Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Records in the Clerk's office are YOUR records and you have a right to access them. As your elected Clerk I, Jeff Small, am the Designated FOIA Officer and can be reached at Jeff Small or 540-372-1066. Please direct your FOIA requests and questions to me.

City policy on charges for accessing or searching for requested records as required by Virginia Code 2.2-3704.1. The town does not have a fixed charge for accessing or searching for requested records. Charges for accessing or searching for requested records are based on the hourly rate of the person searching for the records in question.  To keep costs down, the town attempts to use the lowest paid staff members capable of retrieving the requested records in responding to a request.  However, in situations where a staff member is required to search through his or her own email and files, the staff member will search for the requested records and the search charge will be based on that employee's hourly rate. 

All records that we hold are public however, some are exempt from FOIA see Virginia Code 2.2-3703A(5). Any records held by the Clerk that are Free For View in the office but subject to a $.50 copy fee which includes but are not limited to:

• Land Records
• Wills and Fiduciary
• Oaths and other General miscellaneous Dockets filed with the Clerk
• Fiduciary Records/Judgments/Financing Statements
• Criminal Civil Case Files

In addition, any record that is Sealed or Confidential per statute or Court Order is exempt.

Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council