A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Hamilton on October 30, 2024. The request was made by us at West Central Reporter, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request seeks records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. Specifically, we requested a list of all new residential and commercial building permits issued from January 1, 2023, until the present date. The information sought includes the type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester's name, address and contractor's name.
In addition to this, we also requested a list of all active residential and commercial building permits along with their current status. The same details as mentioned above were asked for these active permits.
As a media organization committed to public service journalism, we believe that access to public records is essential in fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information to the public, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We await the City of Hamilton's response and will continue our efforts in bringing transparency and accountability to local government affairs.
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