FOIA Request to Jackson County regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Jackson County, Illinois, seeking access to the county’s vendor payment register for the preceding calendar month. The request was made by Prairie State Wire, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The requested records include detailed information about payments made by the county to vendors. Specifically, the request seeks:
– Names of vendors paid by the county
– Dates and amounts of payments
– Descriptions of goods or services purchased
The purpose of this request is to gather information of public interest for dissemination to the public. It is emphasized that the request is limited to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents. Prairie State Wire has expressed a preference for receiving these records in electronic format if available.
In accordance with FOIA guidelines, should any portion of this request be denied or withheld, Prairie State Wire has asked for a specific statutory basis for such denial and requests that all reasonably segregable portions of the records be released. Additionally, as a member of the media involved in gathering and reporting news, Prairie State Wire has requested a fee waiver due to its role in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found on their website.
Jackson County serves as an educational hub with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 13-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year. The county had 6,516 students enrolled across its schools with 514 full-time faculty members.
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.
