Independence County Watch

Independence County Watchdog

Holding local government accountable through transparency, public records, and civic engagement.

FOIA Accountability Scorecard

How quickly do officials respond to public records requests?

F
Jessica Davis (City Clerk)
7/15 fulfilled
F
Tracey Mitchell (County Clerk)
6/12 fulfilled 🚫 1 denied
F
Daniel Haney (County Attorney)
2/5 fulfilled
F
Shawn Stephens (Sheriff)
0/2 fulfilled 🚫 2 denied
F
Kevin Jeffery (County Judge)
5/14 fulfilled ⚠️ 1 disputed

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By the Numbers

Every number below is sourced from public records obtained through FOIA.

$59,678,027
Total city vendor payments, 2025
700 vendors. Up 73.8% from 2024
See where it went →
$34,332,409
Total city vendor payments, 2024
702 vendors paid from Batesville city accounts
Compare year over year →
$22,765,086
TOLM Group: largest city vendor (2025)
Water Treatment Plant. Up 915% from $2.24M in 2024
Follow the money →
$879,123
VFW building condemnation (total cost)
Independent appraisal valued the property at $3,425
Read the details →

The Paper Ballot Fight: Citizens vs. Government

A timeline of how Independence County citizens fought for paper ballots, won at every level of court and at the ballot box, and how government officials fought back.

Citizens' Initiative Government Resistance Legal Victories Election Victory Federal Action
Mar 24
Jun 24
Sep 24
Dec 24
Mar 25
Jun 25
Sep 25
Dec 25
Mar 26

Read the full story →

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