Locked Gates: Manassas City Council Retreat Raises Open Meetings Questions

Alan Gloss January 24, 2025 at 3:19pm

The Manassas City Council began its three-day retreat on Thursday at James Madison’s historic Montpelier, located over 80 miles south of the city. The event quickly raised concerns about public access after members of the public who traveled to attend the meeting discovered the venue was locked and inaccessible.

Virginia law mandates that government meetings remain open to the public unless they are specifically classified as legal closed-door sessions. According to Virginia’s open meetings laws, the Council’s work session and retreat did not qualify as a closed-door meeting, raising questions about compliance.

Former Councilwoman Lynn Forkell Green attended the event and confirmed the gate to the complex was locked. “I couldn’t get in. Had I not had the cell numbers of council members, I would not have gained access because the meeting space was more than a mile past the gate, and the complex was closed,” Forkell Green said. While she was able to contact a council member who provided the entry code, she noted that most members of the public would not have such relationships or access.

This is not the first time the city has faced scrutiny over potential violations of open meetings laws. In July, Potomac Local News identified that Manassas had held several meetings without the required public notice and had ceased sending email notifications to residents who specifically requested them, as required by Virginia law. At that time, Potomac Local News chose not to publicize these issues immediately, as the city was undergoing significant changes, including a transition in the Clerk’s office and construction at City Hall. The city had also promised to improve communication and public access to meetings—a commitment aligned with the Virginia open meetings law.

Following the discovery of these deficiencies, the city issued a statement and pledged reforms, including:

Ensuring the kiosk outside City Hall is updated monthly or when meetings are scheduled or changed, as required by VA Code §2.2-3707(D).
Placing clear and visible signage at various public meeting locations (e.g., the Art Factory, Public Safety building, Jennie Dean) to alert the public when meetings are open.
Posting meeting notices outside the Clerk’s Office during business hours and duplicating these notices in the front window of City Hall for 24/7 visibility.
Publishing meeting notices prominently on the city’s website, including the main page and online Council calendar.
Testing subscription links to ensure residents subscribing to public meeting notices are immediately added to the city’s email list.
Contacting 2024 subscribers to apologize for missed notifications and offering immediate renewal.
Updating FOIA officer contact information on the website and with the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council.

The city implemented these changes in response to the earlier issues.

On Friday, the gates were unlocked, but a new sign was posted at the entrance stating “PRIVATE EVENT” and “CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.” The Montpelier complex is privately owned, and the posted sign legally bars entry.

The city has not yet responded to Potomac Local News’ request for comment regarding the retreat and public access concerns.

The City Council planned to tackle multiple topics during the retreat, including updates to the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, a review of the 2024 community survey results, and discussions on public priorities such as traffic flow, public education, public safety, and affordable housing.

The agenda also included financial planning and budget discussions covering FY2024 audit results, FY2025 budget highlights, and revenue estimates. Other topics included updates on employee recruitment and retention efforts, economic prosperity, community vitality, transformative mobility, and the city’s future projects and capital improvement programs.