Apopka, Orange County – Apopka city commissioners will discuss the prospect of a forensic audit of the city’s finances when they convene Wednesday afternoon for their regularly scheduled meeting.
Mayor Bryan Nelson broached the idea at a meeting earlier this month.
“I know it’s been mentioned a couple times about the forensic audit,” Nelson said during the March 18 meeting, before directing city staff to prepare options for the commission.
News 6 met with Nelson ahead of Wednesday’s meeting and asked the outgoing mayor: “Why now?”
“I thought, ‘Well, if we wanted to bring forth a forensic audit to give everyone a clean look at our budgets and our financing and how that all played out over the last eight years, now is the perfect time to do that,’” Nelson said Tuesday.
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The idea follows the same template as a forensic audit proposed in 2024 by Apopka City Commissioner Nick Nesta.
That audit, which was ultimately voted down, would have included the examination of several items, including city of Apopka bill payments, Camp Wewa, and a payment related to the Farmworkers Association.
During News 6’s conversation with Nelson, though, it became increasingly apparent that the mayor was determined to send a message.
“Once and for all, we’re going to determine either there’s a clean bill of health based on our normal audit or there’s not,” Nelson said. “And they spent a million and a half bucks wasted on a forensic audit that will prove nothing.”
Nelson brought up Nesta’s name several times during the interview when discussing previously raised questions about the city’s finances. Nesta and Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore will face each other in a runoff election for mayor next month, while Nelson failed to garner enough support to advance past last month’s election.
“Does this have anything to do with politics at all?” News 6’s Mike Valente asked Nelson.
“Sure,” Nelson answered. “100 percent.”
As of Tuesday evening, Nesta did not respond to News 6’s questions about the pending discussion over the forensic audit.
During Tuesday’s interview, Nelson challenged Nesta to take a vote on an audit.
“Let’s do it,” Nelson said. “Put up or shut up.”
A vote Wednesday would not officially kickstart an audit, but rather release a request for proposal (RFP) to solicit bids from outside firms.