Transparency News, 6/3/20

Suffolk City Council will hold a meeting at City Hall Wednesday, the first time it has done so since March 31, when it adopted a resolution to confirm the declaration of a local emergency and approved an emergency ordinance to allow for electronic meetings for 90 days. Since that nine-minute meeting, the council has held three virtual meetings — on April 15, May 6 and May 20. At its most recent meeting, council voted to extend the emergency ordinance by 60 days. For those not wanting to attend, the meeting will also be livestreamed.
Suffolk News-Herald

The Portsmouth Circuit Court judges have decided they will no longer hear major litigation involving the city of Portsmouth. In a phone interview Friday, Chief Judge Kenneth Melvin said the four judges have noticed an increase in the number of cases involving the city. “We are seeing more and more of them, and the judges felt increasingly uncomfortable in hearing these matters,” he said. Melvin said the decision was based on broader discussions the judges had. They have developed relationships with people in city government over the years, such as council members, and they want to avoid any appearance of impropriety, Melvin said.
The Virginian-Pilot

Small business owners in Prince William County have until the end of Friday, June 5, to apply for an emergency relief grant of up to $10,000 due to COVID-19. The grant funding can be used for expenses such as payroll, rent and insurance, e-commerce equipment, expanding websites and online sales capabilities, according to the county’s economic development department.  Businesses must have gross receipts less than $1 million to be eligible. Businesses that apply will have to provide financial information that will be public record under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, said Christina Winn, the county’s economic development executive director.
InsideNoVa

A meeting of the Prince William Police Citizen Advisory Board and other involved citizens, led by Reverend Cozy Bailey, husband of Supervisor Andrea Bailey of the Potamac District, proved very fruitful for the community, according to Phelps. However, Republican supervisors said they were unlawfully excluded from the meeting that began at 12:30 p.m. Supervisor Pete Candland said he was not invited even though Saturday’s protest occurred in his district. “This was happening in my location. And I’m more worried about the fact that you were there, and you saw there were more supervisors attending this meeting…That’s an unlawful assembly of the Board of County Supervisors,” he said. “You let that happen, Chair Wheeler…That’s very concerning. I’m extremely concerned about that.” Brentsville Supervisor Jeanine Lawson agreed. Any time more than two supervisors meet, it becomes a public meeting and all need to be invited, she explained. 
Bristow Beat