Seaton: Transparency – Virginia FOIA is the Public’s Right To Know

By Scott Seaton

Thank you to the many residents across the region for your tremendous support while undergoing these unnecessary trials. You have lifted my spirits and emboldened my resolve. I will continue to push the county toward transparency.

I will not be attending the meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday, 8/2/23, due to prior scheduled family obligations out of town.

The proposed resolution does not follow the Virginia Code. The recordings of closed meetings were lawful according to Virginia Code 19.2-62(B2) and 2.2-3712(I) and are my notes of the closed meetings for my use alone. I have never played or shared any of these recordings with anyone in the county or region.

I believe most of these recordings should be made public; however, the board refuses to release them to the public. The board members participated in these closed meetings and had the option to keep their own notes of the meetings.

Truly, I want to know where in Virginia code does the County have the right to possession, custody and control of my meeting notes whether the meeting was open or closed? The County certainly does not have the right to demand possession of private citizens’ recordings of public meetings.

Virginia FOIA gives the public the right to request information in possession of the county and in my possession as an officer of the county, pertaining to government business. I have the obligation to provide that information if it is lawful and not under one of the FOIA exemptions, or if a court orders the release. I shall comply with any court order.

I wish the board spent this much time and energy fixing the county’s animal ordinances to correct the illegal fines and fees that the county had been assessing for 31 years. The county attorney determined about March 22, 2023, that the animal shelter had been assessing these fines and fees illegally and informed the county administrator.

Yet no or limited action was taken until I demanded the county stop this illegal practice about 5/30/23. The county’s resources are being wasted.

County residents have had their rights to due process, free speech, and private property squelched too long by this county. I will continue to advocate for the public’s rights while serving on the board of supervisors.

If you have questions for me, please let me know on this post. Thank you.

Scott Seaton, an Augusta-Staunton-Waynesboro area physician, has served on the Augusta County Board of Supervisors since 2019 representing the Wayne District that includes Fishersville.

 

Editor’s note: Here is background on what is currently occurring in Augusta County….

-Augusta Free Press: Augusta County supes call special meeting to, ahem, ‘request certain public records’ by Chris Graham

-Augusta Free Press: Maybe the Augusta County Board of Supervisors should censure its chair by Chris Graham

-News Virginian: Lone contested Augusta County Board of Supervisor’s race becomes a barnburner by Bob Stuart

-Augusta Free Press: Augusta County leaders looking like the gang that couldn’t shoot straight by Chris Graham

-News Virginian: Augusta Supervisor Scott Seaton censured, stripped of committee assignments

-WHSV TV-3: Augusta County supervisor censured for the first time in recent history by Mike Staley

-Augusta Free Press: Augusta County leaders step up pressure on Scott Seaton, backing political challenger by Chris Graham