"Chaotic level": Mykolaiv lost the Development Agency's supervisory board due to a failure to submit declarations

In Mykolaiv, the Supervisory Board of the municipal institution “Mykolaiv Development Agency”, which began work on December 2, 2025, has effectively ceased functioning. The Chair of the Supervisory Board of the municipal utility “Mykolaivvodokanal” Hanna Montavon stated that one of the reasons was an issue with declarations: board members were not informed in advance about the relevant obligations.

The board included seven Ukrainian entrepreneurs and civic activists willing to give their time, experience and reputation for the development of the city. However, already on December 31, 2025 it had effectively stopped working.

Hanna Montavon emphasized that the questions are not directed at the board members, but at the city system.

“And here the main question is not for these people. They came with the best intentions. The main question is for the system, which proved unable to accept them.”

She asked who was responsible for preparing the board members for work.

“Why was there no clear explanation of Ukraine’s anti-corruption legislation before the start of work? Who was responsible for implementing corporate governance in Mykolaiv? Were the processes for launching the work of Supervisory Boards clearly defined at the stage of implementing the corporate governance reform? This is an indicator of the system’s level of maturity.”

According to Hanna Montavon, the situation indicates a chaotic level of management.

“If people learn about the obligation to declare only after starting work, if there is no documented process for launching the boards’ work, if it is not defined who is responsible for informing board members about their duties, restrictions, deadlines and risks, – this is a chaotic level. It is a reactive system that begins to act only after a risk has already become a problem.”

She warned about the loss of professional personnel.

“Because of such systemic failures, the city is losing concerned, intelligent and professional people – the human resource that could work for the development of Mykolaiv. There are already -7 such people. Now we risk losing 2 more.”

Hanna Montavon proposed introducing a single procedure for launching supervisory boards.

“Corporate governance is the ability of the system to operate by rules and to act not punitively, but preventively.

The city needs a standardized process for launching the work of Supervisory Boards – written step-by-step actions for all involved parties, a package for all members of the Supervisory Boards: a written memo, legal clarification, declaration deadlines, a contact person responsible and confirmation of acknowledgement before the first meeting.”

Finally, she called on all participants in the reform to acknowledge mistakes.

“And most importantly – the maturity of the system is measured not only by the presence of methodologies, presentations or created bodies. It is measured by the ability of all involved parties, including international partners, lawyers, advisors, experts and consultants, to acknowledge shortcomings, correct them and take responsibility for the consequences.”

Earlier we wrote:

• Mold, toilets and “do not breathe”: the city council showed the decline of “Mykolaivvodokanal”
• ₴1.3 million for insurance: in Mykolaiv they want to protect the supervisory board of the water utility
• “I didn’t plan to resign”: Vasyl Telpis’s explanation intensified the scandal at “Mykolaivvodokanal”
• Crisis of trust at “Mykolaivvodokanal”: the enterprise asks NACP to check the anti-corruption work
• Supervisory Board of “Mykolaivvodokanal”: 5 members, 177.5 thousand hryvnias per month and the authority to dismiss the director