Speaker asks whether CRA audits and funding allocations have been transparent; commissioner urges local-first consulting

Leon Moyer told the advisory board he had reviewed online materials and municipal code and asked whether the CRA had complied with a requirement for independent annual audits of the trust fund, citing "Florida statute 163.356." He also noted public project materials showing a Sept. 14 start date and a 180-day timeline for the Southernmost Point Plaza work.

Commissioner Aaron Castillo said the CRA is a single entity and urged the advisory board to continue seeking funds and opportunities for Bahama Village; he criticized prior allocations, saying the community had been overlooked despite multi‑million‑dollar earmarks. Castillo also urged selecting consultants familiar with Key West rather than out‑of‑area firms.

Staff and the chair responded that the city performs the annual audit through an independent auditor and that a recent copy had been made available to the speaker. No formal board action resulted; the board discussed follow-up items that had been delayed following staff turnover and asked staff to relay outstanding follow-up items to relevant staff.