Gretna identifies Michael G. Turner as FOIA officer; appointment and training records remain in question

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The Town says a verbal appointment was confirmed by Council September 23. The underlying motion and qualifying training documentation have not been independently verified.

1 minute read · Gretna Junction Research Desk

AI-assisted · Last verified September 20 sources; correspondence update September 26, 2026 · Public preview of a paid feature

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Reviewed September 26, 2026.

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At a glance

Turner’s September 23 letter identifies him as Town Attorney and FOIA officer. It says Town Manager Bill Gillespie appointed him verbally and Council confirmed the appointment by motion that day. The current Town homepage links a FOIA Policy PDF. The statement establishes the Town’s position; it is not independent verification of the motion or its legal authority.
Virginia Code §2.2-3704.2 requires recurring training within each consecutive two-calendar-year period. Legal counsel serving as FOIA officer must complete Council-offered or Council-approved training, documented as required. Turner refers to legal seminars, but the reviewed letters do not supply dates, completion records or Council approval. The statute does not itself require a written appointment, so “verbal” alone does not prove invalidity.

In this story

September 26 update: what changed

Turner’s September 23 letter identifies him as Town Attorney and FOIA officer. It says Town Manager Bill Gillespie appointed him verbally and Council confirmed the appointment by motion that day.

The current Town homepage links a FOIA Policy PDF. The statement establishes the Town’s position; it is not independent verification of the motion or its legal authority.

Virginia Code §2.2-3704.2 requires recurring training within each consecutive two-calendar-year period. Legal counsel serving as FOIA officer must complete Council-offered or Council-approved training, documented as required.

Turner refers to legal seminars, but the reviewed letters do not supply dates, completion records or Council approval. The statute does not itself require a written appointment, so “verbal” alone does not prove invalidity.

September 20 snapshot: The public record at this stage

Virginia Code § 2.2-3704.2 requires local public bodies to designate and publicly identify one or more FOIA officers in a way reasonably calculated to notify the public. The law also requires training at least once every two calendar years.

This is the public introduction to part 12 of The Gretna Water Files. The complete analysis, document checklist and next-record questions are included in the paid series; essential safety notices and official contact links remain outside the paywall.

Sources & verification

Code of Virginia § 2.2-3704.2

Current requirement for public bodies to designate and publicly identify one or more FOIA officers; checked September 20, 2026.

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Gretna Junction request for response — September 20, 2026

Questions sent to Town management about the FOIA process, delivery practice, estimate, sampling and grant history. A response was requested by September 22.

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Town responses, laboratory report and correspondence through September 24

Original Town documents with private details redacted; 14 email transcripts with duplicate quotations omitted. Read each author’s claims as attributed statements.

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