FOIA Request to City of Des Plaines regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
The Prairie State Wire, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the City of Des Plaines. The request, sent on February 1, 2026, seeks access to the city’s vendor payment register for the immediately preceding calendar month.
The records requested include the names of vendors paid by the city, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased. This information is sought for public interest purposes and is intended for dissemination to the public. The request specifies that it pertains only to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents.
In accordance with Illinois’ FOIA regulations under 5 ILCS 140, Prairie State Wire has requested that any denied or withheld portions be accompanied by a specific statutory basis for denial. Additionally, they have expressed willingness to receive the records in electronic format if available.
As members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news, Prairie State Wire emphasizes that access to public records is crucial for fulfilling their professional responsibilities. They argue that this role in disseminating information qualifies them for a fee waiver as media professionals.
The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
