FOIA Request to Kankakee County regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
On February 1, 2026, Prairie State Wire, a media organization dedicated to covering local governmental affairs, submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Kankakee County in Illinois. The request seeks access to the county’s vendor payment register for the preceding calendar month. This includes detailed records of payments made by the county to vendors, specifying the names of vendors, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased.
The request emphasizes that it is limited to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents. Prairie State Wire has requested these records in electronic format if available. Additionally, they have asked for a fee waiver based on their role as a media organization committed to transparency and accountability in public institutions.
Prairie State Wire is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating government agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website here.
The average student-to-teacher ratio in Kankakee County was 14-to-1 in the 2022-23 school year, with 16,093 students enrolled and 1,118 full-time faculty members across the county’s schools.
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.
