Politics & Government

McLean Board Denies Public Access to Report

McLean Community Center Committee Shields Report on Public Opinion of the Center

Risa Sanders, a McLean Community Center board member, denied a citizen request  for copies of a publicly-funded survey of McLean  taxpayers' opinions about the community center and its operations.

Sanders, who is running for reelection to the MCC board, talked about selective results of the small survey of McLean residents at a Monday night meeting of Communications Committee, which she chairs.

 Board and staff members had copies of the survey results. Dr. Jim Witte, a George Mason University professor, hired by the MCC board to conduct the survey presented selective results in a Powerpoint presentation to the committee.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 After the meeting, McLean Patch, who is a McLean resident and taxpayer,  asked for a copy of the report which cost McLean taxpayers more than $20,000. Sanders denied the request saying it was a “working document.” McLean Patch then asked to review the Powerpoint presentation. Sanders also denied that request.

 "It is my understanding of the FOI law, which has been been similarly interpreted by the Virginia FOIA Council, that a report that has been disclosed or disseminated to the public can not later be claimed to be confidential. Furthermore, FOIA applies to draft and working documents, too, not just 'final' or 'official' reports." said Megan H. Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Virginia Coalition for Open Government, whose members range from the League of Women Voters, to newspapers to the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, is a non-profit alliance that  promotes  citizen access to government records, meetings and proceedings.

The staff attorney for the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, Alan Gernhardt, said, “Generally speaking, draft documents are not excepted from the definition of "public records.” 

The Council is a Virginia state agency that helps resolve disputes over Freedom of Information issues.

The Virginia Freedom of Information law states, “The affairs of government are not intended to be conducted in an atmosphere of secrecy since at all time the public is to be the beneficiary of any action taken at any level of government.”

The McLean Community Center board oversees the operation of the community center and  has a $6 million budget and a $12 million surplus made up largely of taxes paid by us McLean residents. The board is an agency of Fairfax County government and subject to the FOIA law.

 McLean Patch has filed a formal FOI request with Sanders for the complete report and the Powerpoint presentation so we can share the complete findings with the neighbors. 

Stay tuned.

Friday: McLean Patch writes about the selective results revealed by Sanders.


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