WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – The governor’s Office of the Chief Inspector General will be investigating the City of Winter Springs as city leaders continue to answer questions regarding recent audits.
News 6 reported on the first audit conducted by Seminole County which discovered the city misused funds from a penny sales tax. Then, a second audit conducted independently through the State Auditor reaffirmed many of the same findings.
Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, who is on the state auditing committee, spoke to News 6 about the decision to move the matter to the Chief Inspector General.
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“The city has spent the last year trying to defend its financial position without ever being able to produce an audit,” Sen. Brodeur said. “The issues that residents have had have caused us concern for their health, safety, and welfare.”
The State Auditor General identified eight issues, including ongoing problems with the city’s wastewater plant. The aging infrastructure has resulted in sewage spills and continuing fines and penalties for wastewater treatment violations.
“I hear about the boil water notices all the time. I hear about their garbage fees getting raised even though there’s no difference in service or contract,” Brodeur said. “The citizens deserve to have somebody come in and say this is what is being done right now to ensure that we have clean water and when we flush the toilet it doesn’t end up in a retention pond around the city.”
Jesse Phillips, the president of the Winter Springs Community Association, said the decision by the auditing committee is a victory. Phillips has spoken out for years about what he calls the city’s mismanagement.
“It’s very comforting for me to know that the state’s going to come in and provide some oversight and help us get to the bottom of problems we’ve been raising for about four years now,” Phillips said.
News 6 reached out to city leaders Tuesday for their insight. Mayor Kevin McCann shared the following statement as he determines the impact of this decision:
“Although the city worked closely with both the Auditor General’s office and the Joint Legislative Auditing committee, we are disappointed they have chosen not honor the agreement they offered. We will continue to supply factual information regarding our financial health to the state and will continue moving forward serving our residents in the best manner possible.”
Winter Springs Mayor Kevin McCann
Commissioner Cade Resnick also shared a brief statement:
“As this unfolds, I believe we will learn more as to what will be uncovered, yet for now for now we will have to wait and see.”
Winter Springs Commissioner Cade Resnick
Brodeur said the Auditing Committee felt that the city of Winter Springs either does not have the money they say they do, or they do have the funds and they’re not doing anything with it. The committee decided to involve the governor’s Chief Inspector General because they believe the city needs someone to step in, no matter how well-meaning they are.
Once the governor’s Chief Inspector General reviews the matter, it is possible they could declare the city is in a state of financial emergency. Brodeur said that would allow the governor to step in and course correct their actions.
Those actions include, but are not limited to, improving budgetary authority, limiting their authority to borrow, and potentially put together a committee that would help steer them in the right direction.
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