NEW EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS

 

Employment Contracts are required to be available to the public by Virginia Law.  One of the areas evaluated by Sunshine Review in the ratings for both County Government and School Board websites is both the availability and the accessibility of the contracts. 

 

On 20 August 2012 ESO posted the original employment contract and the contract extension for previous Superintendent Melvin, previous County Administrator Whitlow, and Acting County Administrator Pennell.  

 

The School Board has introduced a much improved web site but it is still underdevelopment.  The County has recently begun incrementally introducing a new web site which promises to contain expanded content (and accessibility) and improved user friendliness.  As an interim measure, ESO is posting the current employment contracts for our Acting Superintendent, the incoming Superintendent, and the new County Administrator.  Please follow the links below to view the contracts:

 

            Acting Superintendent Pope's Contract: 

            http://www.essexsunshine.org/pdflib/dr-pope-contract.pdf 

 

            Incoming Superintendent Burckbuchler's Contract:                                                        

                http://www.essexsunshine.org/pdflib/dr-burckbuchler-contract-2013-2016.pdf

 

            County Administrator Peck's Contract:  

            http://www.essexsunshine.org/pdflib/county-administrator-peck-contract.pdf

 

ESO hopes that as the information systems teams continue work on the 2 Essex County web sites that the Contracts will be added to the easily accessed content site content.

 

 

We also hope that Essex County will have much improved web site ratings in the next report by Sunshine Review, the National Open Government Rating Organization.

 

John R. Clickener

Sunshine Week in Essex County

   The Week of 10 thru 16 March is annually recognized as Sunshine Week within Virginia.  The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Virginia Open Meetings Act opens the shutters, raises the shades, pull back the drapes, and allows the public actively participate in the process of local governance.  Each eligible citizen can run for elected office, attend and speak at government meetings, gain access to records and documents, communicate with the elected officials, and most importantly – VOTE.

 

   During the past 12 months Essex Sunshine has encouraged the Board of Supervisors and the School Board to routinely provide greater access to information, more effective and timely notice of regular, special, and budget meetings, and better communications by making major improvements to their web sites.  We've also encouraged improving budgeting, becoming compliant with the provisions of the Code of Virginia, and publishing the assumptions and requirements that determine the sources and uses of funds.  We've pointed out that the County Ordinances are not readily accessible to the public and that they haven't been organized into the standard Municipal Code structure.  We've published employment contracts, position descriptions, wage tables, various studies, and discussed policy concerns.

 

   We've very seldom had to resort to submitting a formal FOIA Request.  Local Officials, particularly Acting Superintendent Dr. Gail Pope, the School Board, the former Acting County Administrator Bill Pennell, and the Airport Authority are genuinely interested in becoming more transparent and open.  Our new County Administrator Reese Peck and the Board of Supervisors have begun a major effort to provide greater openness by designing a new web site and using electronic media to provide public access to information, documents, and records.

 

   None of the sunshine illuminating our local government will be of much benefit unless the citizens of Essex County accept their responsibilities along with their rights.  Active Citizenship requires us to be informed and knowledgeable about policy and budget issues.  It requires participation in the process of solving problems and making decisions.  It can include taking direct responsibility by running for office or accepting an appointed position on boards or other government bodies.  Most importantly it requires registering and voting.  Citizens who don't vote allow others to determine who will govern and who will make those decisions.

 

   Please observe Sunshine Week 2013 by marking Tuesday, November 5th on your Calendar as the day to celebrate freedom by voting in the State and Local Elections.  Locally, two Supervisor positions and three School Board positions will be on the ballot.  Be informed, be a voter in November.  

John R. Clickener, Publisher