Will the public learn what was said in the March 20 Augusta supervisors meeting?

Lyra Bordelon, Staunton News Leader
·3 min read

VERONA – Former Augusta County Supervisor Steven Morelli resigned on March 20. This post is an archive of The News Leader's initial coverage of the meeting and the fallout that has emerged since.

The Stories

Part one – Steve Morelli resigns from Augusta County Board of Supervisors, but questions linger

South River supervisor Steven Morelli submitted his resignation from the Augusta County Board of Supervisors on March 20 ending a tenure that began in 2020. The board entered a closed session before announcing his resignation.

Part two – Closed session antics, including secret recordings, happen across the state

After the supervisors begin talking about the closed session possibly being recorded, The News Leader looked at closed sessions and secret recordings in meeting across Virginia.

Part three – Augusta County Board of Supervisors demands Scott Seaton hand over closed session recordings

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution to assert its rights to the possession, custody and control to the closed session recordings taken by Wayne District supervisor Scott Seaton.

Part four – Augusta County Board of Supervisors censures Scott Seaton

The supervisors censure Seaton for recording closed sessions without telling the rest of the board. He was removed from the boards and commissions he was serving on, including the Staunton Augusta Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Community Action Partnership of Staunton, Augusta, and Waynesboro.

Part five – Crisis Receiving? After harmonious votes, Board splits, public voices its distrust

Seaton gives the county a copy of the closed session recordings during the Aug. 9 supervisors meeting. He also moves for the board to create its own closed session recordings, but the motion is defeated.

Part six – Augusta County Board of Supervisors rejects Seaton's bid to be reinstated

After being re-elected in November, Seaton moved to be reinstated on the boards and commissions on Dec. 13. The motion is rejected.

Part seven – New rules of order adopted by Augusta Board of Supervisors

The supervisors institute a rule against closed session recordings on Jan. 3. Violations could result in disciplinary action, according to the discussion, but the specifics were not provided.

Part eight – Augusta supervisors must provide closed session recordings

Like The News Leader’s failed FOIA request for the closed session meeting, the Augusta Free Press and Breaking Through News were unable to get a copy of the recording. The other outlets took legal against the county in Augusta County General District Court. Both cases were rejected in general district court, but on Jan. 19, Breaking Through New’s Augusta County Circuit Court appeal turned the decision around. In his opinion, Judge Thomas Wilson IV wrote “The county will be ordered to provide the tape or recording of the portion of the March 20 closed session involving Morelli to petitioners.”

Part nine – Augusta Supervisors to appeal impending FOIA civil lawsuit order on closed session recording

The supervisors vote to appeal Wilson’s decision in the circuit court.

Part 10 – Seaton highlights costs of Augusta County supervisors FOIA lawsuit, attempts to stop appeal

The board rejected Seaton’s attempt to abandon the appeal and Seaton highlights the cost of the lawsuit in the Feb. 13 supervisors meeting.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Will the public learn what was said in the March 20 Augusta supervisors meeting?