Megan Rhyne's blog

This FOIA Council meeting was fairly brief, but it did much to clarify where folks are coming from
 

Over-the-top descriptions don't reflect well on the office

Too many public bodies in the Old Dominion show disdain for their fellow Americans

Another government brief that bends over backwards to withhold information from the public.

VCOG has filed an amicus brief in the same case arguing the opposite.

Not really what we had in mind when when the FOIA Council launched in 2000.

Given how many different committees I find myself in discussing FOIA and transparency legislation, it often feels like I have as many clients as the professionals do instead of just one, VCOG, and sometimes the goals of my job as an advocate versus those of my job as VCOG's lobbyist aren't compatible.

The policy flaw in the judge’s decision is that it allows a major category of public employees to remain anonymous. Specifically, it gives individuals who have the power of life or death over their fellow citizens to be paid from taxpayer funds without any accountability.

The FOIA Council should return to its roots and proceed collaboratively

It’s become predictable.

Some tragedy, some catastrophe, some breakdown, something’s gone terribly wrong.

Everyone’s reeling. Questions are multiplying. Rumors are flying.

So it is understandable that in their zeal to Do Something, many public bodies most closely impacted by the event rush to launch an investigation.

Please. Someone. Tell us what went wrong.

Then, weeks or months later, the announcement is trumped that the review is complete. The investigation is in-hand. We have the report.