FOIA Request to Town of Fairmont regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
On February 1, 2026, Old North News submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Town of Fairmont in North Carolina. The request seeks access to the city’s vendor payment register for the immediately preceding calendar month. The information requested includes the names of vendors paid by the city, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased.
The request was made under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1., with a preference for receiving the records in electronic format. The purpose of this request is to gather information of public interest for dissemination to the public. Old North News emphasized that they are not asking for new documents to be created but only for existing records.
In their communication, Old North News highlighted their role as a media organization committed to holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency. They also mentioned their affiliation with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws.
Old North News has requested a fee waiver based on their status as a media professional involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. They have asked that if any part of the request is denied or withheld, specific statutory reasons should be provided along with all reasonably segregable portions of the records.
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.
