About

Shine the Light on Government

The government works best when the public is watching.

That’s not cynicism — it’s civics. The founders of this republic understood that elected officials and public institutions must be held accountable not just at the ballot box, but every day in between. Yet somewhere along the way, many of us stopped watching. We trusted that things were being handled. We assumed someone else was paying attention.

The Public Record exists because that assumption has a cost.

We are a nonpartisan, community-based transparency group dedicated to shining a light on the local and county government in Sharp County. We believe in public servants who truly serve the public. We believe in open records, open meetings, and open government. And we believe that an informed citizen is the most powerful force in a democracy.

We are not here to tear down the government. We are here to make it worthy of your trust.
Through public records requests, civic education, voter resources, and watchdog reporting, we give residents the tools and information they need to engage, question, and participate.

Because this is your government. You deserve to know how it works.