Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Purpose

The Freedom of Information Act "FOIA" (Illinois General Assembly – 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.) allows the public to request copies or the inspection of public records. 

The records being sought may already be accessible on this website or on the individual department’s webpage. 

If the property or matter for which records are being sought is located within a municipality, please contact the municipality directly to obtain records. Visit the Lake County Municipality Directory

The Freedom of Information Act typically requires public bodies to respond or deny to FOIA requests within five business days. The time for a response can be extended an additional five business days, as allowed under the law: 5 ILCS 140/3(e)

For information regarding court-related public records, please visit the 19th Judicial Circuit’s website


How to Submit a Request 

Each department responds to its own FOIA requests. Please directly contact the department that maintains the records you are interested in. 

1. Review the FOIA Records List to determine the department that maintains the sought records.

2. Submit a FOIA Request using this online portal.  

3. Please be as specific as possible when describing the records being sought. If you choose to not use the online portal (see the department addresses below), include your contact information, whether the request is for commercial purposes, and whether the request is for electronic records, copies of the records, or for inspection of the records. See Copy Fees below. 

4. Please be advised that the Freedom of Information Act is designed to allow you to inspect or receive copies of records. It is not designed to require a public body to answer questions. To the extent that you wish to ask questions of Lake County, please contact the appropriate department directly. 


Copy Fees

  • First 50 pages are free (black & white)
  • $0.15 per page thereafter (black & white) unless a different fee is otherwise fixed by statute. 
  • Actual costs of copying for color copies 

Electronic records can be requested and will be provided, as allowed under the law.

You are permitted to request a waiver of copying fees. To do so you must attach a statement explaining why your request for information is in the public’s – and not simply the requester’s – interest and merits a fee waiver. FOIA requests are considered in the public interest “if the principal purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety and welfare or the legal rights of the general public and is not for the principal purpose of personal or commercial benefit.” 5 ILCS 140/6(c).


FOIA Officer Directory

DepartmentFOIA  Information
Chief County Assessment OfficeLaura Dickens
Address: Chief County Assessment Office, 18 North County Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
CoronerKarina Casillas
Address: 26 North Martin Luther King Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085
County AdministratorElizabeth Brandon
Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
County Board OfficeElizabeth Brandon
Address: 18 North County Street, 10th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
County ClerkKaren Brush
Address: 18 North County Street, Room 101, Waukegan, IL 60085
County Clerk Recording Division
Michelle McPherson
Address: 18 North County Street, 6th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
Emergency Management AgencyDaniel Eder
Address: 1303 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048
Emergency Telephone System BoardSteven Winnecke
Address: 1300 South Gilmer Road, Volo, IL 60073
Enterprise Information Technology
Charles Lester
Address: 18 North County Street, 8th Floor,
Waukegan, IL 60085
Facilities and Construction ServicesJeremiah Varco
Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
Finance DepartmentYvette Albarran
Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
Health DepartmentJerry Nordstrom
Address: 3010 Grand Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois 60085
Human ResourcesJohn Light
Address: 18 North County Street, 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
Planning, Building and DevelopmentDebra Geder
Address: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
Community Development DivisionMichele Slav
Address: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
Public WorksJoel Sensenig
Address: 650 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
Purchasing DivisionYvette Albarran
Address: 18 North County Street, 9th Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
Regional Office of EducationMeg Weekley
Address: 300 Center Drive, Suite 100, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Sheriff's OfficeChristy Berkquist

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-4000
Fax: 847-984-5974
Mail: 25 South Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085
Jail

Adalicia Lopez

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-4000
Fax: 847-360-5763
Mail: 20 S. County Street, Waukegan, IL 60085
Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)Merleanne Rampale
Address: 1311 North Estes Street, Gurnee, IL 60031
State's Attorney's OfficeNicole Farrow
Address: 18 North County Street, 3rd Floor, Waukegan, IL 60085
Stormwater Management CommissionDarcy McNeill
Address: 500 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
Division of TransportationAlex Carr
Address: 600 West Winchester Road, Libertyville, IL 60048
Treasurer's OfficeMarina Zdravkovic
Address: 18 North County Street, Room 102, Waukegan, IL 60085
Veteran's AssistanceAndrew Tangen

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 847-377-3344
Mail: 501 North IL Route 21, Gurnee, IL 60031
Workforce DevelopmentEva Locke
Address: 1 North Genesee Street, Waukegan, IL 60085