Board denies FOIA violations

Spotsylvania School Board sets the record straight, Lora denies allegations

BY KAREN BOLIPATA

Date published: 11/14/2007

BY KAREN BOLIPATA

With a new board to be seated in January, Spotsylvania School Board members want to set the record straight. They say they have never violated the state's Freedom of Information Act.

"I can honestly say that serving on this board for about 13 and a half years," said Chancellor District member Martin Wilder at Monday's meeting. "Never once has this board crossed the line in violating the Virginia Freedom of Information Act in its closed sessions, nor have we even come close to stepping on the line."

Wilder said Free Lance-Star stories published in the weeks leading up to elections troubled him because the board takes FOIA laws "very seriously." He then called on his "colleague who was cited in those articles" to publicly affirm his stance and put the issue to rest before the new board is seated.

The colleague in question is Livingston District member Ray Lora, who appeared taken aback by Wilder's statements. In an interview with The Free Lance-Star yesterday, Lora said the dialogue was unexpected and declined to comment further.

"It is what it is, and the elections are over with," he said. "At some point we're going to put this to rest."

Less than a month before elections, claims by former County Attorney Mark Taylor that Lora told him the board chronically violates open-meeting laws were made public. Commonwealth's Attorney Bill Neely backed up Taylor's claims, while Lora denied the allegations.

At the meeting, Lora said, "The reason I'm hesitating to speak is I'm trying to gather my thoughts on this matter."

After a few moments of what appeared to be Lora scribbling notes, he said, "Quite frankly, as you saw in the newspaper, I was surprised. I was shocked.

"All those events are fiction. It never took place, and I hope that this is the last time this is discussed in public."

Other board members said they hoped to move on.

"It's an area that reinforces us as a body," Berkeley District J. Gilbert Seaux said. "We're open. We vote from the heart. We have the integrity to follow through."

Salem District chairman Don Holmes said though individuals may disagree with certain decisions the board makes, they should trust they were made with integrity.

"I have no problem with public questioning," he said. "But I cannot, will not, tolerate a question of our integrity because the public deserves better, much better than that."

At the meeting, the board also was presented with a draft of the construction schedule between 2008 and 2012. Under the draft, Elementary No. 17 is scheduled for completion next fall. The project, a one-story building on Massaponax Church Road, will cost about $22.6 million.

Renovations to a half mile on Massaponax Church Road also are scheduled to be completed next fall. The $5.4-million renovations include turning lanes and widening of the road and shoulders from the intersection of U.S. Route 17.

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Date published: 11/14/2007

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