Sunday, September 5, 2010
Tom PerrielloFiled Under: Technology 3 Comments
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
At the first Roanoke City Council meeting on July 6 new council member Bill Bestpitch came onboard ready to take on the transparency challenge. To the surprise of his colleagues Bestpitch asked for the removal of a closed session on the consent agenda. He then explained to his puzzled colleagues that he wanted to add [...]
Monday, July 12, 2010
ROANOKE COUNTY DISCLOSES – WHY CAN’T ROANOKE CITY? MONDAY UPDATE: Roanoke County’s Tuesday, July 13 agenda properly names subject: 1. Section 2.2-3711(A)(1): Personnel, namely discussion concerning appoint-ment to the Roanoke Valley – Alleghany Regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committee 2. Section 2.2-3711(A)(5): Discussion concerning the expansion of an existing business or industry where no previous [...]
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Two new council members took the dais Tuesday July 6. Councilman Ray Ferris felt his way through with little to say while Councilman Bill Bestpitch had a lot to say. Bestpitch served previously on council from 2000 to 2004. In adopting council’s organizational meeting schedule for the upcoming year Bestpitch interjected saying, “This [council chambers] [...]
Thursday, July 1, 2010
My name is Forest, Forest Gump and “I may not be a smart man but I know what transparency is” and it ain’t here in River City. Thursday’s Roanoke Times editorial “Openness and tranparency” presses the two new council members to make good on their campaign promise of transparency and openness. The RTEB hints that the [...]
Comments Off Read full story »
Friday, March 5, 2010
In a phone call with Senator John Edwards Friday he said that, “there are only three other states in the whole country that actually do this.” This morning the Senate continued HB 778 to 2011. The House passed HB 778 on a 86 to 13 vote. The bill would have require the Clerk of the [...]
Thursday, December 17, 2009
If Colin Baenziger, the recruiter hired to find a new city manager had his way he’d let it be known now who city council picked behind closed doors on Friday. Baenziger lives in Florida where “everything is done in the open.” But in Roanoke the contract with council’s pick is “in process.” In an email [...]
Comments Off Read full story »
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Council member Court Rosen on September 1 communicated directly with one of the responders to the Request For Proposal (RFP) to manage Countryside Golf Course. In an email exchange with Meadowbrook’s Vice-President of Operations, Scott Beasley, Rosen wrote to Beasley: “You are asking someone who does not believe we should, as a city, own the course. [...]
Friday, November 20, 2009
Be careful what you ask for from the Virginia State Board of Elections in Richmond. You might just get it and get it I did. Take a gander at the collapsible spreadsheet that David Allen, Campaign Finance Manager sent me last week. The spreadsheet had some hidden rows and columns that are now viewable. The [...]
Comments Off Read full story »
Sunday, October 18, 2009
If you are too intimidated by your government that you shy away from poking into what they are doing and how they are doing it then VCOG membership is for you. For just $30 a year you can support those who pry open doors, expose government secrecy and educate the public on their “right to [...]
Monday, September 21, 2009
IT’S THE FOIA LAW! So this is my pet peeve – Roanoke County discloses the subject: Section 2.2.3711.A.1, personnel, namely discussion concerning appointments to the Building Code Board of Adjustments and Appeals, the Economic Development Authority and the Grievance Panel Section 2.2-3711.A.7. Consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff regarding specific legal matters, namely [...]
Comments Off Read full story »
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
City Manager Darlene Burcham’s recommendation came out of the blue to council members after lunch in the EOC. Burcham told council that they were long overdue for a strategic planning session. “Staff has suffered from not having some very clear and overarching direction from the council,” said Burcham. Goals and objectives for the year need [...]
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
In a phone call yesterday and confirmation today David Allen, Campaign Finance Manager with the State Board of Elections in Richmond said the issues surrounding Delegate Onzlee Ware’s campaign expenditures is “not going away.” Any statements to the contrary are in error. Allen is aware of the distortions by a blogger. I suggested to Allen [...]
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Since the project began in 1999, States of Disclosure has provided a unique 50-state comparison of disclosure laws, highlighting those states that have made significant strides. Louisiana’s changes have made the Bayou State the most-improved in the project’s history, followed by Georgia, which jumped from 26th to 6th place in 2006. A few states, however, [...]
Comments Off Read full story »
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sunshine Week loses its only staff member, Debra Gersh Hernandez at the end of the month. Hernandez a contractor for the American Society of News Editors has been point person for Sunshine Week since 2004. Sunshine Week held in March every year stresses the importance of open government and freedom of information. All forms of [...]
Comments Off Read full story »
