[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6681108,"mediaKeyId","2171587-0ae3b21504a071d9d117399e17261214","parentId",2171587,"title","Orange County comptroller authorized to secure supervisor-of-elections payroll after review finds spending, accounting gaps","audioSeconds",878,"startMs",25029000,"endMs",25907000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171587-0ae3b21504a071d9d117399e17261214&start=25029&end=25907","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171587-0ae3b21504a071d9d117399e17261214/thumbnail_25029000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6681108/Orange-County/Florida/Orange-County-comptroller-authorized-to-secure-supervisor-of-elections-payroll-after-review-finds-spending-accounting-gaps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6681108-c5e853674883b337aa0bb2cd03f03275/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173501&Signature=gGfFQ8gLa1jQhXUTfuyaGEnERgw6o6R1iG0xVtYz8piFlaSVXBQcn~z-v88koLyMp3jslJCfRUrj2JPW9jDJ1eyIGFEEXqNymKPO3XmMRebXOV~Xf8~RL8XXThy1~HZaw8tHircTjRliSy8F-wzHdikG6Bw6yAKaVm4e1ekOjqFRIdei90md10tR4Kp1O1rseykhPm477R5pn8IhaAwoSAiF3a8u7F4xOrTJ3OGb~TAhvt5l2y1O35fifCPTu5hGTrbfcfPKz9cqiac6mSMIrrlcNwNSYgyiFyeVTKjtVwd7TfSf5JAPauznYgQK1lIr1tM7HbW3H93Az53L6-OOSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Orange County","date","2025-01-01T05:08:30.97Z","article","The Orange County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday authorized the county comptroller to take steps to ensure the supervisor of elections’ employees are paid for the December 26 payroll after an internal review found the office had exceeded statutory spending limits and left its operating account at risk of overdraft.

Comptroller staff and the county attorney told commissioners they had reviewed allegations that large transfers and the timing of spending had created a cash shortfall in the supervisor’s office. Assistant County Attorney Deborah Nutcher and Assistant Comptroller Wendy Kittleson briefed the board on findings made after a rapid review of bank statements, check registers and contracts.

Kittleson summarized the comptroller’s review: state law (Fla. Stat. § 129.202(1)(a)) directs counties to remit 25% of an approved supervisor of elections’ annual budget in October and then smaller monthly amounts thereafter. Orange County had already advanced the supervisor 50% of the year’s budget through October and November. But the supervisor’s office spent roughly $9.86 million between Oct. 1 and Dec. 12 — about 51% of its annual appropriation — and continued to spend afterward, Kittleson said. That exceeds the statutory 1/12th monthly limitation embedded in a separate Florida provision that protects the incoming supervisor’s operating budget.

Kittleson and Comptroller Diamond reported three principal findings: (1) the supervisor’s office exceeded amounts permitted by statute in the October–December period; (2) the supervisor made a $1.137 million payment on Oct. 3 to the Central Florida Foundation under a contract the review team said was not budgeted and would require a board-approved transfer if it were to be a legitimate use of the appropriated funds; and (3) checks written by the supervisor’s office exceeded the bank account balance on the December statement, creating a potential overdraft. The review team also reported the office had not fully accrued certain liabilities that should have been recorded as FY24 obligations.

The comptroller proposed two immediate steps to reduce risk and ensure employees are paid: (1) pay employee payroll directly to ADP, the outside payroll processor, rather than routing funds through the supervisor’s account; and (2) ask the supervisor to cancel the Central Florida Foundation contract so any undistributed funds can be returned and used to remediate the operating deficit.

After debate, the board voted unanimously to authorize the comptroller to use his discretion to facilitate payment for payroll expenses of the supervisor of elections and to direct the supervisor to cancel the Central Florida Foundation contract and secure return of undistributed grant funds.

County attorneys cautioned the board that the board’s legal authority is limited to appropriations and supervision of county funds and that some issues may be the subject of litigation; a hearing in state court was scheduled for Dec. 18. Commissioners said they wanted the payroll issue solved quickly while the county and new supervisor cooperated to investigate the spending, recover funds where appropriate and reform internal controls.

