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

Development
March 11, 2025

PBC approved the acquisition of Carter Consulting LLC and the appointment of RADA Architects for a senior center project. The City Colleges of Chicago's $17 million undertaking for Malcolm X College was also approved.

Public Building Commission of Chicago [In Person] Public Build Commission Board Meeting

Notetaking by

Anne d'Aquino

Chicago


March 8, 2025

Police District Council members articulated common challenges they face, including: insufficient police interaction with community members, slow police response times, police understaffing and turnover, and difficulties attending roll calls.

Chicago


March 8, 2025

Police District Council members articulated common challenges they face, including: insufficient police interaction with community members, slow police response times, police understaffing and turnover, and difficulties attending roll calls.

Chicago

Development
March 11, 2025

PBC approved the acquisition of Carter Consulting LLC and the appointment of RADA Architects for a senior center project. The City Colleges of Chicago's $17 million undertaking for Malcolm X College was also approved.

Public Building Commission of Chicago [In Person] Public Build Commission Board Meeting

Live reporting by

Angela Arias Zapata

Chicago

Politics
March 12, 2025

City Council voted 34-15 to approve a $280,000 settlement for youth organizer Miracle Boyd, who was injured by a police officer during a 2020 protest in Grant Park. 5th Ward Ald. Ray Lopez’s proposal to ban the sale of all new fur products failed by a 19-26 vote.

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

Live reporting by

Pachina Fletcher

Chicago

Politics
March 12, 2025

City Council voted 34-15 to approve a $280,000 settlement for youth organizer Miracle Boyd, who was injured by a police officer during a 2020 protest in Grant Park. 5th Ward Ald. Ray Lopez’s proposal to ban the sale of all new fur products failed by a 19-26 vote.

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

Notetaking by

Bailey Hosfelt

Chicago

Politics
March 6, 2025

Committee members approved a tax incentive for the rehabilitation of the Congress Theater, a historic landmark, as part of a larger redevelopment agreement including $27 million in TIF funds.

Chicago

Housing
March 5, 2025

The committee passed an amendment for the sale of nine lots on the 3200 and 3300 blocks of West Walnut Street under the City Lots for Working Families program. The committee approved the sale of another nine lots to Firebird Community Arts Support Corporation.

Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Committee on Housing and Real Estate

Notetaking by

Sheila Lewis

Chicago

Utilities
March 6, 2025

Commissioner's discussed maintaining current water treatment standards despite changes at the federal level.

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

Live reporting by

William Lu

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“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.”

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