The City of Morganfield violated Kentucky's Open Records Act by failing to provide complete records related to a downtown mural project within the required timeframe, according to an April 30 decision from the Kentucky Attorney General's office.

Melissa Shreve Bebout requested seven categories of records on March 26 pertaining to grant funds and payments related to the mural project. The city initially provided some responsive records on March 31 but failed to include bank statements and account records that Bebout had specifically requested. The city did not formally respond in writing to acknowledge which records were being withheld or explain why, violating state law requiring public agencies to notify requesters within five business days whether they will comply with requests and to cite any statutory exemptions for withheld materials.

The city remedied the violation on April 2, after Bebout filed an appeal, by providing the missing bank statements. The Attorney General's office concluded that while the city ultimately provided all responsive records within the required timeframe, its initial failure to send a written response or explain which records were unavailable constituted a violation of the Open Records Act.

The downtown mural project, conceived in 2019 by Mayor Randy Greenwell, cost between $38,000 and $40,000 and was funded by a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and donations from local businesses. The 35-by-75-foot mural depicts historical figures and scenes significant to Morganfield and Union County, including Abraham Lincoln, Maybelline founder Thomas Lyle Williams, and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson.

Bebout requested invoices, reimbursement requests, contracts, meeting minutes and correspondence related to payments to Greenwell, along with conflict-of-interest disclosures. The Attorney General's decision stated the city affirmed that no additional responsive documents exist beyond what was ultimately provided.