A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Aledo, Illinois, on October 30, 2024. The request, made by us at Rock Island Today, sought comprehensive details about both new and active residential and commercial building permits issued in the city from January 1, 2023.
In our pursuit of transparent and accountable local governance reporting, we asked for a list of all new residential and commercial building permits issued within this period. The specific fields requested included the type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester's name, address of the property under permit, and contractor's name.
Simultaneously, we also requested information on all active residential and commercial building permits during the same timeframe. We sought similar details as with the new permits but added a request for their current status.
As a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs, access to such public records is crucial. This information aids us in holding public institutions accountable and offering transparency to our readership.
We have also appealed for a fee waiver for this request based on our role as a media organization disseminating important information to the public. As always, we remain committed to delivering accurate and timely reports that shed light on matters of public interest.
The City of Aledo has yet to respond to our FOIA request.