People-powered news on your local government.

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.

We’re building a new public record

Your elected officials are making big decisions. Keep tabs with original notes, live-tweet threads and multimedia reports from Documenters in your area—updated daily

Chicago

Criminal Justice
Oct. 17, 2024

The Board has been hamstrung by the long, drawn-out litigation over the issue of if and how arbitration will be offered to police officers accused of misconduct. Most of the cases they would normally adjudicate, concerning serious charges of misconduct, are currently on hold whi

Chicago Police Board [remote or in-person] Police Board

Notetaking by

Daniel Wolk

Chicago

Politics
Oct. 9, 2024

Villegas announces the special session before the education committee is rescheduled for Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. Both the old CPS board and the new board have been invited to be there, though the mayor doesn't promise their presence.

Chicago City Council [remote or in-person] City Council

Live reporting by

Maureen Dunne

Chicago

Politics
Oct. 23, 2024

Mayor Brandon Johnson, in conjunction w/ a group of majority Black women alders, calls for the creation of the Mayor’s Task Force on Missing Women.

Chicago City Council [remote or in-person] Committee on Public Safety

Live reporting by

Morley Musick

Chicago

Criminal Justice
Oct. 21, 2024

After the regular meeting adjourned, the attendees continued with a community meeting on Restorative Justice Community Courts (RJCC). Margaret Kulujian, a community psychologist and Restorative Justice Community Court Coordinator, facilitated a discussion about the courts.

Chicago Police District Councils [remote or in person] 24th Police District Council - Rogers Park/West Ridge/Edgewater Glen

Notetaking by

Jennifer Bamberg

Chicago

Development
Oct. 8, 2024

Alders pass safer building roof design regulations to reinforce skylight and shaft openings in roofs

Chicago City Council [remote or in-person] Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards

Notetaking by

Susan Carlotta Ellis

Chicago

Utilities
Oct. 17, 2024

Harvey residents and non-residents expressed great concern and disdain about the storm water project that Chicago’s MWRD is helping with.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago [remote or in person] Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners

Live reporting by

Jennifer Guerrero

Chicago

Utilities
Oct. 17, 2024

Harvey residents and non-residents expressed great concern and disdain about the storm water project that Chicago’s MWRD is helping with.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago [remote or in person] Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners

Notetaking by

Monique Petty-Ashmeade

Chicago

Finance
Oct. 7, 2024

The committee reviewed the Archer Ave Corridor development as well as a proposed project to digitize and preserve city council audio recordings from 1970-2010 for public access.

Chicago City Council [remote or in-person] Committee on Budget and Government Operations

Live reporting by

Kevin Pearson

Chicago

Finance
Oct. 7, 2024

The committee reviewed the Archer Ave Corridor development as well as a proposed project to digitize and preserve city council audio recordings from 1970-2010 for public access.

Chicago City Council [remote or in-person] Committee on Budget and Government Operations

Notetaking by

Jerry Winn

Chicago

Development
Oct. 8, 2024

DPD is requesting approval to expand the Diversey/ Chicago River TIF boundaries to incorporate the remaining portion of the Lathrop Homes housing development. Lathrop Homes is one of Chicago's earliest public housing developments.

Chicago Community Development Commission [remote or in-person] Community Development Commission

Live reporting by

Ayesha Riaz

See all of our public meeting reports →

What our network is saying

Get involved in our community of practice.

A unique civic education

“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.”

Picture of Susan Carlotta Ellis Susan Carlotta Ellis

Find upcoming workshops

Community reporting

“In almost every case for a meeting that I’ve covered, I’ve been the only person connected to the media that has been in the room.”

Picture of David Palmer David Palmer

View public meeting schedules

Local connections

“I've learned from other Documenters… I’ve learned skills that helped me to not just be a better citizen but also inform the type of work that I want to do.”

Picture of Isabel Sophia Dieppa Isabel Sophia Dieppa

Become a Documenter

About this project

Journalists

How our public meeting coverage supports local reporting.

Organizers

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

Educators

How our training modules build civic knowledge and action.

Curious Citizens

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