A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Sesser City Council regarding detailed information about its council members on October 15, 2024. The request was made by North Egypt News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The requested records include a list of all council members with specific fields such as their names, titles, years of appointment, term lengths (2 or 4 years), and term expiry dates. These details were sought under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, preferably in an electronic format.
As a media organization, we at North Egypt News are involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
We believe that given our role in disseminating information, we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional. We await a positive response from the Sesser City Council regarding this request.
