Resident asks Citrus County commissioners to freeze budget and submit to independent audit

During public comment, resident Renee Bedford told the board she had documents she said showed "severe misuse of public funds," unauthorized contracts and unexplained revenue transfers dating back to 2001 and asked the board to table the proposed millage and cooperate with a media-supported state audit.

"I request that these documents be entered into the permanent public record... I further demand that this board freeze the current budget and deny the proposed millage and cooperate with the media outside audit by the state auditors," Bedford said as she handed copies to the clerk. The clerk responded that the county already has an outside auditor every year and invited Bedford to provide her documents for review; staff also noted published reserve figures are available in the budget exhibit (page 10).

No formal motion to open an investigation or to table the budget was made during the hearing. The board received the materials and staff said they would review the submission as part of routine financial oversight.