Sangamon Sun

FOIA Request to Sangamon County regarding vendor payment registers on November 10, 2025.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Sangamon County, Illinois, on November 10, 2025. The request was made by a representative from the Sangamon Sun, a media organization focused on delivering comprehensive news coverage of local governmental affairs. The request seeks access to existing vendor payment registers maintained by the county for the period from January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025.

The records requested include detailed information such as the names of vendors paid by the county, dates and amounts of payments made, and descriptions of goods or services purchased. The requester has specified that this request applies only to documents that already exist and has asked for these records in electronic format if available.

In making this request, the Sangamon Sun representative emphasized their role in gathering and reporting news to the public. They highlighted the importance of access to public records in fulfilling their professional responsibilities of holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency. Additionally, they have requested a fee waiver based on their status as a media professional.

The requester is also affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

Sangamon County is home to approximately 26,582 students enrolled across its schools with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year. This context underscores the significance of transparency in governmental financial transactions affecting community resources.

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.