FOIA Request to Village of Oak Lawn regarding new contracts or amendments on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Village of Oak Lawn by Prairie State Wire, a media organization focused on local governmental affairs. The request, sent on February 1, 2026, seeks access to records concerning new contracts and any amendments to existing contracts that were executed, approved, or became effective during the immediately preceding calendar month.
The requested information includes several specific details: the title of each contract or amendment, the names of contracting parties involved, effective and approval dates, contract amounts or amended values, and descriptions of the goods or services covered. The aim is to gather information for public dissemination and transparency.
Prairie State Wire has emphasized that this request is limited to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents. Should any part of the request be denied or withheld, they have asked for a specific statutory basis for such denial along with all reasonably segregable portions of the records. They also expressed willingness to receive the records in electronic format if available.
As members of the media involved in reporting news to the public, Prairie State Wire has requested a fee waiver due to their role in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency. The organization is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, which assists media companies in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests.
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.
