FOIA Request to City of Countryside regarding new contracts or amendments on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by West Cook News to the City of Countryside, Illinois, seeking records related to new contracts and amendments executed, approved, or effective during the previous calendar month. The request was made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format.
The specific records requested include details such as contract or amendment titles, names of contracting parties, effective and approval dates, contract amounts or amended values, and descriptions of goods or services covered. The purpose of this request is to gather information of public interest for dissemination to the public. The requester emphasized that the request is limited to existing records and does not require creating new documents.
In case any part of the request is denied or withheld, West Cook News has asked for a specific statutory basis for denial and requested that all reasonably segregable portions be released. As members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency, they have also requested a fee waiver.
West Cook News is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found on their website here.
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.
