A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Sparta, Illinois on October 30, 2024. The request was made by SW Illinois News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request specifically asked for a list of all new residential and commercial building permits issued from January 1, 2023, until the date of the request. The requested information includes the type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester's name, address, and contractor's name.
In addition to this, SW Illinois News also requested a list of all active residential and commercial building permits along with their current status. The same fields as mentioned above were requested for these active permits as well.
SW Illinois News emphasized that access to public records is essential for them to fulfill their professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. They believe they are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional due to their role in disseminating information.
As of now, there has been no response from the City of Sparta regarding this FOIA request. It remains to be seen how they will respond and what impact this could have on the ongoing coverage by SW Illinois News.
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