FOIA Request to Watauga County regarding vendor payment registers on January 15, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by High Country Times to Watauga County, North Carolina, seeking access to vendor payment registers for the year 2024. The request aims to obtain records that include the names of vendors paid by the county, 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 information in electronic format.
The High Country Times is a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. Access to these public records is considered essential for their reporting efforts, as it aids in holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website here.
In related educational news from Watauga County, out of 335 senior students taking the science portion of the ACT in local school districts during the 2022-23 school year, 121 students (36.1%) were deemed 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.
