City Bureau’s Documenters Network: People-powered news and information

We’re putting every public meeting on the record in

Who we are

A network of newsrooms and community organizations committed to participatory civic media.

What we do

We train and pay hundreds of people to attend under-reported public meetings and publish the results.

The Future is Informed

Your elected officials are making big decisions. Keep tabs with regular notes, real-time social media updates, and multimedia reports from Documenters in your area. Together, we’re building a new public record.

Chicago

Finance
Nov. 13, 2025

Under the proposed 2026 budget, Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) would receive additional funding for overtime, which officials said was necessary as relinquishments are increasing and straining CACC’s resources. The coverage of this meeting includes the Department of Law.

Chicago

Housing
Dec. 3, 2025

The committee approved a land transfer to the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial for a memorial to those victimized under disgraced former police commander Jon Burge. It also okayed dissolving the Chicago Housing Trust (CHT) and incorporating it within the Department of Housing.

Chicago

Finance
Dec. 4, 2025

The committee approved three settlement orders, including a $15.4 million settlement for Robert Smith, a survivor of police torture under former commander Jon Burge, who spent 33 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted in 1990.

Chicago

Criminal Justice
Nov. 19, 2025

The 007 Police District Council met to discuss CCSPA nominations, community events, ICE sightings and Know Your Rights trainings.

Chicago

Finance
Nov. 10, 2025

The city paid over $3 million to Ernst & Young for an evaluation of cost-cutting and revenue-raising opportunities. This subject matter hearing allowed alders to further interrogate the consultants.

Chicago

Finance
Nov. 12, 2025

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, License Appeal Commission and Chicago Police Board presented their FY2026 budgets to the committee.

Chicago

Finance
Oct. 30, 2025

Leaders from the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Chicago Commission on Human Relations presented to the council. CDPH is facing a more than 50% budget reduction, mostly due to reduction in federal grant funding for things like vaccines and HIV prevention.
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“How are your tax dollars spent? What are your elected officials doing? Are they listening to you? What is the process? That, as a Documenter, is what you have to show people.”

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About City Bureau’s Documenters Network 

Journalists

How our public meeting coverage supports local reporting.

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How our public meeting coverage tracks policy trends and public input.

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How anyone can become a Documenter in one of our local programs.