VCOG supports HB69 and thanks Delegate Bulova for working on this bill on our suggestion. While the process for selecting someone to fill a board vacancy is transparent in some localities, the final decision is often sprung on the public without any prior knowledge in others. Citizens voted for the person who has stepped down, so they should know in advance who might be filling the vacancy since that person will be representing them and voting as their representative.

I support HB69 and any additional legislation that allows for requiring more transparency in our local Town government. In Smithfield there were recently 2 vacancies on our 7 member Town Council. The Mayor chose two individuals to form the vetting committee and interviews were held in private. The individuals selected - from a bank of 21 interested - were preselected prior to the vote of this council. Citizens and our local newspaper requested transparency in the process for these critical appointments The Mayor and vetting committee refused and continued to note there was nothing illegal in making these selections behind close doors. We need our state representatives to ensure light is shed on these processes at all levels of government in Virginia. More guardrails are needed - at least at our local level - to ensure our local elected officials aren’t serving their own , or others, special interests . Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, Leah

The LWV-VA supports HB 69. While we agree that seats on an elected local governing body or an elected school board should not remain unfilled, citizens should have an opportunity to participate in a hearing where they receive information on each candidate under consideration for such an interim appointment. Thank you for considering this important bill.

In the past 2 years Isle of Wight County has had 4 appointed members 2 to IWC School Board and 2 to Smithfield Town Council with no citizen in-put. The 2 school board members where literally appointed by 2 other members and documents later destroyed. Today, the one member is currently in court proceedings and has cost the citizens thousands of dollars within the court system. Because of the way the School Board appointed member Michael Vines, way omitted information on his economic financial has upset citizens and the way he then treated parents and citizens at meetings says a lot on why citizens should be involved in the decision making of those who then represent them. This bill requiring governing bodies to have a public meeting prior to making an appointment and require them to make available to the public materials being used to make the selection, such as resumes and applications would prevent also what took place when school board member Denise Tynes was able to make a false statement during a school board meeting regarding Michael Vines and why she appointed him. A citizen who spoke that evening and had also interviewed for the appointment could not verify her remarks due to them destroying the records, applications, and resumes, along with the submitted letters. The citizen did state he did put on his letter and state on his application exactly what School Member Denise Tynes stated only Micahel Vines had answered and that is why she choose him. Again all unverified, due to destruction. Smithfield Town Council just last month appointed 2 members behind closed doors, conducting their interviews. Pulling FOIA of the applicants, the 2 appointees had 2 of the worse applications. On top of that one of the Town Councilmen openly stated that they did not wish to question the applicants, as they feared they would not get an honest answer. To what questions or answers would be asked or answered that the public could not, or should not hear? That statement there, is exactly why this process should and needs to be more transparent. This bill is a good step in the right direction. I beleive it could go further. But believe it is a great step in the right direction and commend the Delegate for not allowing it to no move from last year. Thank you, Heidi Swartz

Over the past 3 years, Isle of Wight and Smithfield have had a total of four appointments made to fill vacated elected positions. In each case, the governing bodies have gone out of their way to avoid transparency and hidden behind the “personnel exemption” in VA FOIA as though they were hiring an employee instead of selecting a representative of the people. Also each selection has led to controversy and further eroded trust of local governance. HB 69 will not fix everything in the appointment process, but it certainly is a much needed step in the right direction.