Comptroller staff said they will work with the incoming supervisor and the supervisor’s payroll vendor to determine the data needed to make an immediate payroll payment and will attempt to make payment directly to the payroll processor if the vendor and supervisor cooperate. The board emphasized that its direction was intended to pay employees, not to enable additional unreviewed spending, and directed staff to report back on recovery and accounting steps taken.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Orange County Board of County Commissioners Meeting | December 17, 2024","oneSentenceSummary","The Orange County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday authorized the county comptroller to take steps to ensure the supervisor of elections’ employees are paid for the Dec. 26 payroll after an internal review found the office had exceeded statutory spending limits and left its operating account at risk of overdraft.","taxTitle","Orange County, Florida","taxId",2866,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6681102,"County approves $1.3 million blockbuster grant for Eatonville Rising; town mayor asks for formal coordination",933,4683000,5616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171587-0ae3b21504a071d9d117399e17261214&start=4683&end=5616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171587-0ae3b21504a071d9d117399e17261214/thumbnail_4683000.jpg","/articles/6681102/Orange-County/Florida/County-approves-13-million-blockbuster-grant-for-Eatonville-Rising-town-mayor-asks-for-formal-coordination","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6681102-b71a77b745bd282e6b968973a2c17d29/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173501&Signature=bC4Vf5UUdK3D3SJTdLYH5TxVz9tKNioFks-c2zCWMf3Xruh07I1Mxl-X6tojje0ABODx-sTov5UPJstp5Q360yHKFSiJ5~CgZ5XrmhSNdy9BPQqVbZ6FYxbyjNcQt65s2SDlhd9tDgr4K9pXaYJ6DHs5msjKfw3IJst7~sKV1uOvwyNOX8FBmnmHtdNViIzvmLUmrbss~JgL1couMPD3nPuV5NIFWrixwXhiBgV30lerpeY1KYNTDe-O-qhV9eRDd2PysS1BtxokGh6qZ~y099sJVIJ43MB3XrThOc9MeGF2pSZrScFcFjOek8VY4x6qYYeAw4nAkm6rf7k9JWN8PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Orange County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to award the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community (PEC) $1.3 million over three years to support “Eatonville Rising,” a six‑event cultural tourism series planned for 2027.

The Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Council and the Blockbuster & Special Events Committee recommended the grant after a multi-step vetting process that included preliminary presentations and fiscal reviews. County staff and United Arts will serve as fiscal agents and monitor payments. The Board’s action approved Year 1 funding for $689,261 with years 2 and 3 (about $600,740) contingent on program performance, reporting and sufficient fund balances in the Blockbuster & Special Events Fund.

County staff described Eatonville Rising as an integrated program that includes a national middle‑school competition with finals in Eatonville, a Pan African fashion and food expo, a commissioned exhibition (including a planned Kehinde Wiley piece), a cultural‑heritage tour series and a large arena heritage concert with an anticipated total attendance just over 50,000. PEC presented a funding plan that includes a pledge of around $600,000 in matching funds, sponsorships and earned revenue in later years.

Commissioners applauded the proposal as an opportunity to boost cultural tourism and to leverage county Tourist Development Tax revenues for cultural preservation and economic development. Commissioner Nicole Wilson emphasized the county’s long-term interest in using TDT and special-event funds to broaden tourism beyond theme parks and to invest in heritage tourism.

After approval the town of Eatonville’s mayor, Andrew Gardner, sent a letter to the board saying the town had not reviewed or approved any solicitation or application for funding and requested that applicants secure vetting and logistical approval from the town before events that would place “critical demand” on town staff or residents. Commissioners accepted that concern and the grant award was structured so that later-year payments are contingent on performance, reporting and confirmation of appropriate local coordination and logistics, county staff said.

