FOIA Request to City of Macomb regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Prairie State Wire to the City of Macomb on February 1, 2026. The request seeks access to the city’s vendor payment register for the preceding calendar month. The information requested includes the names of vendors paid by the city, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased.
The request is made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, and emphasizes a preference for receiving the records in electronic format. Prairie State Wire, a media organization dedicated to covering local governmental affairs, aims to gather this information for public dissemination. The request specifies that it pertains only to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents.
In case any part of the request is denied or withheld, Prairie State Wire has asked for an explanation citing specific statutory reasons for such denial. They also seek a fee waiver as members of the media due to their role in gathering and reporting news, which includes holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization based in Missouri that supports media companies and advocacy groups in investigating government actions through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website 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.
