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“Any student and any Virginia taxpayer or Charlottesville resident who wants to show up and make a comment about the rate of tuition should be able to do so.”
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Yesterday, I attended the oral arguments at the Supreme Court of Virginia for the Transparent GMU v. The George Mason Foundation case. VCOG filed a brief in support of Transparent GMU, which is attempting to access foundation records through the university. The arguments centered around the relationship between the foundation and the university to determine whether the former serves as an agent of the latter for purposes of FOIA. The concern is that the separateness of the current relationship allows government to avoid statutorily mandated requirements "by outsourcing of their essential functions to a private corporation." Here's a write-up of the arguments from the Virginia Mercury.
Virginia’s inspector general is investigating a contract worth up to $1.5 million that the state’s Medicaid office awarded to a company owned by a former U.S. government employee who helped oversee federal oversight of the state. The Department of Medical Assistance Services said earlier this week that it asked for the investigation to “ensure full transparency.” The agency did not say what prompted the request and declined to answer questions. State records show DMAS officials approved a contract in July to hire Pennsylvania-based AYS Finance Management Services as a federal contracts consultant. AYS is owned by Teia Miller, a former senior-level employee at the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Internal emails indicate top DMAS officials tried to recruit Miller to work as a state employee, but Miller indicated she wanted a higher salary. In a May 14 email, Miller said she suggested she be hired as an independent contractor at rate that would pay a yearly salary of more than $300,000 for a contract that was to last three to five years. DMAS’ salaries for its top officials top out at around $200,000, according to a database of state employee salaries maintained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
AP News
This week, the University of Virginia will become the latest public institution in the state to consider adding a public comment policy. A new law, initially sponsored in the last General Assembly session by Sen. Chap Peterson, D-Fairfax, requires state universities to offer public comment before considering a tuition increase. Public comment is the norm at local governing bodies and school boards, and some state agencies and commissions also host sessions. The board is scheduled to consider the issue on Friday, during its regularly scheduled meeting, according to a meeting agenda. Two members of the board who chair the student life and the finance committees will be tasked with developing a policy. James Toscano, president of Partners for College Affordability and Public Trust, recommends an in-person comment session held before the full board without restricting speakers to a signup period. “Any student and any Virginia taxpayer or Charlottesville resident who wants to show up and make a comment about the rate of tuition should be able to do so,” he said.
The Daily Progress
A well-known Isle of Wight County government detractor used the threat of an upcoming election to try and get a lengthy Freedom of Information Act request filled without having to pay for it. Herb DeGroft specifically targeted Isle of Wight County School Board Chairperson Vicky Hulick with his request, stating, ”Since this is an election year, will you Madame Chair provide me the information free of charge or will you try and keep the information from me by charging an excessive fee? Time will tell,” wrote DeGroft. “Since this is an election year” and “Time will tell” were scratched out in a copy of the request that DeGroft provided to The Smithfield Times, but were readable.
The Smithfield Times (partial article)
There’s a good chance that broadcasts of the Martinsville City Council’s meetings will resume. Though the topic was not on the agenda for Tuesday’s nights city council meeting, an update on broadcasts by City Manager Leon Towarnicki served to open business. Earlier, city officials had said the video-recording equipment was not working properly and was too old to be repaired dependably, and getting a new system, which was estimated at $100,000, was too expensive. Technicians have been working on the video-taping equipment in the room behind the council’s chambers, Towarnicki said, and they seem to have worked out problems with the wiring.
Martinsville Bulletin
The Front Royal Town Council at its regular Monday meeting approved Councilman Chris Holloway’s request to vacate a portion of Carter Street so that he can build townhouses. The council, with Holloway abstaining, unanimously approved the vacation of a 5,443-square-foot area on Carter Street between Beeden Lane and Steele Avenue. Councilwoman Letasha Thompson said that she has seen social media posts in which citizens claim Holloway is receiving special treatment because he is a councilman but that “is not correct.” “He was not involved in any of our closed sessions when we discussed this and he was treated like everybody else that comes by with these sorts of requests,” she said. Tederick echoed their comments and said that while it is true that Holloway is a councilman, he is also a citizen.
The Northern Virginia Daily
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