Board members directed staff to work with PEC, the town and United Arts of Central Florida to document public‑safety, logistical and partner commitments before releasing years 2 and 3 funds, and to require routine interim reporting and expenditure detail from PEC.","The Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a $1.3 million, three‑year blockbuster and special-events grant to the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community to support a six‑event Eatonville Rising series aimed at heritage tourism, while the town of Eatonville asked for formal vetting and logistical coordination before later payments are released.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6681104,"Board backs special magistrate, approves Windermere Springs 21-unit townhome PSP over staff denial",5098,6551000,11649000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2171587-0ae3b21504a071d9d117399e17261214&start=6551&end=11649","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2171587-0ae3b21504a071d9d117399e17261214/thumbnail_6551000.jpg","/articles/6681104/Orange-County/Florida/Board-backs-special-magistrate-approves-Windermere-Springs-21-unit-townhome-PSP-over-staff-denial","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6681104-e2256aab2a0c08eca58c0b3c120db499/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173501&Signature=F2mopWG1OtLGC6tKorC9wrTFs78znLA6~oDNDL-L9WyEfPgdfCrD5pjzr3ihJcoWOK7qmSNteWyPVgbhZpod02bIUzya7zyvdFuHlqKGnoBkTsy1jr~JQ7xit2AWuDvd-MtF3PC058VE0UF4-l3fvu3Wyo2GOcDuwNfkm~B0LUNz3UjWwMM63-WtbDBlyRP8HFmNriR2n6Cn3eHpD-PRQ~iMfiaJq9xz27EFGtk3L4TkZu9XRYzEPzMrzg1v3v30ewlZ8dWyzZ0BdXTMFlXlN6niTZyjKgxTnfrwhjJNIRuMy9a7V2LjyqGN7U-~PRuE3hRNubwbPLH1DimdtFnQsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted 5–2 on Tuesday to accept a special magistrate’s recommendation and approve a preliminary subdivision plan (PSP) for a 21-townhome project at 1365 Reams Road in the Windermere Springs planned development.

The PSP, for 21 townhomes, had been denied by the board on Aug. 13 after staff and the Development Review Committee recommended approval. The property owner then sought relief under Florida’s expedited administrative review statute for land-use disputes (Fla. Stat. § 70.51), and a special magistrate held an evidentiary hearing on Oct. 18. The magistrate found that the county’s denial was unreasonable and recommended that the PSP be returned to the board for approval with the prior staff conditions.

Assistant County Attorney Lee Birnbaum summarized the Flo‑DR Act process for commissioners and told the board that under the statute the commission has three options: (1) accept the special magistrate’s recommendation and implement it; (2) modify it (which requires owner consent); or (3) reject it — with the latter options creating significant legal exposure. The applicant’s counsel told the commission the project has no wetland impacts, had gone through 13 submittals and engineering revisions over two-and-a-half years and had cleared school concurrency.

Several commissioners and speakers raised public-safety and infrastructure concerns. Commissioner Nicole Wilson, whose district includes the area, said repeated contract amendments for the Reams Road design had pushed construction timelines out and that Reams Road had chronic flooding, poor shoulders and deteriorating conditions that created safety risks for residents. Transportation staff said Reams Road design is funded and that updated scheduling targeted construction advertising by late 2025 and potential construction start in 2026; a separate county briefing put a conservative estimate on completion in 2028 owing to utility work and wetland bridge design. Residents and speakers including nearby property owners urged postponement until the roadwork and drainage improvements are complete.

The applicant said it had participated in right-of-way conveyances for the planned Reams Road widening and that it had prepared a proportionate share (concurrency) agreement to mitigate traffic impacts. The applicant’s traffic consultant estimated the 21 units would generate roughly 14 peak-hour trips.

Commissioners divided 5–2 in favor of accepting the magistrate’s recommendation and approving PSP 21-12-374 with the staff’s conditions. Commissioners who voted against said they were not convinced the necessary safety and drainage improvements to Reams Road had been secured before approving new housing entitlements.

The board’s action implements the special magistrate’s recommendation and directs the county attorney to issue a written decision describing the approved uses available to the property under the PSP and the statutory findings.","After a special magistrate recommended approval of a 21-townhome preliminary subdivision plan for Reams Road, the Orange County commission accepted that recommendation and voted 5–2 to approve the PSP despite resident and commissioner concerns about flooding and Reams Road capacity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Orange County comptroller authorized to secure supervisor-of-elections payroll after review finds spending, accounting gaps

County approves $1.3 million blockbuster grant for Eatonville Rising; town mayor asks for formal coordination

Board backs special magistrate, approves Windermere Springs 21-unit townhome PSP over staff denial