FOIA Request to Village of Forest View regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Village of Forest View on February 1, 2026, by West Cook News. The request seeks access to the village’s vendor payment register for the immediately preceding calendar month. The information requested includes the names of vendors paid by the city, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased.
The request emphasizes that it is limited to records that currently exist and does not require the creation of new documents. It also asks for any denied portions to be accompanied by a specific statutory basis for denial while releasing all reasonably segregable portions of the records. The requester has expressed a preference for receiving these records in electronic format if available.
As members of the media, West Cook News is involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, aiming to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency. The organization has requested a fee waiver based on their role in disseminating information. Additionally, they are affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit corporation that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests.
We look forward to receiving this information in an electronic format as it will greatly aid in our reporting efforts. As always, we remain open for any questions or clarifications regarding this request.
