FOIA Request to Village of Bethany regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Village of Bethany on February 1, 2026, by Prairie State Wire. The request seeks access to the village’s vendor payment register for the immediately 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 emphasizes that it is intended for gathering information of public interest for dissemination purposes. It specifies that only existing records are sought and does not require the creation of new documents. Furthermore, if any part of the request is denied or withheld, a specific statutory basis for such denial is requested along with all reasonably segregable portions of the records.
Prairie State Wire has requested these records in electronic format if available and has also sought a fee waiver due to its role as a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to hold public institutions accountable. The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, which assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws.
We look forward to receiving this information in an electronic format as it will greatly aid in our reporting efforts. As always, we remain open for any questions or clarifications regarding this request.
