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Virginia FOIA attorney briefs Lynchburg City Council on records, meeting and fee rules
Summary
At a July 8 work session, Joseph Underwood of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council gave the council its biennial FOIA training, reviewing public‑records timelines, common exemptions, fee calculations and open‑meetings rules, and answering detailed questions from council members and staff.
Joseph Underwood, a senior attorney with the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, delivered the Lynchburg City Council's biennial FOIA training during the council's July 8 work session.
Underwood told the council that "the law presumes that the records would be open unless otherwise provided by law," and that Virginia's FOIA chapter in Title 2.2 is interpreted narrowly around specific exemptions. He described the council's responsibilities on public records and public meetings, explained common exemptions and timelines, and answered questions about fees, deposits and records held on personal devices.
Underwood walked the council through response timing and fees: public bodies must respond within five working days after receipt of a request, with limited tolling if the requester asks for an estimate or if the estimated cost is $200 or more and the requester…
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