Web site visits
OPENGOVVA.ORG had more than 10,000 unique visits in the last 90 days of 2002. One in five was a repeat visitor each month. Non-U.S. "hits" averaged 3-4 per cent.

Heaviest usage occurs on the home page, the FOI-opinion search pages, roundups of legislative activity and our overview of the FOI Act.

Membership report
Thirty-eight new members joined the Coalition in 2001-02. Ten additional members signed up in the early months of 2002-03.

McMasters to speak in Norfolk
Paul McMasters will speak at the annual Virginia Associated Press luncheon in Norfolk on March 7.

McMasters was elected president of the Coalition at our November meeting and succeeds our founding president, Robert M. O'Neil (related story).

McMasters is First Amendment Ombudsman with the Freedom Forum, based in Arlington.

VCOG board will expand
The Coalition's board of directors voted in November to add four seats for public members. Nominees will be presented to the membership at the Coalition's 2003 annual meeting.

The Coalition board currently has 19 members, including 9 at-large seats for public representatives. Bylaws provide that 10 seats are reserved for press and broadcast representatives

Thank you!
Access 2002, our annual conference, was made possible by a number of generous underwriters.

This year's major sponsors were McGuireWoods Consulting, Media General and the Virginia chapter/Society of Professional Journalists.

Other underwriters were The Associated Press; Christian and Barton; Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore; Hefty & Wiley; Hunton & Williams; NBC12, Richmond; Virginia Library Association; Virginia Press Association; Virginia Association of Broadcasters and Virginia Press Women.

Thanks also to the municipal league, the Virginia Association of Counties, the State Compensation Board and the Virginia Library Association for members' mailing labels that helped us get the word out.
2003 calendar

Our 2003 conference will be Nov. 14. Check our Web site for details.

Board meetings will be March 6, Norfolk; June 26, Virginia Beach and Nov. 13, site TBA. More information is at the Web site.

The budget
A $77,180 budget has been authorized for VCOG operations in 2002-03, compared with actual expenditures of $76,156 in the previous year.

Two-thirds of our income is from tax-deductible dues; the remainder is from grants, gifts and miscellaneous sources.

Two-thirds of VCOG expenses are in salaries and benefits (we have two part-time positions); other expenses include newsletters, Web site hosting and the annual conference.