Status: Filed. Awaiting response. Last updated October 26, 2026.
| Request ID | REQ-MS-2026-003 |
| Type | Public records request for in-person inspection (§ 25-61-1 et seq.) |
| Agency | Carroll County Chancery Clerk’s Office |
| Sent to | Casey Carpenter, Carroll County Chancery Clerk |
| Date sent | Monday, October 26, 2026 (email) |
| Subject | Carroll County Courthouse restoration project in Carrollton, including the project funded through the MDAH Community Heritage Preservation Grant Program |
| Records period | January 1, 2023, through the date the request is fulfilled |
| 7-working-day deadline | Wednesday, November 4, 2026 (§ 25-61-5(1)(a)) |
| Latest date with written extension | Monday, November 16, 2026 (14 working days; Veterans Day, Nov. 11, is a state holiday) |
| Format requested | In-person inspection at the Chancery Clerk’s Office. Electronic copies accepted only if free. |
| Fees | No copying, scanning, retrieval, labor or other fees to be incurred without prior written authorization |
Background: the MDAH grant
MDAH’s 2024 Annual Report (page 13) says the MDAH Board of Trustees, at its January 19, 2024 meeting, awarded the Carroll County Courthouse in Carrollton $243,291 from the Community Heritage Preservation Grant program for “interior and exterior restoration; windows, doors, and cupola repairs.” The report says these grants are paid on a reimbursable basis, after the entire project or pre-set phases are completed. See our extract of the 2024 Annual Report and the preserved copy.
Item-by-item status
| # | Records category | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Board of Supervisors records (minutes, agendas, orders, votes, claims dockets, payment approvals, status reports) | Pending |
| 2 | MDAH grant records (applications, awards, agreements, reimbursement and draw requests, reports, closeout, correspondence with MDAH) | Pending |
| 3 | Procurement and bidding records, including Innovative Performance and Ramsay Construction | Pending |
| 4 | Contracts and professional services, including Ramsay Construction, Innovative Performance, John Beard, and Beard + Riser Architects | Pending |
| 5 | Financial records (payments, registers, warrants, invoices, pay requests, final payment) | Pending |
| 6 | Communications (email, letters, texts, meeting notes, with contractors, architects, consultants, engineers, MDAH, and among county officials) | Pending |
| 7 | Construction administration records (inspections, schedules, punch lists, completion and acceptance, warranties, photographs, closeout) | Pending |
| 8 | Records identifying every vendor, contractor, subcontractor, consultant, architect, engineer and supplier paid, with amounts and basis | Pending |
| 9 | Records of any missing or destroyed records: what, when, under what authority, and by whom | Pending |
Timeline
| Date | From | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 2026 | Roach Roundup | Request emailed to Chancery Clerk Casey Carpenter. |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Deadline | 7-working-day deadline under § 25-61-5. |
The request as sent
Subject: Mississippi Public Records Act Request – In-Person Inspection of Carroll County Courthouse Restoration Project Records
Dear Casey Carpenter,
Pursuant to the Mississippi Public Records Act, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-1 et seq., I respectfully request access to inspect all public records relating to the restoration, rehabilitation, repair, preservation, renovation, funding, administration, contracting, procurement, reimbursement, payment, oversight, and completion of the Carroll County Courthouse restoration project in Carrollton, Mississippi, including the project funded through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Community Heritage Preservation Grant Program.
This request covers records from January 1, 2023, through the date this request is fulfilled.
Request for Inspection Rather Than Copies
I am requesting in-person inspection of records only. Please make responsive records available for review at the Carroll County Chancery Clerk’s Office before any copies are made or fees are incurred.
I am not requesting paper copies, scans, electronic files, emailed documents, mailed documents, digital storage media, or other reproductions unless they can be provided at no charge. If any responsive records already exist in electronic format and can be transmitted electronically without charge, I am willing to accept those records electronically at no cost.
Otherwise, please make the records available for inspection and do not incur any copying, scanning, retrieval, reproduction, mailing, labor, administrative, or electronic production fees without my prior written authorization.
Records Requested
1. Board of Supervisors Records. All Board of Supervisors meeting minutes; agenda packets; meeting agendas; resolutions; orders; motions; voting records; project presentations; supporting exhibits; claims dockets; payment approval records; project status reports presented to the Board; and any records relating to discussion or approval of courthouse restoration activities.
2. MDAH Grant Records. Grant applications; grant award notices; grant agreements; amendments; budgets; reimbursement requests; draw requests; progress reports; status reports; compliance reports; final reports; grant closeout records; grant monitoring records; supporting documentation submitted to MDAH; and all correspondence between Carroll County and MDAH.
3. Procurement and Bidding Records. Invitations to bid; bid advertisements; bid specifications; plans and specifications; bid addenda; bid submissions; bid tabulations; bid evaluations; bid scoring documents; bid withdrawal requests; bid protests; procurement correspondence; recommendation memoranda; notices of award; notices of intent to award; and notices to proceed. Including but not limited to records involving Innovative Performance and Ramsay Construction.
4. Contracts and Professional Services. All construction contracts; architectural contracts; engineering contracts; consulting agreements; historic preservation consulting agreements; contract amendments; contract modifications; change orders; performance bonds; payment bonds; insurance certificates; notices to proceed; and subcontractor approvals. Including contracts involving Ramsay Construction, Innovative Performance, John Beard, and Beard + Riser Architects.
5. Financial Records. Vendor payment records; check registers; warrant registers; accounts payable records; general ledger entries; budget records; expenditure reports; grant reimbursement records; applications for payment; contractor pay requests; architect invoices; consultant invoices; contractor invoices; county warrants; and final payment records. For each payment, please identify the payee, payment date, payment amount, payment purpose, and related invoice or claim number, if available. I am not requesting confidential bank account numbers or information exempt from disclosure. Any such information may be redacted while releasing the remainder of the record.
6. Communications. Emails; letters; memoranda; text messages; meeting notes; internal correspondence; communications with contractors, architects, consultants, engineers, and MDAH; and communications among county officials concerning the project.
7. Construction Administration Records. Inspection reports; site reports; daily reports; construction schedules; progress reports; punch lists; substantial completion documents; certificates of completion; final inspection reports; acceptance records; warranty records; project photographs; and closeout documentation.
8. Vendors and Subcontractors. Records sufficient to identify every vendor, contractor, subcontractor, consultant, architect, engineer, and supplier paid, including amounts paid and the basis for payment.
9. Missing or Destroyed Records. If any responsive records have been destroyed, lost, transferred, removed, or are otherwise unavailable, please provide records identifying the missing record, the date of destruction or disposition, the authority for destruction, and the individual responsible for the action.
Scheduling Inspection
Please advise when responsive records are available for inspection and provide several available dates and times for review at the Chancery Clerk’s Office. Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to your response within the time required by the Mississippi Public Records Act.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Bruckner
Related
- MDAH, which runs the Community Heritage Preservation Grant Program
- Carroll County, Mississippi
- Carroll County audits