A fiscal year budget, which runs from October 1st through September 30th of the following year is balanced, addresses City Council’s strategic goals, and follows the fundamentals of the City’s financial management policies. For detailed information, see the annual budget.
In Texas, there are two laws that make most government documents available to citizens. The Texas Public Information Act (PIA) requires state and local governments to make information public. The Federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requires the federal government to do the same thing. Citizens do not need lawyers to use these laws. The PIA and FOIA make information public, but there are some exceptions.
You can request documents or information from any government agency, like school districts, police departments, cities, or counties. The PIA request, however, can only be used for Texas state government. To request information from the federal government, use the FOIA request.
The government is not required to release some information. For example, a school district can only release information about a child to the child’s parent. The police cannot release information about ongoing investigations. If someone has threatened to sue the government, the government may withhold information until the lawsuit is over. The federal government may withhold information related to national security.
You can request documents by sending a letter, describing exactly what information you want, to the City Secretary at: City of Madisonville, 210 West Cottonwood, Madisonville, TX 77864.
