Transparency News 9/29/15
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
State and Local Stories
VCOG's annual conference is
November 12. Click here for details.
The Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council, created last year in Round 1 of the post-McDonnell ethics reform, then re-upped this year during Round 2, met Monday for the first time. It was a start-up meeting. Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. "Tommy" Norment, who had a big hand in drafting these reforms, handed the chairmanship over to Walter S. Felton Jr., a former chief judge of the Virginia Court of Appeals. At least one interesting tidbit came up: Council staff will advise government officials on the do's and don't's of all these new ethics rules. Officials can call in and questions will often be answered informally. This process is going to be secret, protected by something akin to attorney-client privledge. Staff is going to keep records, though, and the nine-member council will get routine reports on who's asking what.
Daily Press
Marriage licenses in the Albemarle County Circuit Court dating back to 1780 have been fully restored following a project that county Clerk Debra Shipp started about five years ago. And while that project’s price tag may have exceeded $300,000, it didn’t cost county taxpayers a dime. The project, aimed at preserving and digitizing the county’s vast swaths of marriage licenses and bonds from 1780 to 1968, was paid with grants from the Library of Virginia and the Jamestown Society, as well as revenue that comes from fees charged by the court for people to access land records and other various documents.
Daily Progress
The New College Institute (NCI) Board on Monday privately discussed matters pertaining to a pending state investigation. After discussing other business publicly, the board entered into a closed session under a provision of the state’s Freedom of Information Act to, in part, consult with legal counsel "regarding specific legal matters … related to (i) legal requirements of the relationship between NCI and the New College Foundation; and (ii) a pending state investigation," according to a document read aloud during the board meeting. The foundation is the institute’s private fundraising arm. The board was in closed session for about an hour. Board members did not mention any investigation after reopening the meeting to the public. Asked after the meeting if the state is investigating NCI or may launch an investigation, board Chairwoman Gracie Agnew said "I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you." Asked if she could say who could comment, she said no. State Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Glade Hill and an NCI board member, said after the meeting that he was not aware of any investigation involving the institute. He added that board members could not legally discuss publicly what they talked about during the closed session.
Martinsville Bulletin
Former Halifax County planner Robbie Love has filed an employment discrimination complaint against Halifax County months after his ouster by County Administrator Jim Halasz left members of the Board of Supervisors divided over whether Halasz had overstepped his authority. Love, who was employed for nearly two decades by Halifax County before being forced out of his job, submitted a charge of discrimination to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office in Richmond. The complaint was submitted on Love’s behalf by Richmond lawyer Barbara Queen on Aug. 27. Love provided this newspaper with a copy of the cover letter that Queen sent on his behalf to the EEOC, but not the filing itself. Employment complaints are kept confidential by the EEOC, and as a matter of policy the agency does not acknowledge the existence of filings.
News & Record
National Stories
Two top Army generals recently discussed trying to kill an article in The New York Times on concussions at West Point by withholding information so the Army could encourage competing news organizations to publish a more favorable story, according to an Army document. The generals’ conversation involved a Freedom of Information Act request that The Times made in June for data on concussions resulting from mandatory boxing classes at the United States Military Academy. The Times also requested similar data from the Air Force Academy in June, and from the Naval Academy this month.
New York Times
Editorials/Columns
Often the public thinks local governments don't get it. Some believe they spend too much money, or don't listen or, worse, don't care. Some of these citizen thoughts come out at this time of the year in the fall when city councils have retreats. Already we have read news stories about whether this year's retreat will be in town or out, how much it will cost and why, indeed, do they have or need them. Retreats are valuable, even cost-beneficial, for city councils, especially when they are used as tools for building better governance.
Jim Oliver, Daily Press
It’s time for a major overhaul of the many laws and policies dealing with confidentiality, laws that dictate how federal, state and local government are run. A person’s medical records, financial statements and other personal information should be blocked from busybodies who seek it out of curiosity. This type of information should remain protected. In Maine there is a website that lists the pension amounts received by everyone who is issued a monthly check by the State of Maine. No privacy here because this is being paid out by the State; accordingly, taxpayers have a right to know. Yet other recipients of state revenues are shielded. Yes, I am referring to those known as welfare recipients. Why are they treated differently than pensioners? (A rhetorical question). The answer: our liberal, progressive legislators and their social-service allies have made them a victimized, protected class. It’s none of your business how much of your money they get and spend. Who are you to question it? Just shut up and pay!
Robert E. Macdonald (Mayor of Lewiston, Maine), Twin City Times
