FOIA Request to Surf City regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Surf City, North Carolina, seeking access to the city’s vendor payment register for the preceding calendar month. The request was made under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1., and aims to obtain records in an electronic format if available.
The request specifically asks for details about payments made by the city to vendors during the specified month. This includes the names of vendors paid by the city, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased. The information is sought for public interest purposes and is intended for dissemination to the public.
The requester emphasized that this inquiry is limited to existing records and does not necessitate creating new documents. Additionally, if any part of the request is denied or withheld, a specific statutory basis for such denial should be provided along with all reasonably segregable portions of the records.
As a member of Old North News and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization focused on transparency in government actions, we seek this information as part of our professional responsibility to hold public institutions accountable. We have also requested a fee waiver based on our role in media reporting.
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.
