WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – A Winter Springs commissioner is calling for more transparency after questions were raised about the city spending $427,000 on tree maintenance and removal.
At a meeting on Monday, City Manager Kevin Sweet addressed questions from Commissioner Mark Caruso over the expenditures.
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Sweet showed dash camera video from an April 2025 incident where Winter Springs was found liable after a driver was seriously injured when a tree on city-owned property fell on his vehicle.
“This here is why we’re proactively addressing our tree canopy and our tree issues in the city,” Sweet said. “I’m not going to sit up here as a city manager and continue to kick the can down the road and not address these issues.”
Since the incident, the city has been working with an arborist to identify and remove trees that may pose a risk to life and property.
Caruso first highlighted the spending during a June 8 meeting and raised concerns about the mismanagement of taxpayer funds.
“Did I get answers? No,” Caruso said. “All we got at the last meeting were seven months of invoices that were paid to a company we’re being told has a certified arborist.”
Mayor Kevin McCann stressed there was no misuse of funds and said the spending was part of a budget approved in 2024. In an exchange with Caruso, he also took issue with how the situation was addressed.
“This was not handled appropriately. It gave us a black eye, unnecessarily,” McCann said as Caruso responded. “Mayor, when you don’t get answers, it draws a red flag. I’m sorry.”
Caruso also suggested a policy change to preserve the city’s tree canopy while addressing maintenance concerns.
“We need a policy to replant trees as we remove them on city property,” Caruso said.
The discussion on tree removal expenditures is expected to continue as Winter Springs works to develop a budget for the next fiscal year.
A tentative budget is due July 1, and a budget workshop is scheduled for July 13.