FOIA Request to Watauga County regarding new contracts or amendments on February 1, 2026.
A request for public records was submitted to Watauga County by High Country Times, a media organization dedicated to delivering comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. The request was made under the North Carolina Public Records Law, G.S. §132-1., and seeks access to records of new contracts and any amendments to existing contracts that were executed, approved, or became effective during the immediately preceding calendar month.
The specific details requested include the title of the contract or amendment, names of contracting parties, effective and approval dates, contract amounts or amended values, and descriptions of the goods or services covered. The request emphasizes that it seeks existing records only and does not require the creation of new documents.
High Country Times has expressed a preference for receiving these records in electronic format if available. Additionally, they have requested that if any portion of this request is denied or withheld, Watauga County should provide the specific statutory basis for such denial while releasing all reasonably segregable portions of the records.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
In related educational news from Watauga County school districts, it was reported that out of 335 senior students taking the science portion of the ACT in the 2022-23 school year, 121 students (36.1%) 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.
