Metro East Sun

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Metro East Sun, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. The request was sent to Madison County, Illinois, seeking access to specific public records. The records requested pertain to vendor payment registers maintained by the county for the period from January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025.

The FOIA request seeks detailed information about the county's financial transactions with vendors during this timeframe. Specifically, it requests records that include the names of vendors paid by the county, the dates and amounts of these payments, and descriptions of the goods or services purchased. The request emphasizes that it applies only to existing records and does not require the creation of new documents. Additionally, Metro East Sun has requested that these records be provided in electronic format if available.

Metro East Sun has also indicated its role as a member of The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization based in Missouri. This coalition assists media companies and public advocacy groups in investigating state and federal governmental agencies using Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. For more information about this organization, visit their website at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

In related context, Madison County had an average student-to-teacher ratio of 15-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year. The county's schools enrolled 37,967 students with 2,502 full-time faculty members.

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.