of the firings being racially motivated

Williams, who defended her and Manker's efforts during the meeting, emphasized the work she has done for Hopewell since being hired in 2023.

"I did everything that y'all have wanted me to do," Williams said. "How do you compliment me on how great the office has been since me being hired? How do you ask me to do minutes from 2019 when I was hired in 2023? So I got this office in shape, so you can bring somebody else in it?"

Holloway can be heard saying, "It's just racism," in response to her questions.

"I did everything that y'all needed me to do to get this office in audit performance so that y'all will pass an audit, 'cause before I got here, you would've failed every audit," Williams continued.

Brittani Williams at Thursday, May 1, City of Hopewell council meeting (Photo: City of Hopewell)

Many members of the audience and some councilors accused the four white councilors of acting unethically and being racially motivated to terminate Manker and Williams.

"I'll tell you right now," said Ed Houser, a former candidate for Hopewell's city council, referring to those councilors. "Y'all are the four most disgusting individuals in this city!" 

Houser was then escorted out by a sheriff's deputy. However, he was not the only one in the room who was not pleased with the outcome of these votes.

Ed Houser yelling at the Hopewell City Council meeting on Thursday, May 1. (Photo: City of Hopewell)

"Tonight, those in representation [of the city] have chosen the space to not represent you," Holloway said. In response, someone in the crowd yelled "amen," and a majority of attendees cheered.

Stokes spoke critically of the decision to fire Manker at the time of that respective vote, stating that, in her "professional opinion, [this is] a violation of [Manker's] civil rights." She then stated that she, Harris and Holloway were all reportedly excluded from discussions about this firing and the selection of the new city manager.

"And then to not consult with the seven of us -- that's right -- discrimination, racial lines," Stokes said. "I consider that to be an extended part of discrimination, because you left the Black members of the council out of the entire decision.

Council members, including Stokes and Williams, expressed that this was a "sad day" for the City of Hopewell.

"This is a sad day for Hopewell," Williams said. "I pray for every one of y'all. Regardless of what y'all vote on tonight, I'm gonna pray that god removes the spirit from y'all, 'cause y'all are evil."

Several members of the audience proceeded to yell "evil" repeatedly.

Sade' Allen at Thursday, May 1, City of Hopewell council meeting (Photo: City of Hopewell)

The city's deputy clerk, Sade' Allen, burst into tears following the vote to terminate Williams. She ultimately left the room, clearly distraught.

At one point during the meeting, Holloway stated this would not be the end of this controversy.

"I try to call us from the space of a racial divide, but what they will not be able to do is stand against the hand of the Lord and what he has shown me so far," Holloway said. "By tomorrow morning, there will be lawsuit papers on the desk of Hopewell [for both the city manager and city council.]"

Mayor Partin celebrates new city manager, his skillset

In the May 2 announcement of Rogers' hiring, Partin spoke favorably of the new city manager.

“We are excited to have Michael Rogers as our new city manager, who brings with him a vast amount of knowledge and experience from both local and national purviews," Partin said in the release. "He has been instrumental in restoring the city of Petersburg’s financial structure and has worked in a national setting in Washington, D.C. with one of the largest health care providers."

Most recently, Rogers was the interim city manager for Charlottesville from January 2022 to July 2023, according to the city.

Rogers also served in various managerial roles within the last decade, including chief operating officer and chief financial officer for the city of Petersburg from August 2018 to August 2019, and executive director for strategic planning for Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia from 2015 to 2017, per the city.

From 2013 to 2015, Rogers was the Vice-President for University Advancement at the University of the District of Columbia.

“I look forward to working with the City Council, Department Directors, city employees across the board, and the citizens of Hopewell," Rogers said in the release. "My experience of leading both small governments, large corporations and government entities makes me uniquely qualified to join this team comprising everyone living and working in the city of Hopewell."

At this time, city officials did not provide the name of any potential interim city clerk. They also could not confirm who would be running the Clerk's Office for the foreseeable future.