KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Clay County Circuit Court Monday ordered county commissioners to continue to cooperate with a on-going audit by Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway.
According to court documents, the county must now release all the documents requested by Galloway's office within 10 days of the court order.
Since the order was issued on Oct. 23, county commissioners have to release the records by Nov. 2.
This includes "all 2017-2019 meeting minutes, whether open or closed, redacted as specified in the subpoenas and to the extent not already produced within ten days the Court's order," according to court documents.
Clay County said in a statement Monday afternoon that it was reviewing options, including a possible appeal, with legal counsel and could not comment further.
Clay County's legal counsel has received the court's ruling and remains in the process of reviewing options, which could include an appeal. All along, staff has prioritized protecting our employees' private information, which the Missouri Supreme Court has consistently found to be highly confidential. That remains our focus.
Due to the potential for further legal action, Clay County cannot comment any further at this time.
Last November, Galloway began to issue subpoenas to Clay County after more than 9,000 citizens signed a petition seeking an audit of the county. The petition by citizens showed concerns over the county's financial records.
This came after Clay County tried to sue in order to avoid having to cooperate with the audit.
"I remain committed to the fight for answers on behalf of Clay County citizens. For too long, county commissioners ignored taxpayers' calls for accountability," Galloway said Monday. "That's why our office went to court to demand answers and ensure we get the facts. The court's ruling requires that Clay County officials comply with my audit and stop their obstruction. This ruling is not just a win for the people of Clay County — it's a win for all Missourians who exercise their right to hold their government accountable in the pursuit of transparency."
Voters will decide on a new proposed constitution for the county in the upcoming election, which would mean big changes to the structure of the government.
This comes after some citizens have called the current government structure "dysfunctional."
