FOIA Request to Village of Thebes regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
Southern Illinois News has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Village of Thebes. The request, dated February 1, 2026, seeks access to the village’s vendor payment register for the immediately preceding calendar month. This request is made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, and aims to gather information that holds public interest for dissemination.
The specific records requested include the names of vendors paid by the city, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased. Southern Illinois News emphasizes that this request is limited to existing records and does not necessitate the creation of new documents. They have also expressed a preference for receiving these records in electronic format if available.
In their request, Southern Illinois News highlights their role as a media organization committed to holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency. They have requested a fee waiver based on their status as a member of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.
Additionally, it is noted that Southern Illinois News is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests. More information about this coalition can be found on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
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.
