Transparency News, 7/29/2022

Friday
July 29, 2022

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Contact us at vcog@opengovva.org

state & local news stories

"Forgive me for being blunt, but you aren’t going to be able to attract an experienced manager from another town."

The general registrar in Montgomery County canceled a scheduled informational talk at a local civic group meeting because of the county attorney’s interpretation of a new law that seeks to protect state and local elections officials from outside influence – but the sponsor of the legislation says that the statute has been misinterpreted.  The new statute prohibits state and local elections officials from “soliciting, accepting, using, or disposing of any moneys, grants, property, or services given by a private individual or nongovernmental entity for the purpose of funding voter education and outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any other expense incurred in the conduct of elections.” State Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, who sponsored the legislation, said Wednesday that County Attorney Marty McMahon has misinterpreted the statute in this case.  “The county registrar is a government employee, which as a part of her duties permits her to give informational talks with individual citizens or third-party non-governmental groups about voting laws,” Stanley said. After publication of this story, Viar informed the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County that she has been advised that she may continue to speak at their meetings and offer training outside of the government building.
Cardinal News

Elkton is not known for the longevity of its town managers, but Bob Holton may have had the shortest tenure of them all. At an emergency Town Council meeting Thursday, Mayor Josh Gooden informed council members that Holton withdrew from the post.  In a Tuesday report to Town Council, Holton asked council members to give him control of personnel functions. He said he would not be able to manage the town “without full control of personnel.” “Without personnel control, I can’t manage,” Holton said in an interview with the Daily News-Record. “Forgive me for being blunt, but you aren’t going to be able to attract an experienced manager from another town,” Holton wrote. “The frequent turnover of managers here has shut down that market to you. Therefore, your choices are a manager from a non-governmental business or someone fresh out of school or someone you already employ. The first two are not great options.”
Daily News Record

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors tweaked its meeting guidelines Thursday to place a time limit on public comments and add a requirement for speakers to sign up beforehand. The board approved the change in guidelines 5-2, with Wayne Supervisor Scott Seaton and Pastures Supervisor Pam Carter dissenting. Under the new guidelines, speakers are allowed to speak for three minutes — or five minutes if they are representing a group — and must sign up to speak with the board’s clerk no later than 30 minutes into a planned meeting. County Administrator Tim Fitzgerald said the guidelines are in line with other surrounding localities.Chairman Gerald Garber said the change would prevent bad decisions made because of lengthy, repetitive meetings. Garber said he received complaints from community members about excessively long comments from the public. Seaton called the rules ‘terrible’ and suggested the guidelines suppressed speech.
The News Virginian
 

editorials & columns

"It’s the secrecy surrounding this process — sneaking to Texas to conduct private negotiations while keeping other developers on the line; avoiding making a formal decision about how to proceed; keeping the public in the dark about it all — that’s so galling"

Norfolk’s redevelopment of the Military Circle area offers an uncommon opportunity for the city to do something transformational. The choice between the three proposals — each of which has its merits — will echo for generations, and the pressure on city officials to get this right must be enormous. But that does not excuse the conduct of those same officials, some of whom took a pricey secret trip to Texas on the taxpayers’ dime, deliberately ducking open meetings laws to do so. Operating in the shadows like this undermines public confidence in the process and, ultimately, casts doubt on an initiative with enormous potential for Norfolk and the region. In May, Pilot reporter Daniel Berti reported, five officials — Mayor Kenny Alexander, Council members Andria McClellan and Danica Royster, City Manager Chip Filer and City Attorney Bernard Pishko — flew to Austin to negotiate with Oak View Group, developer of an arena in the Wellness Circle proposal. While Alexander paid his own way, “the two council members and city staffers spent $6,069 in city funds on the trip for roundtrip plane tickets, hotel rooms and meals, according to city receipts,” per Berti’s reporting. The mayor also traveled separately and conducted meetings without the council members so as not to violate Virginia open meetings law. McClellan told Berti that officials were doing their “due diligence” on “one of the largest economic development deals in the city’s history.” And, sure, when there’s a billion dollars at play, why not spend a couple grand to do the legwork? But it’s the secrecy surrounding this process — sneaking to Texas to conduct private negotiations while keeping other developers on the line; avoiding making a formal decision about how to proceed; keeping the public in the dark about it all — that’s so galling.
The Virginian-Pilot