We are residents seeking a clearer picture of how our city is governed. We request public records through the channels the law provides, and we publish what we receive — intact, unedited, and open to every member of the community.
We rely on documents obtained under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) and other public sources. What we can't verify, we don't publish.
Every record is shared exactly as the city produced it — complete, in context, including any redactions the city applied. Nothing is trimmed to fit a narrative.
Officials, employees, and residents all read the same documents here. There is no membership, no paywall, and no private version of the record.
A running docket of our requests and the records that come back. Each entry links to the full documents as they are received.
FOIA request to the City of Mascoutah for standard operating guidelines and their history, ISO/PPC classification records, governance and meeting records, personnel policies, staffing and training records.
Additional requests will be docketed here as they are filed. Records received will be posted in full.
Good government depends on an informed public, and an informed public depends on access to the record. Illinois law declares that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government. This site is simply that principle, practiced locally.
We are not affiliated with the City of Mascoutah or any of its departments. We hold no position other than this: the community is entitled to see its own records, and conclusions should be drawn from documents, not speculation. Where the record reflects well on the city, we will publish that too.
Public access to government records is not a favor — it is codified at every level of government. These are the authorities that govern the records published here.
The statute that governs records of Illinois cities, including Mascoutah. It declares that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government, requires a response within 5 business days, and lets any person — or group — request records without stating a reason. Denials may be appealed at no cost to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor. See also the Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120), which keeps city council and board meetings, agendas, and minutes public.
The City implements the state Act through its own published procedures: written requests are submitted to the City Clerk (3 West Main Street, Mascoutah, IL 62258), the first 50 pages are free, and the City posts its FOIA rules, organizational chart, and directory of offices online.
The federal FOIA applies to federal agencies, not to city or state records — but it established the principle, in force since 1967, that citizens may inspect the records of their government. Requests involving federal agencies (for example, records held by federal regulators) would proceed under this statute.
Questions, corrections, and relevant public documents are welcome. If you believe anything published here is inaccurate or incomplete, tell us — corrections are made promptly and noted on the record.