FOIA Request to Avery County regarding vendor payment registers on January 15, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Old North News to Avery County, North Carolina, seeking access to specific public records. The request was made under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. ยง132-1., and aims to obtain copies of existing vendor payment registers maintained by the county for the period from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.
The requested records should include detailed information such as the names of vendors paid by the county, dates and amounts of payments made, and descriptions of goods or services purchased. This information is sought in an electronic format to facilitate efficient analysis and reporting.
Old North News is a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. The organization emphasizes its role in holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public. In line with this mission, Old North News has requested a fee waiver for accessing these records due to their status as a media entity.
The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More details about this coalition can be found on their website at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
Of note in Avery County’s educational landscape is that out of 117 senior students taking the science portion of the ACT in local school districts during the 2022-23 school year, only 28 students (23.9%) were considered ready for college.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
