A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Trenton, Illinois, on October 30, 2024. The request, issued by South Central Reporter, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought detailed information about both new and active residential and commercial building permits.
The requested records include all new residential and commercial building permits issued from January 1, 2023, up until the present date. The specific fields requested for these permits include the type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester's name, address where the permit is applied for, and the contractor's name.
In addition to this information about new permits, South Central Reporter also requested data on all currently active residential and commercial building permits along with their status. The same details as those asked for in the new permits were also requested for these active ones.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, South Central Reporter stressed that access to public records is essential for fulfilling its professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given its role in disseminating information to the public, South Central Reporter believes it is eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
The City of Trenton has yet to respond publicly regarding this FOIA request.
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