FOIA Request to Effingham County regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
On February 1, 2026, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Effingham County, Illinois. The request, sent by East Central Reporter, seeks access to the county’s vendor payment register for the immediately preceding calendar month. This request is made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140.
The records requested include detailed information about payments made by the county. Specifically, the request asks for the names of vendors paid by the county, dates and amounts of these payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased. The intention behind this request is to gather information that serves public interest and aids in disseminating it to the public.
East Central Reporter has expressed a preference for receiving these records in electronic format if available. Additionally, they have requested a fee waiver based on their role as a media organization committed to holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency.
The requester is 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 on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
Effingham County’s educational system boasts an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year, with a total enrollment of 4,915 students and 358 full-time faculty members across its schools.
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.
