County attorney authorized to request outside documents after clerk inquiry; board discusses noise ordinance enforcement

The county attorney told the board the current noise ordinance (chapter 55) limits enforcement primarily to the sheriff's office and suggested possible changes, such as placement of fixed decibel devices and code‑enforcement approaches. He also said the board had received emails from the clerk of courts about multiple items (including TDC events and use of county buildings) and asked for explicit authority to request documents from third parties if necessary in the course of investigation.

"To the extent they're not in the custody or control of Gadsden County or employees, then, yes, before I go to a third party, I would need this board's permission to do so," the attorney said. After discussion about whether the Tourist Development Council (TDC) is the primary body for some concerns, the board voted to authorize the attorney to request documents from outside parties when needed; the motion passed by voice vote as recorded in the transcript.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the clerk should send his requests directly to the organizations that received funds, but the attorney said some matters require the county's formal legal process to retrieve documents from third parties. The board granted the attorney authority to proceed with such requests with board consent.

What happens next: The county attorney will follow up with the clerk and, where appropriate, ask third parties for records subject to any applicable contract provisions; staff will report back to the board as information is gathered.