A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Dekalb County on September 26, 2024. The request, sent by DeKalb Times, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought detailed information about the county's vendor payments.
Specifically, we at DeKalb Times requested a list of all payments made to vendors from January 1, 2024, through September 26, 2024. We asked for specific fields to be included in this list such as the name of the vendor, the date of the transaction, a description of the transaction, and the amount paid.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We are awaiting a response from Dekalb County regarding our request. We remain committed to providing comprehensive coverage of local government affairs and will continue seeking transparency in all matters related to public spending.