A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Jacksonville, Illinois on October 30, 2024. The request, made by West Central Reporter, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought detailed information about both new and active residential and commercial building permits.
Specifically, the FOIA request asked for a list of all new residential and commercial building permits issued from January 1, 2023 till the date of the request. The requested details included the type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester's name, address where the permit is applicable and contractor's name.
In addition to this, West Central Reporter 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.
The purpose behind this request is to provide transparency to the public about local construction activities and hold public institutions accountable. As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, West Central Reporter believes that access to such public records is essential in fulfilling its professional responsibilities.
West Central Reporter has also asked for a fee waiver as a media professional while making this FOIA request.
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