Warren County Supervisors Seek FOIA Ruling After Library Denies Records Request

A new conflict has emerged between Warren County officials and Samuels Public Library following the library’s recent denial of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted by the County Administrator. The request, authorized by the Warren County Board of Supervisors—with the exception of Supervisor Cheryl Cullers—was filed to obtain public records the Board says are critical for transparency and oversight.

In a statement released on May 15, the Board criticized the library’s decision to reject the FOIA request on what it described as a “narrow technicality.” According to Board Chair Jay Butler, the library dismissed the inquiry because it was submitted “on behalf of Warren County” rather than by an individual, even though the request was personally signed by County Administrator Ed Daley.

“We find it deeply concerning that an institution that regularly touts its commitment to transparency would use a narrow technicality to deny access to public records,” said Butler. “The Library has claimed our requests are invalid because of how they were submitted—not because of what we asked for.”

The dispute revolves around the interpretation of who qualifies as a proper requester under Virginia FOIA law, which grants access to public records to citizens of the Commonwealth. Samuels Library maintains that only individuals—not government entities—can file such requests. County officials counter that the law should be interpreted broadly and point to the fact that the request bore a clear, individual signature.

Further complicating matters is the library’s estimated cost to fulfill the FOIA request. The library reportedly issued a $10,000 estimate, citing a labor rate of $100 per hour over 100 hours. The Board argues this figure far exceeds reasonable expectations and contradicts the principles laid out in state law.

Virginia FOIA statutes require that fees charged for fulfilling records requests reflect only the actual cost and that requests be honored at the “lowest possible cost.” The Board’s press release calls the high-cost estimate a deterrent rather than a practical calculation.

“The $100-per-hour rate appears designed to discourage legitimate inquiry,” the statement reads. “This approach undermines the intent of Virginia’s FOIA law, which explicitly promotes government transparency.”

To resolve the dispute, the Board has submitted a formal request for an advisory opinion from the Virginia FOIA Council, the state body that provides guidance on open records law. The opinion, while not legally binding, is intended to clarify proper procedures and interpretations of FOIA rules.

At the heart of the disagreement is a broader debate over transparency, accountability, and the relationship between the library and the County government. The Board contends that the library’s actions contradict its own public statements promoting openness. The press release highlights a core provision of Virginia’s FOIA law—Virginia Code § 2.2-3700—which states that FOIA “shall be liberally construed to promote an increased awareness by all persons of governmental activities.”

“This foundational principle… stands in direct contradiction to the Library’s highly restrictive interpretation,” the Board stated. “Instead of promoting access as the law requires, they have chosen the most restrictive possible reading of who qualifies as a requester and coupled it with prohibitive fees.”

Supervisor Cheryl Cullers did not sign the statement and has not publicly commented on the matter as of press time.

The situation adds a new layer of tension to ongoing public discussions surrounding Samuels Library, which has recently been the focus of political, budgetary, and policy debates. The outcome of the FOIA Council’s opinion could shape how public institutions across the state handle records requests moving forward—especially those involving disputes between local government bodies and quasi-independent agencies.