FOIA Request to Lenoir County regarding vendor payment register on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Lenoir County, North Carolina, by Old North News on February 1, 2026. The request seeks access to the county’s vendor payment register for the preceding calendar month. This request is made under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1.
The records requested include detailed information about payments made by the county. Specifically, Old North News has asked for the names of vendors paid by the county, the dates and amounts of these payments, and descriptions of the goods or services purchased. The purpose of this request is to gather information that is in the public interest and to disseminate it to the public.
Old North News emphasizes that this request is limited to existing records and does not require Lenoir County to create new documents. If any part of this request is denied or withheld, they have asked for a specific statutory basis for such denial and for all reasonably segregable portions of the records to be released. The organization has expressed a preference for receiving these records in electronic format if available.
As a media organization committed to transparency and accountability in governmental affairs, Old North News believes it qualifies for a fee waiver due to its role in gathering and reporting news. They are affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests.
Of note, Lenoir County school districts reported that out of 496 senior students taking the science portion of the ACT during the 2022-23 school year, only 47 students (9.5%) were considered ready for college.
We look forward to receiving this information in an electronic format as it will greatly aid in our reporting efforts. As always, we remain open for any questions or clarifications regarding this request.
