FOIA Request to Van Buren County Regarding Vendor Payments on September 26, 2024.
In a bid to promote transparency and accountability in public institutions, we at Great Lakes Wire have sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Van Buren County. The request, which was made on September 26, 2024, seeks comprehensive details about all payments made to vendors within the county from January 1, 2024 till the date of the request.
Specifically, we requested for records containing information such as the vendor name, transaction date, transaction description and amount. This information is crucial in providing an accurate and comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs.
As a media organization committed to providing accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, access to these public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
We believe that our role in disseminating information qualifies us for a fee waiver as a media professional under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act § 15.231 et seq. We await a positive response from Van Buren County as we continue our work in ensuring transparency and accountability in public institutions.