Hopewell picks new city clerk after firing previous without cause

HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) -- Months after Hopewell leaders made the highly controversial decision to fire their city clerk without cause, a woman with "more than 20 years of combined professional experience" has been chosen to step into the role.

On Friday, Oct. 24, the city announced that Bishelya Howard will become Hopewell's next city clerk. Officials described her as a woman who "built [her] career in administrative leadership, financial management and organizational support across both the public and private sectors."

Howard most recently served as the executive administrative assistant for finance and customer logistics planner at AdvanSix. She also served as a project coordinator for Spectra products at Honeywell Research and Development, a purchasing agent for Pre-Con, Inc. and an account specialist at Church & Dwight.

"Throughout my career, I have focused on advancing transparency, efficiency, accountability and customer service," Howard said in a city press release.

The city added that Howard is a proud family woman and an active volunteer.

"As Clerk for the City of Hopewell, my vision is to enhance record access, support the City Council with efficiency and accuracy and engage residents through clear communication and responsive service," Howard said in the release. "By streamlining processes and fostering stronger connections between city leadership and the community, she looks forward to ensuring Hopewell continues on a path of growth, accountability and inclusiveness."

Howard's appointment comes nearly six months after Hopewell's previous city clerk, Brittani Williams, was terminated during a contentious meeting of City Council on May 1. The decision to dismiss her was made alongside one to terminate then-city manager Concetta Manker. Both firings were without cause.

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“I did everything that y’all have wanted me to do,” Williams said during the May 1 meeting. “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?”

The votes to terminate Manker and Williams were along racial lines, with all of the city's Black councilors voting "no" and all of the city's white councilors voting "yes." There have been accusations from the general public, the Black councilors and from Manker herself that these firings were racially motivated.

Manker has since sued the city for more than $6.8 million, providing what she describes as evidence of this racism, as well as violations of city council's own rules of order. At all points, the city's white councilors have firmly denied these allegations.

As of the time of reporting, Manker's case is still pending.

Williams previously told 8News that she was in contact with a lawyer.

For all of 8News' coverage on these controversial firings, click here.